New United Airlines Fifth Freedom Route: Tokyo – Ulanbataar, Mongolia From May 2025

United Airlines has announced a new international destination which will also be available as a fifth freedom route from/to Tokyo, Japan as the carrier starts serving Ulanbataar, Mongolia from early May.

The flight is operated with a Boeing 737-800 in U.S. domestic configuration which is rather brutal for a five hour flight and not exactly comfortable, even in Business Class.

This is a similar flight model as the Tokyo-Guam flights which are likewise operated by a 737-800 although a slightly shorter flight duration of ~ 3:30h.

Mongolia isn’t exactly a mainstream destination and most likely the travelers going to or traveling from Ulanbataar are working the energy and mining industry.

I remember going there 10 years ago in February 2015 and the temperatures were brutal, like minus 20 degrees celsius.

United said the flights from Tokyo to Ulanbataar would begin on May 1, 2025 but the first availability I can see when searching is May 4 and the last on October 13:

I wouldn’t say the pricing is particularly attractive. It’s pretty expensive in both cash and miles. The good thing is I could finally burn my United Travel Bank but maybe I better fly to Guam instead.

For Ulanbataar I’d probably fly Korean Air like last time in a longhaul configuration widebody aircraft. There are also pretty attractive fares from Seoul via Ulanbataar to Frankfurt with MIAT that allow stopovers.

This United connection ex Narita will be operated by a United B737-800 and the configuaration is basically U.S. domestic which leaves everything to be desired:

Not exactly how I’d want to spend 5 hours but obviously there are also cross country U.S. domestic flights in this configuration.

Mongolia itself is an interesting destination for first time visitors, lots of history but lots of countryside. Speaking from experience, please don’t visit during the winter!

Conclusion

United Airlines is adding a new destination – Ulanbataar, Mongolia – starting in May and this destination will be availabe until mid-October. Basically the most desirable travel season.

The addition of Ulanbataar and using Tokyo-Narita as a base for this makes me think of the old times when United had a lot of intra Asia flights. From Tokyo they flew to Bangkok, Seoul and Singapore. It was very cheap to book United Global First to/from Narita to these destinations. Likewise there were destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore from Hong Kong. I miss these flights.

Is United coming back with an Asia base?

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