United Airlines has confirmed it will discontinue its Washington Dulles (IAD) to Dakar (DSS) route starting March 4, 2026, less than a year after its launch in May 2025. The thrice-weekly service, operated with Boeing 767-300 aircraft over the 3,476-mile sector, leaves Delta Air Lines as the sole North American carrier offering nonstop flights to Senegal’s capital.

The move highlights a broader reassessment by major carriers of emerging African markets, where profitability and operational efficiency remain critical. Despite Senegal’s increasing profile as a gateway to francophone West Africa, maintaining secondary U.S.-Africa routes has proven challenging amid fluctuating demand, seasonal travel patterns, and competitive pressures from European hubs.

Sabre market data shows that U.S.–Senegal traffic reached 124,285 passengers in 2024, with only 31% traveling nonstop. The Washington–Dakar city pair accounted for roughly 13,600 travelers, a figure deemed insufficient to support United’s revenue expectations. The airline cited “schedule adjustments due to aircraft availability, market dynamics, and other operational factors” as reasons for the route’s suspension, reflecting underlying commercial realities such as low business-class demand and limited onward connections.

With Dakar gone from its network, United will continue operating flights to other African destinations, including Cape Town, Accra, Johannesburg, and Lagos. This selective approach underscores the airline’s focus on high-yield, established markets while retreating from experimental routes that failed to meet profitability thresholds, maintaining a strategic presence where demand is stronger.

Historically, Dakar has struggled to sustain long-haul connections. Air Senegal operated a New York JFK–Dakar route from 2021 to 2024, while South African Airways previously linked Johannesburg–Dakar–Washington before the pandemic disrupted operations. These repeated cancellations illustrate the inherent structural fragility of secondary U.S.–Africa routes, often linked to seasonal fluctuations and limited corporate travel demand.

Looking ahead, Delta’s New York JFK–Dakar service will remain the only nonstop U.S. option, though Air Transat plans to launch Montreal–Dakar flights with Airbus A321LR aircraft in June 2026. This Canadian entry may offer alternative routing models for francophone travelers and diaspora communities, highlighting how different market approaches can influence viability.

For African travel professionals, United’s withdrawal emphasizes that sustainable international routes rely on robust two-way traffic, competitive pricing, and diversified demand beyond visiting friends and relatives. The Dakar suspension serves as a cautionary example that even diplomatic support or initial enthusiasm cannot substitute for demonstrated financial performance in today’s competitive aviation market.