United's 5 New European Routes for Summer 2026. Here's What Hotels Actually Cost in Each City.

United launched five new direct European routes this spring. They started rolling out April 30 and the last one came online in May. The destinations are Split (Croatia), Bari (Italy), Glasgow (Scotland), Santiago de Compostela (Spain), and Reykjavik (Iceland). All five are first-time direct flights from the New York or Washington gateways for any U.S. carrier.

The interesting question is not which routes are launching. Airlines announce European expansions every spring. The interesting question is what travelers will actually pay once they land. We pulled hotel pricing data for each city for the summer 2026 booking window. Here is what is happening on the ground.

Split, Croatia

The Newark to Split route launched April 30 with daily service through October. The route is United's bet on the Dalmatian coast becoming a year-over-year fixture in the American summer travel calendar.

Hotel pricing in Split for July and August 2026 is brutal. A mid-range hotel in the Old Town runs 280 to 380 euros per night for a small standard room. Apartments in the historic center go for 220 to 340 euros. Three years ago the same rooms ran 130 to 180 euros.

The smart play in Split is to stay outside the Diocletian's Palace walls. Hotels in the Bačvice or Manuš neighborhoods, 10 to 15 minutes' walk from the Old Town, run 140 to 200 euros per night. The waterfront restaurants and ferry terminal are still within walking distance. For travelers using Split as a launching point for the islands (Hvar, Brač, Vis), this is the better base regardless of price.

If you can shift your dates, June and September prices are roughly 35% lower than July and August.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Daily nonstop service from Washington-Dulles to Reykjavik started May 21. The route fills a gap left by Icelandair's capacity adjustments and adds a U.S. legacy carrier to the Iceland market.

Reykjavik hotel pricing in summer 2026 is also up year over year, but the pattern is different from Split. The city has been adding hotel inventory steadily for five years. Standard hotels in 101 Reykjavik (the central district) run 35,000 to 55,000 ISK per night, which translates to about 245 to 385 dollars. Boutique guesthouses range from 28,000 to 42,000 ISK, or 195 to 295 dollars.

The catch with Reykjavik is that the city is the cheapest part of an Iceland trip. The 12,000 ISK rental car (85 dollars per day in peak July), the 25,000 ISK Blue Lagoon admission (175 dollars), and the 8,000 to 12,000 ISK restaurant meals (55 to 85 dollars per person) add up fast. Budget at least 350 dollars per day on top of accommodation if you are actually doing things.

For shoulder season, late August and early September prices drop about 20%, and most attractions stay open through early October.

Glasgow, Scotland

Newark to Glasgow started May 8. This is the route that should reset the math on Scotland trips. For years the standard play was to fly into Edinburgh, which is more expensive across the board. Glasgow is roughly 50 minutes by train from Edinburgh and historically 20 to 30% cheaper on hotels.

Mid-range hotels in central Glasgow run 95 to 140 pounds per night in July and August 2026, or roughly 120 to 180 dollars. Edinburgh equivalents are 160 to 240 pounds. The Glasgow West End has stronger character, better restaurants, and lower prices than the equivalent Edinburgh New Town stays.

For travelers planning a Highlands trip, Glasgow is also the better starting point. Inverness, Skye, and the West Coast are all closer driving distances from Glasgow than from Edinburgh. The new direct route makes Glasgow the obvious entry point.

The most interesting Glasgow hotel openings of 2025 and 2026 are in the Merchant City area. The Virgin Hotel and Native Glasgow both opened in the past 18 months and run 130 to 180 pounds per night. Both feel like they were designed for Americans who would have defaulted to Edinburgh in 2023.

Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Newark to Santiago de Compostela launched in late May. This is the smallest of the five destinations and the one most travelers will not immediately recognize. The city is the end point of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and the capital of Galicia in northwestern Spain.

The new route is a meaningful unlock for Galicia, which has been historically hard to reach from the U.S. The closest comparison is Porto, which has been a direct-flight destination from the U.S. for years and has tripled in popularity.

Hotel pricing in Santiago de Compostela in summer 2026 is still cheap relative to the rest of Spain. The Old Town runs 110 to 170 euros per night for a mid-range hotel. The Parador, set in a 15th-century pilgrim hospital next to the cathedral, runs 240 to 360 euros and is worth one night for the experience even if you stay elsewhere for the rest of the trip.

Galicia rewards travelers who rent a car and drive the coast. Rías Baixas, A Coruña, Lugo, and the wine region of Ribeira Sacra are all within two to three hours of Santiago. Expect to spend 80 to 130 euros per night for hotels in those smaller cities and towns.

Bari, Italy

Newark to Bari opened May 1. United is the only U.S. airline on the route. Bari is the largest city in Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, and the natural entry point for travelers heading to Polignano a Mare, Lecce, Matera, and the Itria Valley with its trulli houses.

Puglia hotel pricing is the most volatile of the five destinations. Bari itself stays relatively affordable at 130 to 190 euros per night for hotels in the Murat district. The further south you go, the more dramatic the season effect. A masseria in the Itria Valley runs 280 to 450 euros in July and August. The same property in late May or September is 180 to 290 euros.

The trick in Puglia is to use Bari as your first night, get over jet lag, and then drive south for the rest of the trip. Renting a car in Bari is straightforward (15 minutes from the airport). Most travelers who fly into Bari and stay only in Bari miss what makes Puglia worth visiting.

The Bigger Pattern

The five new United routes share a pattern. Each one opens up a secondary city in a country Americans already visit. Split makes Croatia easier without flying to Zagreb. Bari makes Puglia accessible without driving down from Rome. Glasgow makes Scotland reachable without paying Edinburgh prices. Santiago makes Galicia visitable without changing in Madrid. Reykjavik makes Iceland a U.S. legacy-carrier option rather than just an Icelandair monopoly.

This is consistent with how U.S. airlines have been expanding for the past three years. The Frankfurt and Paris routes are saturated. The growth is in the secondary cities. Travelers willing to fly into Glasgow instead of Edinburgh, or Bari instead of Rome, save on hotels, avoid the worst crowds, and often have better access to the regions they actually came to see.

How to Book the Hotel Side

The hotel pricing in these cities will move as bookings come in. Right now, summer 2026 inventory is wide open in Glasgow, Santiago, and Bari. Reykjavik is already 60% booked for July. Split is 80% booked for the first two weeks of August.

If you have flexibility on dates, the early September window is the sweet spot across all five cities. Weather is still summer, crowds are thinner, prices drop 20 to 35% versus peak July.

Whatever you book, run it through Best for the 10% cashback. On a five-night stay at 150 dollars per night, that is 75 dollars back. On a longer trip with three or four hotels across multiple cities, the cashback adds up faster than most loyalty point programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did United's new European routes start?

Newark to Split launched April 30, Bari on May 1, Glasgow on May 8, Santiago de Compostela later in May, and Washington-Dulles to Reykjavik on May 21. All five are running daily through October.

How much does a hotel in Split cost in summer 2026?

Mid-range hotels in the Old Town run 280 to 380 euros per night in July and August. Properties 10 to 15 minutes' walk from the center run 140 to 200 euros. June and September are roughly 35% cheaper.

Is Glasgow cheaper than Edinburgh for hotels?

Yes. Mid-range hotels in central Glasgow run 95 to 140 pounds per night in peak summer 2026. Edinburgh equivalents run 160 to 240 pounds. Trains between the two cities take about 50 minutes.

What is the best time to visit Iceland in 2026?

Late August through early September. Summer activities are still running, prices drop about 20% from peak July, and the first northern lights of the season often appear by mid-September.

Should I stay in Bari or go straight to the Puglia countryside?

One night in Bari to recover from jet lag, then rent a car and drive south. Most travelers who stay only in Bari miss the masserias, trulli houses, and coastal towns that make Puglia worth visiting.

Images: Hero (Glasgow street scene) by Laura Barry via Unsplash. Reykjavik and Santiago de Compostela cityscapes via Pexels. All used under license.