United is set to launch new regional flights from a West Texas city long served by a single carrier.
New service at Abilene Regional Airport will begin on March 17, 2026, operated by SkyWest under the United Express brand using 50-seat CRJ-200 aircraft.
The addition is part of Project Rise, a partnership between the City of Abilene, the Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA), and SkyWest to enhance local air service. The program includes a three-year revenue guarantee designed to help support the routes during their startup period, officials said.
“We’re excited to partner with the Abilene community and to provide these new United Express flights to both Denver and Houston,” said Cody Thomas, managing director of market development at SkyWest, in a news release. “Having access to two additional hubs will make it simple and convenient for travelers to connect to hundreds of destinations worldwide on United’s global network.”
Flights from Abilene to Denver will operate twice per day, while Houston is scheduled as a once-daily service.
Abilene’s air service is currently limited to American flights to Dallas/Fort Worth. United and SkyWest briefly served the city between 2020 and 2021 with flights to Houston, per Cirium Diio schedule data.
The Chicago-based airline continues to bolster its SkyWest-operated regional network. Last week, the two airlines announced new service to three cities, all of which will be served with CRJ-200s.
