The route will give Charleston-area travelers a direct link to United\u2019s San Francisco hub, with connections to destinations across the West Coast, Asia and the Pacific. Over 30 international carriers serve SFO and connect nonstop with more than 75 U.S. cities on 12 domestic airlines.<\/p>\n
The route will operate on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday weekly on Boeing 737-800 MAX 8 aircraft. It will run seasonally from March through November.<\/p>\n
Elliott Summey, the airport\u2019s president and CEO, said nonstop service to San Francisco expands Charleston International Airport\u2019s network and builds on United\u2019s longstanding presence in the Charleston market.<\/p>\n
He said that the need for convenient access to major markets is more in demand than ever. Charleston now has more than 50 nonstop routes across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis new transcontinental route strengthens our connection to the West Coast, supports our business and tourism communities, and gives travelers more choices when flying from their hometown airport,\u201d Summey said.<\/p>\n
Mark Weithofer, managing director of Domestic Network Planning at United, said the flight marks a significant expansion for the legacy carrier at CHS.<\/p>\n
Weithofer said the airline\u2019s capacity at the airport is up 50 percent this month compared with the same time last year \u2014 which is a result of a broader shift from smaller regional jets to larger mainline aircraft over the last several years, including Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. The bigger planes add capacity and more premium seating, without having to increase the route frequency.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
San Francisco will soon be only a nonstop flight away from Charleston through United Airlines.<\/p>\n
San Francisco Travel Association\/ Provided<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s an attractive option for people who live in the Bay Area that want to visit Charleston, but also for people in Charleston who are going to places like Australia, Hong Kong and Hawaii,\u201d Weithofer said. \u201cSan Francisco is the largest gateway of any airline to connect the U.S. to all the points in the Asia Pacific.\u201d<\/p>\n San Francisco draws about 24.2 million visitors a year, according to data from the San Francisco Travel Association. The city is known for its iconic skyline, the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. It is home to more than 200 historic landmark buildings and 14,000 Victorian homes. It also boasts the country’s only moving national landmark \u2014 San Francisco’s cable cars.<\/p>\n