BY DANIEL M. PEREZ
Journal Staff
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported an all-time record total operating revenue of $17.9 billion for the third quarter of 2026, representing a 17.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
The carrier achieved net income of $1 billion for the quarter, despite facing a 61.6% surge in jet fuel expenses, which reached $4.8 billion.
Capacity measured by available seat miles grew by 1.3%, while total revenue per available seat mile rose 15.9% year-over-year, marking the airline's strongest quarterly unit revenue growth since the pandemic. Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, attributed the strong financial metrics to continuous customer-focused investments and operational reliability.
"Our employees met the challenge of our ever-changing environment and results prove the resilience of focusing on building a brand-loyal airline for customers," Kirby said.
Revenue growth was broad-based across multiple segments during the third quarter. Premium revenue grew 17%, loyalty program revenue climbed 17%, cargo revenue rose 22.9% to $529 million, and contracted business revenue increased 26%. The airline transported a record 49.5 million revenue customers during the three-month period, averaging approximately 538,000 daily passengers.
The airline's international expansion plan includes 10 new destinations slated for summer 2027, highlighting a broader effort to expand global reach.
Among the planned Asia-Pacific routes is service to Okinawa, Japan, alongside new routes to European destinations including France, Italy, and Spain. Operating reliability remained a core driver during the peak summer season, with the carrier posting the lowest seat cancellation rate among the three largest U.S. network airlines.
Additionally, the company expanded its available liquidity to $17.7 billion at the end of the quarter, supported by a newly expanded $5 billion revolving credit facility. Looking ahead to the fourth quarter of 2026, corporate executives project total operating revenue growth to accelerate to over 20% year-over-year, setting another quarterly record for the airline.
In related news, major Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines announced increases to their fuel surcharges on international routes for tickets purchased between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2026. Under the revised pricing structure, surcharges for one-way flights between Japan and U.S. routes will rise to 62,000 yen or $391, while routes connecting Japan with regional destinations including Guam and Palau will carry a surcharge of 21,500 yen or $135 per passenger segment. mbj
Journal Staff
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported an all-time record total operating revenue of $17.9 billion for the third quarter of 2026, representing a 17.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
The carrier achieved net income of $1 billion for the quarter, despite facing a 61.6% surge in jet fuel expenses, which reached $4.8 billion.
Capacity measured by available seat miles grew by 1.3%, while total revenue per available seat mile rose 15.9% year-over-year, marking the airline's strongest quarterly unit revenue growth since the pandemic. Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, attributed the strong financial metrics to continuous customer-focused investments and operational reliability.
"Our employees met the challenge of our ever-changing environment and results prove the resilience of focusing on building a brand-loyal airline for customers," Kirby said.
Revenue growth was broad-based across multiple segments during the third quarter. Premium revenue grew 17%, loyalty program revenue climbed 17%, cargo revenue rose 22.9% to $529 million, and contracted business revenue increased 26%. The airline transported a record 49.5 million revenue customers during the three-month period, averaging approximately 538,000 daily passengers.
The airline's international expansion plan includes 10 new destinations slated for summer 2027, highlighting a broader effort to expand global reach.
Among the planned Asia-Pacific routes is service to Okinawa, Japan, alongside new routes to European destinations including France, Italy, and Spain. Operating reliability remained a core driver during the peak summer season, with the carrier posting the lowest seat cancellation rate among the three largest U.S. network airlines.
Additionally, the company expanded its available liquidity to $17.7 billion at the end of the quarter, supported by a newly expanded $5 billion revolving credit facility. Looking ahead to the fourth quarter of 2026, corporate executives project total operating revenue growth to accelerate to over 20% year-over-year, setting another quarterly record for the airline.
In related news, major Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines announced increases to their fuel surcharges on international routes for tickets purchased between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2026. Under the revised pricing structure, surcharges for one-way flights between Japan and U.S. routes will rise to 62,000 yen or $391, while routes connecting Japan with regional destinations including Guam and Palau will carry a surcharge of 21,500 yen or $135 per passenger segment. mbj
