Monday, September 9, 2024 United Airlines launched its Washington Dulles to Amman, Jordan, route in May 2022, but due to escalating conflicts, particularly the Israel-Palestine war, the carrier has not operated this service since late July 2024, according to Flightradar24. United’s latest schedule update revealed that flights are expected to resume on October 28, though this could be delayed depending on developments in the region. Questions remain whether Amman will face the same fate as Tel Aviv, where United flights were indefinitely suspended.
Any potential delays will hinge on security concerns, insurance, or changes in demand. Amman has traditionally been served by Royal Jordanian Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Between 2008 and 2011, Delta operated a New York JFK to Amman route, though it struggled, filling only 73% of seats.
United introduced its Amman service in October 2021, alongside other “pandemic-inspired” destinations like Bergen, Palma, and Tenerife South, which have since ended. Flights between Dulles and Amman officially began on May 5, 2022, marking United’s second Middle Eastern destination after Tel Aviv. The service operated three times weekly using Boeing 787-8 aircraft with 243 seats.
Data from 2019 shows that Amman-North America traffic exceeded 440,000 roundtrip passengers, with the majority connecting through European hubs, indicating a gap in non-stop services. The demand for the Amman route came largely from individuals visiting family and friends, a growing tourism industry (pre-conflict), and U.S.
government-related travel. Amman is often seen as a regional hub for passengers traveling to neighboring countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. In 2019, approximately 30,000 passengers traveled directly between Washington D.
C. and Amman, making it the largest unserved U.S.
market from Jordan at the time. High fares reflected the demand. United’s heavy reliance on transit passengers from Dulles made connecting travelers crucial for this route.
From May 2023 to May 2024, United Airlines carried around 58,000 roundtrip passengers between Dulles and Amman, filling 85% of seats on average. Point-to-point traffic accounted for only 29%, with most passengers connecting to other U.S.
destinations. Tampa emerged as the top connecting city, followed by Raleigh-Durham, Detroit, New Orleans, and Chicago O’Hare. These cities have significant populations with ties to the Levant, making Amman a key destination for travelers from those areas.
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