INVESTING IN SUNSHINE: THE BOOM OF UNITED’S FLIGHTS TO THE MEXICAN CARIBBEAN

As the chill of winter approaches, United Airlines anticipates a surge in sun-seekers heading to the vibrant shores of Cancun. The airline is preparing for what looks set to be its busiest winter yet, with a deployment of its roomy 364-seat Boeing 777–200s on three crucial routes.

The wide-bodied Boeing 777–200, designed for domestic travel, will be put into service for Cancun bound flights from:

Chicago
Denver
Houston

Decked out with 28 luxurious lie-flat business-class seats, 102 extra-legroom Economy Plus seats, and 234 standard economy seats, these flights are set to operate daily from October 29, 2023, to March 30, 2024.

This winter marks the first time United has consistently operated a wide-body aircraft on the Denver-to-Cancun route — an upgrade from the typical Boeing 737 service. The enhancement presents a significant increase in capacity.

Additionally, the Houston to Cancun service, a short flight of roughly 811-miles, is slated to be United’s briefest route operated by a twin-aisle plane during this winter season.

For travelers who prioritize comfort, the experience of a short transborder flight on a wide-body plane is a welcome upgrade. Although the United Boeing 777’s first-class cabin has a snug 2–4–2 layout, a lie-flat seat is generally preferable to standard recliners found on other United aircraft servicing Cancun. (Unless you end up in the less favored middle seat.)

Conversely, economy passengers might prefer to avoid Cancun flights on the 777s due to the compact 10-abreast cabin arrangement, not to mention the lack of seat-back entertainment.

While the larger aircraft may be either a boon or a bust depending on your travel preferences, United’s shift certainly indicates an expectation of strong demand for Cancun trips this winter.

United is even predicting its three most bustling months ever for Cancun — December 2023, January 2024, and March 2024. These projections are based on ASMs, or available seat miles, which track capacity based on the number of seats flown and the distance traveled.

Barring any unforeseen obstacles, United will exceed 200 million ASMs from the U.S. to Cancun in both December and January. This unprecedented milestone is a first in the airline’s history.

This winter, United will fly to Cancun from eight nationwide airports, including:

Chicago (up to four times a day)
Cleveland (up to two times a week)
Denver (up to four times a day)
Houston (up to six times a day)
Los Angeles (two daily flights)
Newark (three daily flights)
San Francisco (two daily flights)
Washington, D.C. (two daily flights)

These figures also encompass the aforementioned wide-body jet flights.

In recent times, American Airlines has led the pack in deploying wide-body planes to Cancun. Yet, their current schedule shows only one daily flight operated by a Boeing 787–9 Dreamliner from Dallas/Fort Worth to Cancun this winter.

United Airlines, with its extensive network of wide-body flights, has a unique advantage. With a dip in demand for transatlantic flights during the winter, United can strategically reallocate its aircraft. This strategy is evident in the airline’s decision to enhance its transpacific connectivity this coming winter. Moreover, as corporate travel demand gradually recovers, United can divert some surplus capacity from popular hub-to-hub flights to favorite leisure destinations, like Cancun.

While only time will tell whether United’s anticipated demand will materialize, travelers in the front of the plane can look forward to a lie-flat seat on three United routes to Cancun this winter.