One Of America's Busiest Airports Is Getting An Upgrade For United Airlines Travelers (And New Jersey Itself)

Newark Liberty International Airport made headlines this year for all the wrong reasons. In spring, a series of incidents caused by outdated equipment and a shortage of air traffic controllers — a nationwide crisis, according to the Federal Aviation Administration — prompted waves of flight delays and cancellations. Then, in August, radio outages forced a temporary ground stop at one of America's busiest airports. Fortunately, the travel hub is about to get a glow-up. On September 16, United Airlines announced plans to add 2,500 new jobs at Newark Airport. 

And that's not all. According to United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, the airline is committed to expanding their sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program and is working to install more gates to accommodate wide-body aircraft used for international flights. It plans to send more Airbus A321neo planes, its largest aircraft, through Newark, making the airport an even busier hub for service to Europe. 

New jobs, smarter fuel, more flights to Paris: this isn't just good news for travelers, but for the entire state of New Jersey, whose economic interests are tied to the project's success. Wesley Matthews, president and CEO of Choose New Jersey, the state's largest nonprofit organization committed to economic development, commented on the importance of a smoothly functioning international airport. "United is one of our largest employers of 14,000 people," Matthews said, as quoted on NJ.com. "One of New Jersey's assets is infrastructure, and Newark Airport is a crown jewel connecting us to the world."

Ras Baraka, Mayor of Newark, also had a positive reaction to United's latest announcement, especially in contrast to his critical words aimed at the FAA after "travel chaos" at the airport in May. He commended the airline for its decision to hire more workers, employ local contractors, and introduce young people to aviation-related career paths through a summer program for school-age students. "Residents are looking to United to change the narrative at Newark Airport," Baraka said.

A narrative shift seems to be in the works, indeed. So what can United travelers expect moving forward? The planned hiring spree is already underway, with thousands of new workers set to be on the ground by late 2026. The airline is adding international flights to Dublin, Rome, Porto, Venice, and Marrakech, to name a few, as well as new domestic flights to Palm Springs and Chattanooga. 

United had a record number of on-time flights out of Newark over the summer — enough to match the on-time performance out of JFK and LaGuardia airports — and now, the airline is poised to serve more destinations than any other airport in the New York City area. All told, it sounds like the perfect moment for United travelers to plan a trip to one of the best European destinations for December.