United Airlines will cut two international routes and downgauge a third from September, as it targets an up to 1.75% capacity cut this year.

Daily flights between Newark and Buenos Aires operated on a Boeing 767-300ER will end on 29 September and daily flights between Newark and Istanbul also operated on a 767-300ER will end on 26 October.

Chicago-based United will continue to serve Buenos Aires from its Houston Intercontinental hub. It will no longer serve Istanbul.

The Star Alliance member began the Newark-Istanbul flights in July 2012 and the Newark-Buenos Aires flights in April 2012.

United will also downgauge its daily flight between Seattle and Tokyo Narita to a 219-seat Boeing 787-8 from a 269-seat Boeing 777-200, which has operated on the route for years, from 5 November.

The route cuts and aircraft changes will get the airline closer to its guidance of a 0.75% to 1.75% capacity cut for the full year. However, as it continues to cut capacity it is also losing passengers.

The number of onboard passengers has decreased at United in every month since January, with passengers down 2.9% in June on a 2% decrease in available seat miles.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news