United Airlines sets date for daily service between Houston and Havana

United Airlines sets date for daily service between Houston and Havana



United Airlines today set the date, July 20, for the launch of daily service between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport.



The new daily service marks a significant expansion in frequency on the Saturday-only service between the two markets that had been available since United launched the route in December of 2016.



Interestingly, United will operate the new daily service on a mix of regional and mainline aircraft.



United regional vendor Mesa Airlines will operate some of the flights under the United Express banner on an Embraer E-175 regional aircraft. Other of the daily flights will operate on a United mainline Boeing 737-800 aircraft.



Houston city officials view the expanded frequency on the Houston-Havana route as a significant economic boon to a city still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey last year.



Noted Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner: “This expansion to Havana will provide significant public benefits to our city, region and state. As a diverse global city — in which many people speak Spanish — we are heavily reliant on international travel for our economic success. Worldwide access to Houston by air helps bring financial health back to Houston after Hurricane Harvey. The addition of Havana to Houstonians’ travel options will also help build cultural bridges with our neighbor national across the gulf.”



The new daily flights from Houston to Havana also will make connectivity to the Cuban capital easier for passengers looking to fly there from more than 40 markets United serves in the western United States.



The United Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the route will seat 16 in first class and 150 in economy, including 54 extra-legroom United Economy Plus seats. Mesa’s Embraer E-175 will be configured with 12 seats in first class and 64 seats in economy, including 16 Economy Plus seats.



United Airlines has been more cautious — and, it turns out, savvier — than some competitors in rolling out service to Cuba.



United initially announced service only to Havana from Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey and Houston. Other carriers, including American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, launched flights to several secondary markets in Cuba in the early going, but quickly began cutting back on that service when it became apparent the demand was not there.



United Airlines is a unit of United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL).