A major airline is to offer more seats from the Scottish capital to America than "all other US airlines combined" as it celebrates its 20th year of flying from the city’s airport.

In an exclusive interview with The Herald, a United Airlines UK director revealed the US carrier will offer almost 700 seats a day from Edinburgh Airport as it reaches its two-decade milestone and prepares for a record transatlantic schedule this summer.

The airline links Edinburgh passengers with New York Newark, its first route, Washington DC, in its longest season this year, and Chicago O’Hare airports, and is the only carrier offering year-round service from the city to the US.

United has been targeting steady growth with increased annual seat capacity of 34% over five years, and over 42% over ten years.

Karolien De Hertogh, United Airlines director of sales for UK & Ireland, said: "We are celebrating this year our 20th anniversary, which is big news, we are very proud of that, and it underlines our commitment to the Scottish market.

"When that happens we will be offering more seats between Edinburgh and the USA than all other US airlines combined."

READ MORE: Scottish airport to launch new long-distance routes

She said the routes also offer wider connectivity from America, while this year will be United's "largest-ever" summer into Europe from the US.

"What is important as well for the Scottish market for both business and leisure travellers is the connectivity that we then provide on a network beyond our gateways, because New York Newark, Chicago and Washington are key gateways for United Airlines, and then it’s the onward connections, so from New York we offer nearly 160 destinations, Chicago it is over 150 and from Washington Dulles it’s 103 destinations from those airports,” said Ms De Hertogh.

She also pointed to the future where a key component is 800 aircraft on order to be delivered between now and 2032.

"That is relevant for Scotland because for these onward connections they will get a larger aircraft, which is going to give more availability, which typically also then means that there are more price points available because there is just more seats to sell and I think that is a very attractive proposition to the Scottish market."

Ms De Hertogh said the firm will offer "on a daily basis 64 premium seats and 612 seats in economy, so that is a lot of seats to sell, that is nearly 700 all-in-all that we will be selling".

READ MORE: New airline routes and holiday destinations from Scottish airports for 2024/2025

She added: "We will have the flatbed seats at the front of the plane, Polaris, and then we have the economy class cabin, 153 seats per flight but a third of those economy class seats will have the extra leg room that United have which is called economy plus, and it is an economy class seat but with the extra leg room.

"We know from experience and from feedback we have received from our customers people really appreciate that extra comfort."

Asked about potential growth through other Scottish airports, she said: "For the moment what we are doing is expanding gradually, so we are building on our success. We are the only year-round service. We added the second daily to New York Newark last summer and for Washington we are expanding the season, and that is very much the way we are building the schedule, but of course we are flexible and continue to assess any other opportunities that there may be."

United will continue to monitor demand and "be nimble and strategic as we develop our network to meet the travel needs of our customers".

READ MORE: United Airlines launches extra Scotland to US flights from Edinburgh

Other positive moves forward have included launching a second daily flight in summer 2023 between Edinburgh and New York Newark, which will operate again this year from May 23 to September 24.

  • The average business/leisure passenger split on United services from Edinburgh is 6% business to 94% leisure. Booking origin split is around 75% US and 25% UK 

United launched Edinburgh to Washington DC in 2018, and in 2024 will be operating this route for its "longest season ever", operating from March to  October, set against a May start the year before.

The firm claims to be the largest airline in the world "as measured by available seat miles"  while it has "committed to net zero by 2050 without relying on traditional offsets".

Ms De Hertogh also said: "One key area is the development of the production of sustainable aviation fuel. We are as a company making investments in start-up companies and we become minority stakeholders in start-ups and then when you see a technology or a product that works then you are hoping to scale that up.

"Sustainable aviation fuel is really what is going to make the biggest difference between now and 2050."

In terms of recent safety concerns, including when a United-operated Boeing lost a tyre on take-off in the US, Sasha Johnson, vice president, corporate safety, at United Airlines, said in a statement: "We have a strong safety culture at United. Still, the number of safety-related events in recent weeks have rightfully caused us to pause and evaluate whether there is anything we can and should do differently.

"Over the next several weeks, we will begin to see more of an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) presence in our operation as they begin to review some of our work processes, manuals and facilities. At United, we will always remain open to ways we can further strengthen what we do for safety."