Wheels Up

United touches down in Texas with nonstop flights for college game days

United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner, September 2017

United is launching special game day flights this college football season.

Courtesy photo

In celebration of the upcoming college football season, United Airlines is touching down with nine special nonstop flights this fall. Texas scores three of them, including one nearby in College Station. The airline announced its "nonstop to game day" special, which includes one-time routes connecting major college football hubs.

From October 11-13, United will fly a special nonstop route from Birmingham, Alabama, to College Station, in honor of the can't-miss Texas A&M University vs. University of Alabama game, which A&M is hosting on October 12.

The flight departs from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on October 11 at 1:30 pm, landing in Easterwood Airport at 3:30 pm. The return flight departs CLL at 10:30 am on October 13, landing at BHM at 12:30 pm.

In addition to the Aggies-Crimson Tide matchup, United is rolling out brand-new nonstop flights for the Auburn University-University of Oregon game, taking place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and the University of Texas at Austin-Louisiana State University game in Austin.

The Auburn vs. Oregon game takes place August 31, with United's special nonstop flying from Eugene Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport between August 30-September 2. That flight takes off from EUG at 9:30 am on August 30, landing at DFW at 3:15 pm. Return flight leaves Dallas on September 2 at noon and lands in Eugene at 2:25 pm.

And the UT vs. LSU game takes place September 7, with United's special nonstop flying from Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport between September 6-8. That flight takes off from BTR at 12:30 pm on September 6, landing at AUS at 2:10 pm. The return flight departs Austin on September 8 at 11:35 am and lands in Baton Rouge at 1:10 pm.

"Our playbook this year will make it easier than ever for fans, alumni, and students to cheer on their teams in other college towns across the country," says Ankit Gupta, United's vice president of domestic network planning, in a release. "It's exciting for football fans and even more exciting for United to be able to operate nonstop flights between these communities for the very first time."

In addition to the three big games in Texas, United has special nonstop flights for University of Alabama at University of South Carolina on September 21; University of Notre Dame at University of Georgia on September 28; University of Southern California at University of Notre Dame, also on October 12; University of Wisconsin at Ohio State University on October 26; and University of Notre Dame at Duke University on November 9.

Bus Rides

Once-popular Megabus departs Houston and Texas after bankruptcy filing

Megabus/Facebook

Farwell Megabus we will miss you.

A valuable transportation option has shut down in Houston: Megabus, the cheap and efficient bus company that offered rides for as low as $1, has ended service across Texas, including all routes operating between Austin, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Houston, and San Antonio.

According to a notice on the company's website, they shut down the Texas routes on August 16 as part of a set of new nationwide route changes that also included offloading other routes to competing operators.

Known for its eye-catching double-decker royal blue buses, Megabus was first launched in the U.K. in 2003, then came to the U.S. in 2006. It generated considerable excitement when it entered the Texas market in 2012, by offering free Wi-Fi, restrooms, and fares for as low as $1.

The changes come after Coach USA, Megabus' owner, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, winning court approval to sell its Megabus service in July. The company blamed its bankruptcy on a decline in ridership during the pandemic.

Shutdowns:

Routes operating between Atlanta, Charlotte, Durham, Richmond, and Washington, D.C. will be discontinued as of August 16th, 2024. Customers with tickets booked on these services have been notified and refunds have been processed.
Routes operating between Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston will be discontinued as of August 16th, 2024. Customers with tickets booked on these services have been notified and refunds have been processed.

New operators:

Routes operating between New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. will be operated by Peter Pan Bus Lines
Routes operating between New York, State College, Harrisburg, King of Prussia, and Pittsburgh will be operated by Fullington Trailways

All other routes in the United States and Canada will operate as normal.

Megabus still operates in more than 500 different cities and university campuses across the U.S., including several popular routes between New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

megabus transportation