Star Alliance partner United Airlines is poised to have completed its Boeing 737 MAX 8 swap-out for Guam-based fleet earlier than planned, with the MAX now set to operate all intra-Asia/Pacific flights on Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) by the end of July. This will see the airline resume its flights to Saipan (SPN) from August 2.

As noted in a report by AeroRoutes, United confirmed it had updated its schedule with the aircraft changes, with the Boeing 737 operations at Guam International Airport (GUM) shifting to all MAX 8 operations from October 1, instead of December, which was the initial planned date for being fully transitioned.

All Boeing 737 MAX 8 Operations For Intra-Asia Flights Earlier Than Planned

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The first route that will be operated exclusively with the MAX 8 is set to be Narita to Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB), which starts today, July 17. This is set to be followed by Narita to Kaohsiung (KHH), which will commence on Saturday, July 18. All flights from Guam to Narita are scheduled to operate with the MAX 8 from July 19.

United also operates several other Asia/Pacific routes with the type, and services to Ulaanbaatar (UBN) and Palau (ROR) are already using the newer generation aircraft. The first MAX 8 arrived in Guam in mid-March and has been sporadically deployed on routes from Guam and Narita, depending on routes and dates. The airline spoke with Flights In Asia, who shared the following statement:

“United’s narrowbody flights from NRT are expected to be operated by 737 MAX 8 aircraft by the end of July, with the exception of Saipan services, which are scheduled to resume on August 2. Please note that these plans remain subject to change.”

10 Boeing 737 MAX 8 To Replace Older 737-800s

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United Airlines maintains a base at Guam, the westernmost point and territory of the United States. The airline inherited the operations at the airport from Continental Airlines and maintains operations to a range of destinations in the region, and connects to the wider UA network from Tokyo Narita and Honolulu (HNL).

The airline set out a plan to replace the aging 737-800s based at Guam and invested heavily in airport upgrades, including new check-in kiosks and stalls, to align with the introduction of the new aircraft. The new planes include the United signature interior and offer seatback entertainment at every seat.

High-speed WiFi is also planned for these aircraft, with the service to be offered by Starlink. It is worth noting that this service is not yet active, but in the pipeline.

Five Routes Move To MAX 8 Only Operations In October

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The five routes that will now see MAX 8 operations from October 1 include Guam to Manila (MNL), Nagoya (NGO), Osaka International Airport (KIX), Taipei (TPE), and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND). Additionally, the airline will resume services between Narita and Saipan from August 2, operating thrice weekly with the upgraded aircraft.

United operates a strategic hub in Tokyo, with fifth-freedom flights that permit the airline to operate services from Japan to other key Asian markets. This is built to then feed into the wider mainland US flights offered from Narita, on either United or All Nippon Airways (ANA). A snapshot of the airline’s network from Tokyo below:

From Guam, United remains the largest carrier at the airport, with services to Chuuk, Honolulu, Koror, Kosrae, Kwajalein, Majuro, Manila, Nagoya–Centrair, Osaka–Kansai, Pohnpei, Saipan, Taipei–Taoyuan, Tokyo–Haneda, Tokyo–Narita, and Yap. No other mainland US carrier operates to Guam, and United feeds the majority of its passengers flying to the mainland US via Honolulu or Tokyo.

United’s move to replace its aging 737-800s at Guam will allow the airline to offer longer nonstop flights and operate with heavier cargo loads to this isolated region. The new aircraft upgrade has been welcomed by locals who now enjoy the enhanced passenger experience.