United Airlines
is reintroducing a nonstop route between Washington Dulles International Airport
t (IAD) and Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) beginning May 22, 2025. This new service marks the return of a connection that United previously operated until 2014, offering travelers a convenient and direct option between the US capital region and New Mexico’s largest city.
Photo: Welshboy2020 | Shutterstock
The nonstop flight is back after nearly a decade
The news was first shared by Ishrion Aviation on social media X. According to the post, the route will be served daily by an Airbus A319
aircraft. After a few months of operation, the service will transition to a Boeing 737-700
aircraft in late summer, providing additional capacity and comfort. According to United Airlines’ booking platform, the carrier will switch to a B737 for the route on the last Thursday of June.
A United representative verified the details in a statement to Simple Flying:
“Starting May 22, United will begin operating once daily, nearly year-round, direct service between Washington Dulles (IAD) and Albuquerque (ABQ) providing travelers with greater connectivity between the two cities and United’s route network.”
The flight schedule for the route will be as follows:
-
Flight UA1706
- Departure from IAD: 9:00
- Arrival at ABQ: 11:05
-
Flight UA1239
- Departure from ABQ: 15:00
- Arrival at IAD: 20:45
The flight is not currently scheduled for year-round service, with a seasonal pause in January and February, according to DC’s WTOP News. Currently, United’s booking platform shows nonstop flights available through January 6, 2026.
Airbus A319 to start service, transitioning to Boeing 737-700
The United A319 single-aisle aircraft features a two-class cabin configuration, including 12 United First seats in a 2-2 configuration, 36 Economy Plus seats, and 78 Economy. The aircraft will be equipped with Wi-Fi, allowing passengers to stay connected during the flight. United’s A319 fleet is an integral part of its regional network. It currently has 79 A319 aircraft in service, with an average aircraft age of 23.3 years, according to Planespotters.net.
Related
Which United Airlines Hub Has The Most Airbus A319 Flights?
The Mile High City sees the most of the operation, but other hubs also get the carrier’s smallest mainline aircraft.
This specific fleet transition to the Boeing 737-700 later in the year on the route will not make significant changes regarding capacity and available seats. United’s Boeing 737-700 has a similar class breakdown, also offering 12 seats in United Business, 36 seats in United Economy Plus, and 78 seats in United Economy, catering to both business and leisure travelers. Planespotters.net data shows that United has 36 B737 aircraft in service and four parked, with an average aircraft age of 26 years.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Looking back: United’s previous route to Albuquerque in 2014
According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, United Airlines’ previous route between Dulles International Airport and Albuquerque International Sunport was last operated in Spring 2014. In February 2014, the majority of flights on the route were operated using the Airbus A320, with 31 flights completed by this aircraft and three flights using the Airbus A319. This resulted in a total of 34 round-trip flights for the month.
Related
United Airlines Will Fly Twice Daily Between Denver & Syracuse This Summer
The additional service will leave Denver in the morning around 09:40.
In March 2014, United increased the frequency of the route, with 57 flights scheduled for the month. Of those, 43 flights were operated using the Boeing 737-800, eight with the Airbus A319, and six with the A320. The final flight on this route was operated on April 12, 2014, marking the end of United’s nonstop service between Washington Dulles and Albuquerque until this May.
