Karolien De Hertogh of United Airlines visited Dublin to brief key media about the airline’s plans for the Irish market.
She reiterated United’s commitment to the Irish market, citing United Airlines’ increase of its overall seat offer from Dublin to the United States by over 50pc in 2026 compared with 2024, the accelerated rollout of Starlink connectivity across the airline’s mainline fleet, as well as the Airbus A321XLR with United’s elevated interior, bringing widebody experiences to new, narrowbody aircraft.
With fiftyA321XLRs are expected to join United’s fleet and more than half of them are expected to be in service by 2028, there is a hope that these wil replace the B757s on European routes including Ireland.
In an engaging interview in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel, Ms De Hertogh spoke of her pride in the Irish team headed up by Aoife Gregg and Martina Coogan’s role in the airline, and the victory of United Airlines in the Irish Travel Industry Awards in 2024 and 2025 when she attended the event. United previous won the best airline to North America in 2012, 2013- and 2014.
Karolien De Hertogh shared: “It is always good to be here in Dublin because Ireland is such a critical market for United. We have increased to seven flights in the summer. We have two flights out of Shannon to Chicago. From Dublin we have Washington, Chicago and New York. We have one flight to Chicago with a 787-8, which is a big aircraft. Then we have a combination of 757s and 777s on Washington and a 777 and a 757 as well.
We are waiting for the A321 XLRs. We will have 25 of those delivered to the company in 2026. As a global advocate, I am advocating strongly that those come to Europe to replace the 757s that we currently have operating to Shannon and to Dublin as well, because demand continues to be very strong.
When you fly with us to New York, Washington or Chicago we can also carry you beyond. Florida is very popular but also our other hubs like Houston, Denver and LA. San Francisco is something we announced before the pandemic. Everything is still under review. We are constantly reviewing what we can fly.
What United is really doing is providing a better experience for everyone regardless of where you sit. One of our key selling points at this point in time is premium economy. We have premium economy on the 787-8 and on the 777 as well, so we have it to Chicago and to New York and it really flourishes because it is clear product differentiation.
Once we have Starlink everyone on board the aircraft, regardless of where you sit, is going to have a better experience. Scott is all about de-commoditising. If you just compete on price, you are never going to win. We are focused on winning brand loyalty.
On the new 787-9 we also have the studio, which is first class. We have eight studios in total. That is really a nose-heavy aircraft. We would have 99 seats that are not economy: eight studios, six Polaris, and 34 in premium economy. There is a strong focus on premium but the message is that regardless of where you sit you are going to have a better space. In the elevated interior we believe we have the largest screen in economy worldwide. In the economy cabin it is a 13-inch screen.
In the studios you would have 27-inch, in premium it is 19-inch, in Polaris it is 19-inch with the door, and in economy it is 13-inch. Starlink will be changing everything. There will be Bluetooth connectivity where you bring your own headphones.
I have been with United for 19 years and I have never felt so positive about who we are and where we are heading. CEO Scott Kirby really is such a visionary.”
