United Airlines adds a new US destination to its route map

United Airlines is rebuilding its domestic network after dropping 41 cities from its route map since the pandemic started.

The Chicago-based carrier filed plans over the weekend to add service from Denver to Farmington, New Mexico, beginning on May 8, as first seen in Cirium timetables and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.

United Express affiliate SkyWest Airlines will operate the route on behalf of United using a 50-seat all-economy CRJ-200 regional jet.

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With this new route, United will bring commercial air service back to Farmington’s Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN) for the first time since 2017, Cirium schedules show. (Extra props to the aviation enthusiasts who knew the airport’s three-letter code without looking it up.)

Farmington was last served by commercial air service in 2017, when now-defunct United Express partner Great Lakes Airlines flew to Denver (as well as Page and Prescott in Arizona), according to Cirium data.

Of course, this move is especially exciting for those based near Farmington, as they’ll now be connected with United’s rapidly growing Denver hub, which offers hundreds of daily nonstop flights to cities across the world.

In fact, the excitement from the local community was palpable in a statement penned by Nate Duckett, the mayor of Farmington:

“Since 2017, the City of Farmington has been steadfast in its mission to bring commercial jet air service to Four Corners Regional Airport. Although a 2019 agreement with SkyWest Airlines to launch service in 2020 was derailed by the unprecedented challenges of that year, we have remained resolute in pursuing this goal. We are excited to welcome SkyWest, the nation’s number one regional carrier, and we are confident the region’s demand will support a 50-seat jet, with the potential for additional flights and destinations as interest grows. This milestone marks a significant achievement for Farmington and the surrounding areas, enhancing both quality of life and economic opportunities throughout the Four Corners.”

Meanwhile, for United, adding a new domestic route-map pin is a big deal, especially since the carrier had exited a whopping 41 U.S. cities since April 2020, according to data from aviation consulting firm Ailevon Pacific. The latest exit, Lewiston, Idaho, takes effect on Feb. 1.

In recent years, United seems to have prioritized long-haul growth over rebuilding its domestic connectivity. (Just look at the splashy route announcements that captured mainstream headlines over the past few summers.)

This year, however, it seems that the tide may be turning, and United is once again paying attention to domestic connectivity.

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Andrew Nocella, United’s chief commercial officer, just told investors on its fourth-quarter earnings call that it’s become a priority to rebuild its bank structure in Chicago, Denver and Houston.

“Our hubs are fantastic, but they lack the same level of connectivity that we see at some of our larger [other airline] competitor hubs. And so we’re going to be able to close that gap materially in 2025, which I think is going to be really good for our relative RASM results as we go forward,” said Nocella, using airline vernacular for “revenue per available seat mile” — a common industry measure of financial performance.

Nocella’s words are great news for smaller cities like Farmington, more of which will hopefully see a return of air service.

“We’re excited to bring this new United Express service to the Four Corners area. Little is more important to a community than quality air service. With just one flight from FMN, passengers can easily connect to hundreds of destinations worldwide on United’s global network through Denver,” said Cody Thomas, SkyWest’s managing director of market development, in a statement.

In 2024, United and its regional partners served 221 domestic destinations, including seasonal routes. United told TPG in a statement that “we plan to continue to grow this number in 2025.”

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