As ski season approaches, United Airlines is bringing the mountains closer to travelers with a striking new special livery designed to celebrate its extensive network of nonstop flights to popular snow destinations. The carrier has introduced its “Mountain Ascent” livery on an Embraer E175, combining United’s familiar branding with a sweeping mountain landscape that reflects the winter adventures awaiting passengers at destinations across the United States.
The special aircraft arrives as United reinforces its position as the largest U.S. airline serving ski and snow destinations with nonstop flights. The timing is deliberate. Winter travel to mountain communities has become an important part of the airline’s seasonal network strategy, and United is adding further options for travelers seeking convenient access to some of North America’s most famous slopes.
The aircraft carrying the new design is Embraer E175 registration N645SY, and its distinctive artwork covers much of the rear portion of the fuselage. Rather than replacing United’s standard identity, the design works around it, creating a visual transition from the airline’s familiar livery into a detailed mountain environment featuring trees, open fields and rugged peaks.
United Airlines’ Mountain Ascent Livery Brings the Slopes to the Aircraft
The “Mountain Ascent” design gives the regional jet a noticeably different appearance while retaining enough of the standard United livery to make the aircraft immediately recognizable. The rear fuselage effectively becomes a moving winter landscape, offering a visual reference to the destinations United serves during the ski season.
For United, the livery is more than an aircraft branding exercise. It connects directly with the airline’s broader relationship with the winter sports community. United is the official airline sponsor of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, supporting athletes from 10 snow-sport disciplines as they travel internationally for training and competition.
That partnership gives the special aircraft additional significance. United transports athletes around the world while simultaneously promoting easier access for recreational skiers and snowboarders. The airline also supports initiatives connected with climate goals and its HERoic program, which focuses on empowering women in skiing and snowboarding. United is additionally a select partner for several World Cup events.
A New Boston–Jackson Hole Route Adds Another Ski Gateway
The livery launch comes alongside an expansion of United’s winter schedule, including a particularly notable new route between Boston Logan International Airport and Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming. The seasonal service will operate from February 13 through March 20, giving travelers from New England a new nonstop option for reaching one of America’s most celebrated mountain destinations.
United’s Boston–Jackson Hole operation will be flown by the Boeing 737-700, with flights scheduled once weekly on Saturdays. The route expands United’s Jackson Hole network to eight nonstop markets during the upcoming winter season, strengthening the airline’s position at an airport that becomes significantly busier when snow arrives.
The new service also comes with an unusual incentive for arriving travelers. Passengers flying from Boston to Jackson Hole can receive a complimentary lift ticket on their day of arrival when they provide proof of their United flight. Travelers can also access equipment demonstration packages from Jackson Hole Sports in Teton Village, adding further value to the new nonstop connection.
United Already Has a Strong Position at Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole is particularly important to United because the airline already has a substantial presence at the Wyoming airport. Located approximately seven miles from the town of Jackson, Jackson Hole Airport provides direct access to the Teton region and serves as a gateway for visitors heading toward the surrounding ski areas and national park.
United operates year-round service to Denver, while its winter schedule expands to include destinations such as Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles. The new Boston route therefore adds another major U.S. market to an already extensive seasonal network.
Passenger data highlights the strength of United’s position. Between February 2025 and January 2026, Denver was Jackson Hole’s busiest route, carrying more than 157,000 passengers, with United as the sole operator. Across the airport as a whole, United handled approximately 460,000 passengers, giving it around a 40% market share and placing it well ahead of American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
Making Ski Travel Easier for Passengers
United’s ski strategy also extends beyond aircraft schedules and colorful liveries. Passengers can check one piece of ski or snowboard equipment as part of their baggage allowance without facing oversize or additional equipment charges, making the airline’s mountain network more attractive to travelers carrying their own gear.
That approach is particularly relevant as winter travelers increasingly seek nonstop flights that eliminate complicated connections and ground transfers. For destinations such as Jackson Hole, where airport access is already close to the resort community, a direct flight can significantly simplify the journey from departure gate to ski slope.
The Mountain Ascent E175 consequently serves as a visual symbol of United’s broader winter strategy. With new routes, baggage benefits, athlete partnerships and expanded seasonal flying, the airline is positioning itself not simply as a carrier to mountain destinations, but as a transportation partner for the entire ski season.
