United Airlines launched the first-ever nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Portland International Jetport (PWM) in Maine on Saturday, June 27, 2026. The seasonal, once-weekly Saturday service is operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8.
The westbound sector from Los Angeles to Portland spans approximately 2,633 miles (4,237 km) with an estimated flight time of five hours and 44 minutes; the eastbound return from Portland to Los Angeles takes six hours and 25 minutes, according to Simple Flying. No carrier had previously offered nonstop service between Los Angeles and Maine, with all previous itineraries requiring at least one connection.
Local broadcaster WGME confirmed the Portland Fire Department welcomed the inaugural flights with a water cannon salute. United is the only airline offering nonstop service to the US West Coast from the Portland Jetport.
The LAX–PWM service is one of three new Maine routes United launched simultaneously on June 27 — alongside a San Francisco–Portland (Maine) nonstop and a Denver–Bangor (Maine) seasonal service — collectively representing the state's first-ever direct air connections to California. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 seats between 164 and 166 passengers in a two-class layout (Domestic First and Main Cabin), and the routes are part of a broader United strategy to use MAX range capabilities on long-haul domestic markets previously too thin to sustain nonstop service.
Sources
- https://simpleflying.com/united-airlines-debuts-2-brand-new-6-hour-737-max-routes
- https://wgme.com/news/local/portland-travelers-can-now-fly-direct-to-california-maine-travel-portland-international-jetport-los-angeles-san-francisco-united-airlines
- https://www.facebook.com/FieryTrippers/posts/%EF%B8%8F-united-airlines-just-made-maine-more-connected-than-everbig-news-for-travelers/1544725097668111
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