The New United shows first signs of synergy

United announced some new routes for 2011 that will start the process of optimizing their combined networks. They will add:

• Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport to:
  • Bakersfield, CA
  • Palm Spring, CA
  • Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Grand Junction, CO
  • Hobbs, NM
  • Montreal
  • Reno, NV
• Cleveland to:
  • Cincinnati, OH
• Newark to:
  • Des Moines, IA
• Washington-Dulles to:
  • Louisville, KY
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul
  • Salt Lake City
  • Tulsa, OK
  • Grand Cayman
• Denver to:
  • Amarillo, TX
  • Dallas-Love Field
  • Lubbock, TX
• Los Angeles to:
  • Austin, TX
• San Francisco to:
  • New Orleans

Nothing here is a big alignment of their route maps, but it is the first sign of collective route planning between the two carriers. The capacities to run these flights have to come from somewhere. We’d be curious to see from where. In the meantime, one of the more surprising ones is Dallas’s Love Field. The Wright Amendment, until 2014, forbids planes of more than 50 seats from flying to Colorado. However, these flights will be operated by regional jets, and thus not be a problem.