United opens new pilot bases for the first time in more than 20 years, adding Las Vegas and Orlando

unified airline is expected to open new pilot bases in Orlando and Las Vegas in May 2023, according to a memo sent to crews Wednesday.

Airline Weekly, received a copy of the memo, first report this development.

These changes will see the Chicago-based airline open a pilot base for the first time in more than 20 years. The Las Vegas base will house 204 pilots and the Orlando base 300. The Orlando location could include Tampa. Both new bases are dedicated to Boeing 737 pilots and will cut pilots’ travel time to other bases to operate their trips.

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The bases will not become new hubs for the airline. Part of the reason for establishing new pilot bases is not only to shorten travel times for pilots, but also to reduce delays. In addition, outside of the airline’s current bases, thousands of United pilots reside in Florida and Nevada.

“In addition, deploying pilots in more locations around the country will help strengthen the integrity of our operations,” said Zach Shapiro, United executive director of crew resources, said in a memo on Wednesday.

United is primarily based in its hubs – pilots can live anywhere they want, but they are responsible for traveling to base to operate their flights. Often, these trips can be inconvenient, especially if pilots live in Florida but have to fly to Chicago or San Francisco to make their flights, for example.

United has eight hubs in the United States: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Denver International Airport (DEN), Dulles International Airport (IAD) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). In addition to operating bases at its hubs, United also has a base at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), which served as its hub until 2014.

The announcement of the new bases will be made later thorny contract negotiation between the Airline Pilots Association – which represents more than 13,000 United pilots – and the Chicago-based airline. In November, United pilots turned down a deal expected to give them a pay rise of about 15% over 18 months, with the ALPA saying the contract was “unsatisfactory”. The airline then gave pilot increased 5% earlier than expected.

However, Shapiro stressed in the memo that the new bases would be “good news for our pilots, customers and airlines”, calling it a “win-win” situation.