United Airlines plans to launch nonstop service to Dubai and Moscow

United Airlines Inc. said Tuesday it plans to offer new daily passenger and cargo service to Dubai and Moscow from its Washington Dulles hub. Pending government approvals, United plans to begin its Dubai and Moscow service October 26.

Dubai, a key Middle East trade port, real estate haven and major world hub for IT and financial services, will become the second, fast-emerging Middle Eastern city United serves. In October 2006, United launched three weekly flights between Washington Dulles and Kuwait, and in December 2007 we increased this service to daily.

Service to Moscow, Russia's prime financial, scientific and cultural center, will mark United's fifth new capital-to-capital service in the last two years, bringing the total to 12.

"Commerce and tourism are growing exponentially in both Dubai and Moscow, and many of our cargo and corporate customers are traveling and shipping there more often to capitalize upon the economic health in these regions," John Tague, executive vice president and chief revenue officer, said in a statement. "With these new routes, we are continuing to show discipline with our capacity deployment by targeting profitable growth opportunities."

With United's first-ever flights to Dubai and Moscow, United's Washington Dulles hub now will serve 24 international destinations, including five that began operating in the past two years: Beijing, Kuwait, Rio de Janeiro (seasonal service restarts in September), Rome and Tokyo. Washington Dulles also offers customers traveling from Dubai and Moscow onward connecting service to 88 destinations in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.