United to battle Southwest, Frontier on Denver-Raleigh route

United Airlines will add nonstop service between Raleigh/Durham (RDU) and its hub in Denver. United will become the third carrier to fly the route, going head to head with both Southwest and Frontier.

United's new service will begin Sept. 13, with United Express affiliate SkyWest flying two daily round-trip flights on 76-seat Embraer E175 jets.

"RDU welcomes United's service to Denver," Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority CEO Michael Landguth says in a statement. "In addition to being a popular business and leisure destination, through United's hub in Denver, customers will have access to destinations to the West and beyond."

One flight will depart Denver at 10 a.m. and again at 5:20 p.m., all times local. Departures from RDU to Denver will be at 8:20 a.m. and 4:10 p.m., all times local.

United previously flew between Denver and RDU, launching service in 2007 that was discontinued a short time later.

Today, United will compete against nonstop options from both Southwest and Frontier. Southwest flies two daily round-trip flights on Boeing 737 aircraft. Frontier will launch its own service on the route next month, flying one daily round-trip flight on Airbus A319 aircraft. Frontier's North Carolina-bound flight is an overnight "red-eye" flight, leaving Denver at 11:55 p.m. and landing at RDU at 5:10 a.m., all times local.

Denver, one of United's big hubs, has become one of the USA's most competitive airports during the past decade. In addition to United's sizable presence, Frontier Airlines also operates its busiest hub at Denver. The city also has become one of the busiest bases in Southwest's national network. Southwest has grown rapidly in Denver since returning to city in 2006. Denver is now the fifth-busiest airport in Southwest's route map.