United's all-in on this growing air travel trend. Delta isn't a fan

If you flew to Europe 15 years ago, you might have found yourself on a giant double-decker plane like the Boeing 747 or Airbus A380.But it's 2026, and United Airlines' plans for next summer couldn't be more different.This past week, the Chicago-based carrier unveiled 10 new nonstop destinations launching next spring.These destinations range from Luxembourg and Slovenia to the Azores and Sicily, and there's a common theme between several of them: The airline plans to reach them using smaller, single-aisle planes.All-in on smaller planes for long routesForget sending a jumbo jet with several hundred seats across the Atlantic to London or Paris.United Airlines Boeing 747 takes off from Sydney Airport (SYD) in 2013. RYAN FLETCHER/GETTY IMAGESIncreasingly, United is betting travelers would rather fly directly to a more under-the-radar destination — even if the plane is smaller than the ones they're used to.An added bonus? The aircraft it plans to use for most of these routes is decked out with fancy seats and other premium features.United's new Airbus A321XLR has a true international business-class cabin, along with premium economy.And the airline has 50 of those planes on order, which ...