United Airlines launches nonstop service to Kuwait City from Washington, D.C.

To commemorate the only nonstop commercial service between the United States and Kuwait offered by a U.S. airline, a celebration will be held this evening at Washington Dulles International Airport that brings together government officials and dignitaries from the United States and Kuwait. United will hold additional events upon the flight's arrival in Kuwait City.

United Flight 982 departs Washington Dulles today at 9:51 p.m. EDT and is scheduled to arrive at the Kuwait International Airport at 4:50 p.m., tomorrow. United will operate the combined passenger and cargo flight with a Boeing 777 aircraft configured with 10 United First Suite(R) seats, 45 United Business(R) seats and 198 United Economy(R) class seats, including 84 Economy Plus(R) seats. The flight will also provide approximately 106 metric tons of cargo capacity per month between the United States and Kuwait.

Customers who travel on the Kuwait service between Oct. 28, 2006 and Dec. 15, 2006 can earn up to 10,000 bonus miles through a special promotion available on united.com/kuwaitbonus.

'We are strengthening our global network by making Washington Dulles a major international gateway that links our nation's capital with key global commerce centers, including nearly a dozen world capitals,'

says John Tague, United's executive vice president and chief revenue officer.

'The Kuwait City service provides our customers with direct access to the Middle East, where petroleum, energy and shipping industries have created an increased demand for air cargo and passenger service.'

This fall, United will have increased its international and U.S. domestic service for business and leisure travelers from Washington Dulles by 39 new flights. This represents an approximate 14 percent increase in departures compared to fall of last year. With this increase, United, Ted(SM) and United Express(R) will provide an average of 321 daily departures from Washington Dulles by November 2006 and convenient connections to more than 90 destinations.

United's new service to Kuwait City also strengthens Washington Dulles as United's international gateway to almost a dozen world capitals. Other recently announced capital-to-capital flights from Washington Dulles include United's first-ever Asia-Pacific service from Washington, D.C., that launches tomorrow, and its proposed service between Washington, D.C., and Rome. In addition, the company also has applied for daily service between Beijing and Washington, D.C., which would be the first-ever capital-to-capital nonstop service between these two countries, if approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Customers will earn 1,000 bonus miles each time they purchase qualifying travel at united.com, which also offers no booking fees and the guaranteed lowest United fares. Customers can also earn 500 bonus miles each time they check in for a flight using EasyCheck-in Online at united.com by Jan. 31, 2007. Both of these bonus mile offers enable customers to earn an additional 2,000 miles per flight. Terms and conditions of the offers are available online.