While Longhorn football fans could experience Texas vs. Alabama at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium last season, this year boasts the trouble of having to travel to Tuscaloosa for the iconic matchup. But United Airlines already has that taken care of.

United announced this past Friday that they will be adding over 127 new nonstop flights to more than 15 cities nationwide in order to give fans an opportunity to experience college football all season long, near or far.  

The airline will be providing flights across the country for 30 football games among different conferences, including direct travel from Austin to Birmingham — about an hour drive from Tuscaloosa — prior to Texas’ matchup against Alabama on Sept. 9.  

After 50,000 fans flew through United last year to reach their favorite college towns for game day, the airline said they will be using larger aircrafts for these flights to help everyone get to their destination on time. Last year’s game against Alabama brought in a whopping 105, 213 attendees, and United hopes to encourage the return of these fans despite the distance. 

“We’re committed to providing a best-in-class travel experience for our customers, whether they’re traveling around the globe or flying to see their favorite college football team play,” said Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of Global Network Planning and Alliances. “We’re pleased to deliver a schedule this season that makes it easy for fans to come together and support their teams on the road.”

United also announced their collaboration with University of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams for marketing the schedule as part of an NIL deal. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner said he’s eager to assist fans in spreading the energy of college football, no matter what team they represent.

“There’s nothing like the energy you get from seeing the fans in the stands and hearing them cheer you on during a big rivalry game, whether that’s at home or on the road,” Williams said. “I’m excited to collaborate with United Airlines to help spread the news of these special college football flights so fans from all over the country can experience that energy firsthand.”  

A full schedule of the games that will have accommodating direct flights can be found at united.com, along with tickets that are on sale now.