United Airlines announced its largest-ever international expansion Tuesday, adding 10 new nonstop destinations including Ljubljana, Slovenia, Marseille, France, Ibiza, Spain, Terceira in Portugal's Azores, Sardinia, Sicily, Valencia, Okinawa, Japan, Luxembourg, and Toulouse. CEO Scott Kirby said demand to "see and explore the world is bigger and brighter than ever" at an event in Newark, N. J. The Chicago-based carrier aims to extend its lead over rivals like Delta Air Lines and American Airlines in both destinations and profitability.

Senior VP Patrick Quayle highlighted Ljubljana as "one of the most Instagrammable, beautiful cities out there," noting United's strategy of serving creative routes beyond spreadsheet logic. Many routes will use the Airbus A321XLR, a single-aisle jet for long-haul flights. New service also includes **Washington, D.

C. to Milan, Los Angeles to Osaka, Denver to Paris, and a restart of San Francisco to Tel Aviv**. Eight destinations have no other U.S. nonstop competition. While international travel has cooled slightly per government data, airlines report strong European demand with seasons extending into fall.