United to Launch Services Linking O’Hare with Elmira, State College and Topeka

United Airlines is launching non-stop United Express service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Elmira in New York and State College in Pennsylvania.

The airline also plans to begin new United Express service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (IATA code ORD) to Topeka in Kansas, subject to government approval.

A large number of Embraer regional jets operate on the United Express network. Most are operated under a franchise agreement by ExpressJet, a subsidiary of Skywest, Inc.

ExpressJet Airlines, a subsidiary of regional-airline holding company SkyWest, Inc., will operate the United Express flights using 50-seat regional jets.

The State College and Topeka flights will begin on January 7, 2014, and the Elmira service will begin on February 13, 2014.

United Airlines’ planned weekday flight schedule for the Chicago-Elmira route will see the first of two weekday flights depart ORD at 2:15 p.m. and reach Elmira Corning Regional Airport (ELM) at 5:00 p.m. local time. The second flight will leave ORD at 9:00 p.m. and reach ELM at 11:45 p.m. local time.

In the other direction, the first of the two weekday flights will leave ELM at 6:15 a.m. and land at ORD at 7:18 a.m. local time. The second flight will depart ELM at 5:30 p.m. and touch down at ORD at 6:33 p.m. local time.

On the Chicago-State College route, the planned United Express weekday schedule will see the first of two weekday flights push back from the gate at ORD at 1:55 p.m. and get to University Park Airport (SCE) at 4:33 p.m. local time. The second flight will begin taxiing at ORD at 6:45 p.m. and reach SCE at 9:23 p.m. local time.

In the other direction, the first weekday flight on the route is timed to leave SCE at 6:20 a.m. and to arrive at ORD at 7:17 a.m. local time. The second flight will depart SCE at 5:03 p.m. and touch down at ORD at 6:00 p.m. local time.

Various United Express franchise carriers operate Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 regional jets, like this one seen here. United has a sizable number of United Express regional partners, including Air Wisconsin, Chautauqua Airlines, Colgan Air, ExpressJet Airlines, GoJet, Mesa Airlines, Republic Airlines, Shuttle America, SkyWest Airlines and Trans States Airlines

United Express’ planned Chicago-Topeka schedule calls for the first of two flights each weekday to begin taxiing at ORD at 1:00 p.m. and to get to Topeka’s Forbes Field (FOE) at 2:44 p.m. The second flight will push back from the gate at ORD at 8:30 p.m. and reach FOE at 10:14 p.m.

In the other direction, the first weekday flight is timed to leave FOE at 6:00 a.m. and to arrive at ORD at 7:36 a.m. The second flight will depart FOE at 3:14 p.m. and touch down at ORD at 4:50 p.m.

The new flights are available for sale at www.united.com and through other distribution channels.

Elmira and Topeka are both new destinations in United’s route network. The airline currently serves State College from its hub at Washington Dulles International Airport.

With these new routes, United and United Express will have added service to 10 new destinations from Chicago since the beginning of 2013. Other new year-round and seasonal destinations include Mobile, Alabama; Fairbanks, Alaska; Nassau in The Bahamas; Shannon in Ireland; San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica; Thunder Bay, Ontario; and Saskatoon in Saskatchewan.

United and United Express operate nearly 570 daily flights from their hub at Chicago O’Hare International Airport to more than 125 domestic and more than 30 international destinations.