OREANDA-NEWS. United Airlines, Chicago's hometown carrier, today begins the city's first-ever flights to Edinburgh, Scotland, with summer-season service through Oct. 5, 2014.

"United is pleased to add new seasonal nonstop service from Chicago to Scotland's capital," said Charles Duncan, United's vice president of the O'Hare hub. "This new route will offer direct service between the two cities and provide increased access for Scottish travellers to other destinations across the Americas, with convenient connections at the Chicago hub to United's extensive route network."

"On behalf of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, we are very excited to welcome new service between Chicago and Edinburgh by our hometown carrier, United Airlines," said Rosemarie S. Andolino, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation. "This is fantastic news for our city, our airport and O'Hare travelers. The launch of air service to a new international destination from Chicago generates economic activity for our region and increases tourism opportunities."

The flights will operate five times weekly between May 22 and June 11, daily between June 12 and Sept. 1, and four times weekly between Sept. 2 and Oct. 5 (all dates eastbound).

Flight 118 departs Chicago O'Hare International Airport at 6 p.m., arriving at Edinburgh Airport at 7:45 a.m. the following day (all times local). On the return, flight 119 departs Edinburgh at 10:25 a.m., arriving in Chicago at 1 p.m. the same day. Flight times are seven hours, 45 minutes eastbound and eight hours, 35 minutes westbound.

United will operate the service with Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a total of 169 seats - 16 flat-bed seats in United BusinessFirst and 153 seats in United Economy, including 45 Economy Plus extra-legroom seats.

The new flights are conveniently timed to provide connections at the Chicago hub to and from more than 125 destinations across North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.