United Airlines gives customers a taste of “la dolce vita” with its new daily nonstop service between Rome and Washington, D.C., beginning this weekend. The new route strengthens the company’s hub on the East Coast as an international gateway to major capitals around the world.

“Our service to Rome will give our passenger and cargo customers direct access to one of the world’s key economic and cultural centers,” says Kevin Knight, United’s senior vice president of Planning.

United Flight 966 will depart Washington Dulles Airport at 6:16 p.m. on April 1, and arrive in Rome at 8:50 a.m. on April 2. Beginning April 2, United Flight 967 will depart Rome at 11:15 a.m. and arrive in Washington, D.C., at 3:00 p.m. the same day.

Customers traveling to Rome in United First(R) and Business(R) class cabins can enjoy regional entrees such as pasta rotollo with marinara sauce or pecan-crusted chicken with alfredo peppercorn sauce. They can pair these entrees with regional wine selections such as Rocco delle Macie 2004 Chianti Classico (Sangiovese) and Straccali 2004 Chianti Classico (Sangiovese) available through April 23, 2007.

United will operate combined passenger and cargo service between the United States and Italy using a Boeing-777 aircraft configured with 10 United First Suite(R) seats, 45 United Business seats and 198 United Economy(R) class seats, including 84 Economy Plus(R) seats that have up to five more inches of legroom. The route is expected to provide approximately 35,000 pounds of cargo per flight between the United States and Italy.

From Washington Dulles, United offers more service to international destinations than any other carrier. With the addition of the Rome service, customers will now have nonstop service between Washington, D.C., and 24 international destinations, including eight in Europe.
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