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Airline rivalry heats up as United Airlines competes with Qantas on southern US services

Can you feel the temperatures rising? That's not just the feeling of summer, but competition heating up on flights between Australia and southern US states.

Can you feel the temperatures rising? That’s not just the feeling of summer, but competition heating up on flights between Australia and southern US states.

And it’s all due to United Airlines.

The US carrier will give Qantas a run for its ‘passengers’ this weekend, when it launches direct flights from Australia to Texas, a state the Flying Kangaroo has dominated as the sole operator from Australia since 2011.

United’s service will take off Saturday morning from Sydney to Houston, giving travellers an alternative to Qantas’ direct flights to Dallas.

Operating the 787-9 Dreamliner, United will add an extra 252 seats daily between NSW’s capital and Texas, which could result in competition-led discounts.

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Jonathan Guerin, a United Spokesperson told Travel + Leisure that the carrier’s third service out of Sydney delivers more choice for flyers, while airline President, Scott Kirby, told the Independent that he’s keen to fly Aussies into the southern state.

“We are looking forward to visiting Sydney and welcoming our Australian visitors with open arms to Texas.”

Scott Kirby. United Airlines President

The new non-stop service operates daily with a flight time of up to 17 hours and 30 minutes, and is ideal for Aussies looking to kick off their North American travels from the south or plan an onward trip to Latin America.

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“United carefully planned this route with the convenience and comfort of our customers in mind so that we may provide them with a premier inflight service,” United’s Managing Director of Japan and Pacific Sales, Alison Espley, said late last year.

Houston-Sydney services mark United’s third direct flights out of NSW’s capital to the US after Los Angeles and San Francisco.

READ: United to fly non-stop from Houston to Sydney

READ: Travellers are loving those Air New Zealand Houston services

Would you prefer to fly to Dallas or Houston?