Industry News

United and CVG celebrate inaugural nonstop flight to San Francisco (SFO)

Oct 26, 2026 | News

New daily service creates one-stop connections from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky to cities across Asia
Highlights:
  • United Airlines flew its inaugural nonstop flight from CVG Airport to San Francisco on Monday, Oct. 26.
  • CVG and United leaders joined passengers for a gate celebration and ribbon cutting prior to departure.
  • The new flight operates seven days a week, departing CVG in the morning with a return flight from San Francisco in the afternoon.
  • The route provides one-stop access to destinations across Asia through United’s SFO hub.
  • The route is projected to generate an estimated $36.5 million in annual economic impact for the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region.
  • B-roll and photos
Erlanger, Ky. [Oct. 26, 2026] – CVG Airport and United Airlines today celebrated the launch of new daily nonstop service between CVG and SFO (San Francisco International Airport), a significant addition that connects the region to United’s extensive network across the Pacific.

San Francisco is a top 25 destination for CVG and has been the airport’s largest underserved route over the past five years. With United’s hub operation at SFO, travelers from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region now have convenient one-stop access to destinations throughout Asia, including Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei.

Passengers on the inaugural flight included Natalia Konstantinovskaia, who drove to CVG from Dayton for the convenient nonstop. “My office is in San Francisco, so I have to travel there from time to time,” said Konstantinovskaia, a learning designer for Speak, a language learning app. “This flight is a lot more convenient. Before, the return flights wouldn’t have an option on the day I wanted, so I would have to take a flight that had a stop in it.”
Before boarding, she and the rest of the passengers were welcomed with a gate celebration featuring balloons, refreshments, commemorative giveaways and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“This flight is the result of a strong partnership and a shared belief in the potential of our region,” said Chad Summe, chair of the Kenton County Airport Board. “We’re grateful to United for continuing to invest in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and for recognizing the demand that exists for this connection.”

“San Francisco is an important business, technology and tourism destination, and this new service gives travelers more options while strengthening our region’s connections to opportunities across the country and around the world,” said Larry Krauter, CEO of the airport.

The new route represents a significant investment by United Airlines and is expected to generate approximately $36.5 million in annual economic impact for the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region. The addition of San Francisco expands United’s network from CVG to six nonstop destinations, joining Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Washington Dulles, Houston and Newark.

“This is an exciting day. We’re thrilled to bring nonstop service between Cincinnati and San Francisco to CVG,” said Mark Weithofer, Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning at United. “This route furthers our investment in the region and seamlessly connects travelers to the Bay Area, opening up access to the West Coast and destinations around the world with United’s leading global route network across the Pacific from SFO.”


ABOUT CVG AIRPORT
CVG welcomed 9 million travelers in 2025. The airport offers more than 55 nonstop destinations with 14 airlines/tour operators. It is proud to serve two nonstop transatlantic flights: to London via British Airways and to Paris-CDG through Delta Air Lines. CVG is home to two global air hubs that continue to drive growth: Amazon Air’s Hub and DHL Express’ Global Superhub for the Americas. With an annual impact of $12.2 billion on the local economy, the airport drives regional growth and remains a leader in aviation innovation. Learn more at CVGairport.com.

Author