dailynewsnblog
Like many major carriers around the world, the 
Boeing 737 series plays a key role in United Airlines’ day-to-day operations. When it comes to the next-generation 737 MAX family, according to data from ch-aviation, United flies both the MAX 8 and the MAX 9 variants, with 123 and 146 examples in its fleet respectively. Going forward, the carrier plans to increase its MAX 9 sub-fleet by more than 50%, with outstanding orders for 77 more jets.
When it comes to United Airlines’ use of the smaller MAX 8 variant in the third quarter of 2026, we can see an interesting trend. Specifically, data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, shows that United will operate 16% fewer international flights in Q3 this year than in the same period in 2025, with the number of scheduled one-way foreign departures from the US dropping from 5,090 to 4,270. Let’s crunch the numbers and see what’s what.
A Closer Look At The Biggest Cuts
The biggest cuts that have been made in terms of the raw number of shelved services can be found on two routes out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Specifically, in Q3, 
United Airlines will operate 140 fewer flights from SFO to Vancouver (YVR), with the route from here to Toronto (YYZ) seeing 121 fewer departures. 121 is also the number of shelved services on its route from Houston (IAH) to San Pedro Sula (SAP) in Honduras.
Of these, SFO-YYZ is the only route that has seen 100% of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 departures shelved. However, such culls can also be found on routes where United had a smaller presence, such as Chicago (ORD) and Houston to Toronto and Vancouver, with Houston to Calgary (YYC) also suffering this fate as US-Canada demand plummets. With that being said, United’s MAX 8s are being increasingly deployed from Guam to Asia:
“There are already two United 737 MAX 8 aircraft in Guam. (…) When needed, the front rows of economy class can be collapsed to accommodate a medical stretcher for patients needing medevac transport.”
Europe Is The Exception To The Rule
While United’s international coverage with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is down overall, one region that is proving to be a notable exception to the rule is Europe, where the carrier is using the type to target thinner routes to secondary destinations. As seen in the map above, it will serve four European cities from its East Coast hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in the third quarter of this year, as well as one from Chicago O’Hare.
All in all, United’s Europe-bound Q3 schedule has more than doubled year-on-year, with the number of one-way transatlantic departures from the US with the type rising by a factor of 112.1% from 116 to 246. In the third quarter of last year, United was only serving two European destinations with the 737 MAX 8 from Newark, namely Funchal (FNC) in Madeira and Ponta Delgada (PDL) in the Azores. Both of these have been retained for 2026.
Now, however, it has also added Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) in Spain and Glasgow Airport (GLA) in Scotland to its international roster from Newark using the Boeing 737 MAX 8, with the latter route served on a daily basis. It has also penciled in three rotations from Chicago to Reykjavík Keflavík Airport (KEF).
8 Hours In A Boeing 737 MAX? Inside United Airlines’ New Longest Nonstop Flights
Half of the ten longest routes started in 2025 or will do so in 2026. See them all here!
The MAX 9 Is On The Up
An interesting operational contrast that appears when comparing United’s two Boeing 737 MAX variants is the fact that, while international flights with the MAX 8 have been cut, the MAX 9 is operating more foreign services than in Q3 of 2025. Indeed, this figure will rise by a factor of 32% from 2,775 to 3,633.
Of course, that isn’t to say that some of United’s international routes haven’t seen cuts to their MAX 9 coverage. Indeed, compared to last Q3, this year will see the type removed completely from five Canada-bound routes, as well as two to Costa Rica. Still, there are far more additions than cuts, with the biggest boosts in terms of raw flight numbers being seen from Newark to Panama City (PTY) and Houston to Port of Spain (POS), among others.
