United Adds More Offbeat Destinations in Latest Route Expansion

United Airlines is expanding its West Coast network with a slate of new destinations to Asia and Australia. 

The carrier announced Wednesday that it will operate daily flights to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City from Hong Kong. The routes will connect through Hong Kong from Los Angeles and San Francisco, said United executive Patrick Quayle during a call with reporters. 

Quayle, who oversees global network planning, noted that there was an uptick in demand for Thailand due to the latest season of “The White Lotus.” United’s flights to Bangkok start October 26. 

“Bangkok was and already has been the most visited city in Thailand, and it has a deep history,” Quayle said. “And Thailand has a really rich culture, and this city is even more in demand now, given the popularity of ‘White Lotus.’”

United is launching flights between San Francisco and Adelaide, the fifth-largest city in Australia, on December 11. The carrier is also expanding its San Francisco-Manila service, adding a second daily flight. 

“This builds on the demand we've seen from our initial San Francisco and Manila flights from both business and leisure travelers,” Quayle said. “With this second flight operation, travelers will now have more flexibility with both daytime and nighttime flight operations in each direction.”

The latest additions are part of United’s strategy to bet on more off-the-beaten path destinations. United already operates flights to Palma de Mallorca, Dubrovnik, and Marrakech. 

Last year, the airline made a similar announcement, adding destinations like Ulaanbataar, Mongolia and Nuuk, Greenland to its map.