United Airlines Cuts Dakar, Stockholm Routes in 2026

United Airlines will discontinue its Washington-Dakar and Newark-Stockholm routes in 2026, leaving gaps in service to Senegal and Scandinavia. Delta to become only North American airline flying continuously to Senegal.

United’s withdrawal leaves Washington without direct service to Senegal, although the carrier will proceed offering 4 African locations in summer 2026: Cape Community from Washington and Newark, Accra from Washington, Johannesburg from Newark, and Lagos from Washington.

The latest suspension comes simply over a year after former Celebrity Partnership partner Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) finished its transfer to SkyTeam under a restructuring led by Air France-KLM. The realignment removed a historical connection in between SAS and United at Stockholm Arlanda. However, SAS remains to offer the Newark-Stockholm market year-round, while Delta gives united state service to Sweden’s capital with 767-300ER flights from New York JFK.

“It is, of course, very unfavorable that United has actually selected to terminate their seasonal route at Stockholm Arlanda,” Swedavia Supervisor of Air Travel Service Elizabeth Axtelius informed Aeronautics Week. “Although United just flew a brief season– with a 757– they added to the availability to/from the united state, which is a large and essential market for us.

Route Suspensions Impact

The Star Alliance participant will finish its 3X-weekly Washington Dulles-Dakar service on March 5, 2026, and will certainly not resume its Newark-Stockholm Arlanda route for the 2026 summertime season. The relocations eliminate United’s only solutions to both Senegal and Scandinavia.

Dakar Route Details

The suspension means Delta will come to be the only North American airline flying continuously to Senegal– although Air Transat plans to go into the market in June 2026 with a Montreal-Dakar solution making use of Airplane A321LRs. Historically, Dakar has seen intermittent long-haul connection: Air Senegal ran New york city JFK-Dakar from 2021 to 2024, while South African Airways connected Johannesburg-Dakar-Washington prior to the pandemic.

Stockholm Route History

United’s Newark-Stockholm path, operated with 757-200s, has formerly been a summer-season service and the airline company’s only web link to Scandinavia. After returning to in 2023 complying with a pandemic time out, the course ran in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 summertime periods.

New Routes and Aircraft

United is additionally launching flights next summer season from its center at Washington Dulles to Reykjavik, building on existing solution to Iceland’s resources from Newark and Chicago O’Hare. The daily trip on the brand-new route operated by 757-200s starts May 21.

United released the 3,476-mi. (3,021-nm) Washington Dulles-Dakar route in Might 2025, coming to be the second U.S. provider in the West African market along with Delta Air Lines’ New York JFK-Dakar service. It presently deploys Boeing 767-300 aircraft on the field, running year-round.

Furthermore, United intends to use 737-8s for brand-new service from Newark to Glasgow and Santiago de Compostela. The Glasgow flights start May 8 and will run daily on a seasonal basis, while Santiago de Compostela launches May 27 with 3 flights per week.

United introduced the 3,476-mi. (3,021-nm) Washington Dulles-Dakar path in May 2025, ending up being the 2nd United state carrier in the West African market together with Delta Air Lines’ New York JFK-Dakar service. The realignment removed a longstanding partnership between SAS and United at Stockholm Arlanda. SAS proceeds to offer the Newark-Stockholm market year-round, while Delta provides U.S. solution to Sweden’s resources with 767-300ER flights from New York JFK.

“We comprehend that the competition for website traffic in between Europe and The United States And Canada has been very difficult, especially in the economy sector. Nevertheless, we have actually not seen any kind of direct slump sought after, and this summer season we welcomed extra Americans to Sweden and Stockholm.

“We consistently make changes to our routine because of aircraft accessibility, market characteristics and various other elements,” the provider claimed in a statement concerning both path suspensions. For influenced passengers, the provider included that customers “might connect to United to be reaccommodated on a companion airline company or to request a reimbursement.”