United Airlines, founded on April 6, 1926, is an American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international route network spanning cities across the United States, making it the third-largest airline company in the world.

The airline company maintains eight hubs, with Chicago-O'Hare being the largest in terms of passengers carried and total departures. United Airlines commenced operations on March 28, 1931. It is also a founding member of the Star Alliance, which is the largest airline alliance with a total of 28 member airlines. Regional services under United Express are operated by independent carriers.

Historical Background

This airline company traces its roots back to Varney Airlines, founded in 1926.

William Boeing founded Boeing Air Transport in 1927 to operate mail routes under contract with the United States Post Office Department. Boeing merged this company with Pratt and Whitney in 1929.

In December 2002, post-9/11 air travel witnessed a significant decline, and the corporation had strained relations with one of its crucial labor unions. Consequently, the airline filed for bankruptcy and remained under court protection for over three years, allowing for significant cost-cutting measures. In 2006, it emerged from court protection and resumed standard operations.

Continental Airlines and United initiated preliminary discussions in 2006, which resumed on April 16, 2010. United and Continental merged their passenger service systems on March 2, 2012, and the parent company's name changed from United Continental Holdings to United Airlines Holdings on June 27, 2019.

In January 2021, CEO Scott Kirby proposed the possibility of mandating COVID-19 vaccines for company employees, making United Airlines the first US airline to announce a vaccine mandate for all staff on August 6.

Destinations and Hubs

This airline operates flights to 238 domestic and approximately 118 international destinations, serving 48 countries across five continents.

Hubs

United currently operates eight hubs:

• Chicago-O'Hare.
• Denver.
• Guam.
• Houston-Intercontinental.
• Los Angeles.
• Newark.
• San Francisco.
• Washington-Dulles.

Fleet

As of July 2022, United Airlines operates a fleet of approximately 841 aircraft, with an additional 544 aircraft planned. All of these aircraft are from either Airbus or Boeing.

Fleet Strategy

In July 2011, American Airlines announced a deal for 460 narrow-body jets, including 260 Airbus A320s. The contract stipulated that Airbus would refund any price difference between what American paid and what United paid. United also planned to replace its 51 Boeing 767s in a $14 billion deal. On June 3, 2021, United announced a deal with Boom Supersonic, including a clause to purchase at least 15 of their Overture supersonic airliners, intended to use 100% sustainable fuels and scheduled to enter service with United in 2029.

Cabin United Polar Business

The Polaris seat converts into a 6'6'' flatbed and features multiple storage areas, lumbar support, improved dining, and amenity services. These seats can be found on all Boeing 767-300ERs, Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and Boeing 777-300ERs.

The cabins are configured to provide aisle access to every passenger, with Boeing 767s featuring a 1-1-1 seat configuration, and the 777s and 787s having a 1-2-1 seat configuration. Polaris passengers enjoy separate check-in counters and priority security screening, along with pre-departure beverages, multi-course meals, and table linens as part of their in-flight services.