United Airlines has expanded its service to Greece with a new daily seasonal flight connecting Athens International Airport to its primary hub at Chicago O’Hare. This addition boosts United’s flight offerings from Greece by over 30 percent for the year 2024, complementing its existing seasonal routes from Athens to New York/Newark and Washington Dulles.
The Athens to Chicago O’Hare route is operated on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, offering a variety of seating options, including 28 lie-flat business class seats in United Polaris, 21 premium economy seats in United Premium Plus, 36 Economy Plus seats, and 158 standard economy seats. The Dreamliner features innovations designed to enhance passenger comfort and adjust body clocks during the transatlantic journey, such as large windows, ample overhead storage, and LED lighting that mimics a full day. Additional benefits include lower cabin pressure, cleaner air, and a smoother ride.
United Polaris business class provides a luxury travel experience focusing on comfort and relaxation, featuring premium in-flight dining, amenities from Therabody and Saks Fifth Avenue, and direct aisle access from every seat. United Premium Plus offers spacious seating with extra legroom and recline, enhanced by amenities like a Saks Fifth Avenue blanket and pillow. United Economy Plus provides additional legroom and preferred seating at the front of the economy cabin, facilitating faster deplaning. United Economy includes complimentary meals, beverages, and in-flight entertainment, with features like adjustable headrests and personal on-demand entertainment on most flights.
“We are excited to further expand our route network in Europe with the introduction of this new flight from Athens to our key hub in Chicago,” said Thorsten Lettnin, United’s Director of Sales for Central Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and Israel. “The over 30 percent increase in flights is great news for our customers traveling from Greece as it provides even more travel options, a direct link to the Chicago metropolitan area, as well as the ability to connect through our hubs in the US with more than 130 destinations across the Americas.”
“As we enter a particularly busy summer season, United Airlines’ announcement of the launch of a daily nonstop seasonal flight from Athens to Chicago is an exciting development!” said Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director of Communication and Marketing of Athens International Airport. “Along with the airline’s highly successful connections to metropolitan New York and the capital Washington, DC, the addition of the ‘Windy City’ enhances our connectivity and provides even more options for transatlantic passengers with United’s flagship product.”
United Airlines’ dominance in the transatlantic market is highlighted by its record number of 37 direct destinations for summer 2024, surpassing the combined offerings of all other U.S. airlines. The airline remains the sole carrier providing direct U.S. flights to Dubrovnik, Malaga, Majorca, and Tenerife. Its summer 2024 schedule also features new routes from Barcelona to San Francisco, the return of the seasonal Reykjavik to New York/Newark flight, and additional services from Rome and Brussels. Furthermore, United has enhanced its Malaga to New York/Newark summer seasonal service to weekdays and has moved up the start date to May 3, 2024. The airline has also advanced the restart of its popular seasonal routes from Nice, Lisbon, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, and Naples, offering passengers more opportunities and flexibility to explore destinations across the U.S.
