United Airlines Introduces New Daily Nonstop Athens-Chicago Flight

Thorsten Lettnin, United’s Sales Director for Central Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, and Israel; Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director of Communications and Marketing at Athens International Airport (AIA); Leonidas Raftopoulos, Senior Developer Airline Development at AIA; and Ioannis Novas, Senior Developer Airline Development at AIA. Photo source: AIA

United Airlines on May 24 inaugurated a new daily, direct connection between Athens and Chicago O’Hare, marking a 30 percent increase in its flights to Greece for 2024.

The decision to introduce the new seasonal route reflects the strong preference of American travelers for Greece as a holiday destination, as highlighted by the company’s executives during a recent media briefing in the Greek capital.

“The increase in flights provides even more travel options, a direct connection to the Chicago metropolitan area, and the ability to connect through our US hubs to more than 130 destinations across the Americas,” said Thorsten Lettnin, United’s Sales Director for Central Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, and Israel.

Until August 26, daily flights from Athens will depart Athens International Airport (AIA) at 12:35 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at 4:15 p.m. Additionally, flights from Chicago will operate until August 26. Departures from Chicago are scheduled for 4:30 p.m., with arrival in Athens at 10:45 a.m. All times are local.

Passengers traveling from Athens to Chicago will enjoy the comfort of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft that feature 28 United PolarisSM business class lie-flat seats, 21 United Premium PlusSM premium economy seats, 36 Economy PlusSM seats, and 158 standard economy seats.

United offers 70% increase in seat capacity

Thorsten Lettnin speaking during the briefing. Photo © Greek Travel Pages

The launch of this new service is a significant addition to the company’s summer schedule for Greece, which commenced earlier this year. Specifically, the first passengers departed from Athens Airport to New York/Newark, on March 31, and to Dulles, Washington, on April 15.

According to Lettnin, the capacity offered by United has increased by 70 percent compared to 2023, with an additional 143,000 seats. Additionally, the number of United’s direct transatlantic flights connecting American cities to the Greek capital has risen to 82 from 67 last year.

1M Americans visited Greece in 2023

Photo © Greek Travel Pages

The appeal of Greece as a holiday destination for American travelers is evident in the number of arrivals, according to representatives of Athens Airport.

In 2023, American passengers arriving in the country reached 1 million, marking a 51 percent increase compared to 2019.

Based on data presented at the media briefing in Athens, the positive trend continues into 2024, with arrivals from the US rising by 22 percent in the first months of the year compared to the same period in 2023.

Photo source: AIA

The figures also validate the airport’s projections regarding the potential of the American market, which, alongside the Chinese market, stands as one of the most vital for Greek tourism.

According to Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director of Communications and Marketing at Athens Airport, the American market has shown “remarkable growth” since the beginning of the year, consistently ranking among Greece’s most significant and popular markets.

“The addition of the ‘Windy City’ (Chicago) further enhances our connectivity and expands options for transatlantic passengers with United’s premier product,” she said.

United’s 2024 summer schedule also introduces new flights from Barcelona to San Francisco, the reintroduction of seasonal service from Reykjavik to New York/Newark, and additional flights from Rome and Brussels.