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United Airlines fleet

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This article is about the mainline United Airlines fleet, including the historical fleets of United Airlines. For information about the fleet of United's regional operations, see United Express § Fleet.

A United Airlines Boeing 787-9 in the most recent livery landing at Beijing Capital International Airport in April 2020.

As of January 2025, the United Airlines fleet consists of 1,000 mainline aircraft, the largest of any commercial airline worldwide.[1][2] United Airlines operates a mix of Airbus and Boeing narrow-body and all Boeing wide-body aircraft with more wide-body aircraft than any other U.S. passenger airline.[3] The average age of United's fleet is 15.9 years.[4]

Fleet strategy

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The "United Next" strategy introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic is United Airlines' plan to modernize and expand its fleet while enhancing operational efficiency and the passenger experience. Unlike other major U.S. airlines, United retained its wide-body aircraft during the pandemic, allowing the airline to meet the surge in travel demand as recovery began.[5]

Since 2021, United has placed orders for over 500 narrow-body and nearly 200 wide-body aircraft as part of its strategy, which also includes retiring older mainline aircraft and at least 200 single-class regional jets.[6][7][8]

The strategy places significant emphasis on improving the passenger experience. United's "Signature Interior" concept features seatback entertainment systems with Bluetooth connectivity, power outlets at every seat, and larger overhead bins designed to accommodate a roller bag for each passenger. All new aircraft will include the updated interior, with retrofitting of existing mainline aircraft expected to be completed by 2025.[9] United has also selected SpaceX's Starlink as its in-flight internet connectivity provider for mainline and two-class regional aircraft. This high-speed satellite internet service will enable live streaming, cloud-based work applications, and gaming, with complimentary access provided to all passengers.[10]

United Airlines has also invested in and secured options for several aircraft under development. These include options to purchase 100 eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft from Archer Aviation[11] and 200 eVTOL aircraft from Eve Air Mobility, a division of Embraer.[12] Furthermore, the airline has committed to purchasing 100 ES-30 electric turboprop regional aircraft from Heart Aerospace, with options to purchase up to options for up to 50 more.[13] United has also committed to purchasing 15 Boom Overture supersonic aircraft, with the option to purchase up to 35 more.[14]

Current fleet

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As of January 2025, United Airlines operates the following mainline aircraft:[4][15][16]

United Airlines fleet
Aircraft In
service 		Orders Passengers Notes
J F W Y+ Y Total Refs
Airbus A319 81 — — 12 — 36 78 126 [17] 20 to be retired in 2025.[18]
Airbus A320 78 — — 12 — 42 96 150 [19]
Airbus A321neo 29 101 — 20 — 57 123 200 [20][21] Deliveries until 2032.[22]
Airbus A321XLR — 50 TBA Deliveries start in 2025.[16]
Replacing Boeing 757-200.[23]
Airbus A350-900 — 45
TBA
 		Deliveries pushed back by United until at least 2030.[7]
Replacing Boeing 777-200ER.[24]
Boeing 737-700 40 — — 12 — 36 78 126 [25]
Boeing 737-800 141 — — 16 — 48 102 166 [26]
42 108
54 96
Boeing 737 MAX 8 111 12 — 16 — 54 96 166
Boeing 737-900 12 — — 20 — 45 114 179 [27]
Boeing 737-900ER 136 — — 20 — 39 120 179
42 117
45 114
Boeing 737 MAX 9 87 136 — 20 — 45 114 179 Largest operator.[28]
Boeing 737 MAX 10 — 167 — 20 — 64 105 189 [29] Launch customer.[30]
United has ordered Boeing to halt further production amid uncertain delivery timeline, orders may be converted to MAX 8 or 9.[31][32]
22 — — 45 96 163 [33]
Boeing 757-200 40 — 16 — — 42 118 176 [34] To be replaced by Airbus A321XLR.[23]
Boeing 757-300 21 — — 24 — 54 156 234 [35] Largest operator.[9]
Boeing 767-300ER 13 — 30 — 24 32 113 199 To be replaced by Boeing 787 by 2030.[36]
24 46 22 43 56 167
Boeing 767-400ER 16 — 34 — 24 48 125 231 [37]
Boeing 777-200 19 — — 28 — 102 234 364 [38] Launch customer.[39]
Domestic configuration.[40]
To be replaced by Boeing 787.[36]
Boeing 777-200ER 51 — 50 — 24 46 156 276 [38] To be replaced by Airbus A350-900.[24]
4 — 32 — 124 206 362 Domestic configuration.[41]
To be replaced by Boeing 787.[36]
Boeing 777-300ER 22 — 60 — 24 62 204 350 [42]
Boeing 787-8 12 146 28 — 21 36 158 243 [43] Order with 50 options.[44]
Replacing Boeing 767, Boeing 777-200, and domestic Boeing 777-200ER.[36]
Boeing 787-9 42 48 — 21 39 149 257 [45]
Boeing 787-10 21 44 — 21 54 199 318 [46]
Total 1,000 657
[edit]

Historical fleet

[edit]
United Airlines former fleet[citation needed]
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Replacement Notes
Boeing 40A Un­known 1927 1937 Un­known Launch customer.
Operated by Boeing Air Transport[47] and Varney Air Lines.
Boeing 80A Un­known 1928 1934 Un­known Launch customer.
Operated by Boeing Air Transport.
Boeing 247 59[48] 1933 1942 Un­known Launch customer.
All base models were built for United Airlines.[49]
Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 7[48] 1950 1954 Un­known
Boeing 720 29[48] 1960 1976 Boeing 727 Launch customer.
Boeing 727-100 126 1963 1993 Boeing 737-500 Three crashed as Flight 389, Flight 227, and Flight 266.
Boeing 727-200 104 1968 2001 Airbus A320 family
Boeing 737 NG
Bombardier CRJ-700
Boeing 737-200 101 1968 2001 Launch customer.
Two crashed as Flight 553 and Flight 585.
Boeing 737-300 103 1986 2009
Boeing 737-500[50] 73 1990 2009
29 2010 2013 Former Continental Airlines fleet.
Boeing 747-100 23 1970 1999 Boeing 747-400
Boeing 777-200ER 		One was damaged as Flight 811, but was later repaired and re-registered as N4724U.
Another was damaged as Flight 826.
Boeing 747-200B 10 1987 2000
Boeing 747SP 11 1985 1995 Boeing 747-400
Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 777-200 		Former Pan Am fleet.
Boeing 747-400 44 1989 2017 Boeing 777-300ER
Boeing 787 Dreamliner 		Largest operator of Boeing 747-400 in United States.
Boeing 767-200 19 1982 2005 Boeing 757-200
Boeing 767-300ER 		Launch customer.
Many were later upgraded to -ER standards.
One hijacked and crashed into South Tower of the World Trade Center as Flight 175, as part of the September 11 attacks.
Boeing 767-200ER[51] 10 2010 2013 Former Continental Airlines fleet.
Convair 340 52 1952 1968 Un­known
Douglas DC-3 118 1936 1956 Convair 340
Douglas DC-4 36 1946 1957 Un­known
Douglas DC-4E 1 1939 1939 None Used in trial service only.
Douglas DC-6 90 1946 1969 Un­known
Douglas DC-6B Un­known
Douglas DC-7 57 1954 1966 Un­known
Douglas DC-8-10 2 1959 1961 None Two crashed as Flight 826 and Flight 859.
Douglas DC-8-20 30 1959 1982 Boeing 727-200
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-30 11 1967 1974
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-50 18 1959 1983
15 1964 1987 None Cargo fleet.
Two crashed as Flight 2860 and Flight 2885.
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-60 41 1967 1991 Boeing 757-200 One crashed as Flight 173.
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-70
Ford Trimotor Un­known 1931 Un­known Un­known Operated on a transcontinental route between New York City and San Francisco.[52]
Laird Swallow J-5 Un­known Un­known Un­known Un­known Single seat biplane used to carry US Air Mail (CAM 5) by predecessor Varney Air Lines.[53]
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 6 1986 1989 Boeing 747-100
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 		Former Pan Am fleet.[citation needed]
All aircraft were sold to Delta Air Lines.[citation needed]
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 48 1971 2001 Boeing 757-200
Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 777-200 		Launch customer.
One crashed as Flight 232.
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 7 1983 2001
4 1997 None Converted into freighters for the short-lived "United Airlines Worldwide Cargo" service.
Sud Aviation Caravelle 20 1961 1970 Boeing 727
Boeing 737-200 		Only U.S. operator in scheduled passenger service.
Used to operate "Executive" service between Chicago and Newark restricted to men only passengers.
Also operated on other United domestic services.
Vickers Viscount 48 1961 1969 Former Capital Airlines aircraft.
Only mainline turboprop aircraft type ever operated by United Airlines.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "United Airlines Fleet Details". flightradar24.com. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  2. ^ "UNITED Fleet Website – United Mainline Fleet". sites.google.com. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Lomas, Chris (December 20, 2023). "United Airlines' oldest and newest aircraft". Flightradar24 Blog. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "United Airlines fleet profile". Cirium. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  5. ^ Sloan, Chris (April 8, 2024). "CEO Scott Kirby Has Big Plans For United Airlines". Aviation Week. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  6. ^ Koenig, David (June 29, 2021). "United Orders 270 Jets to Replace Old Ones, Plan for Growth". Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Shepardson, David; Kumar Singh, Rajesh (December 13, 2022). "United Airlines makes big Boeing order, including 100 787 Dreamliners". Reuters. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  8. ^ Insinna, Valerie; Kumar Singh, Rajesh (October 3, 2023). "United Airlines orders 110 Airbus, Boeing jets in a bet on travel demand". Reuters. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "United Adds 270 Boeing and Airbus Aircraft to Fleet, Largest Order in Airline's History and Biggest by a Single Carrier in a Decade". United Hub. June 29, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  10. ^ Abott, Rich (September 19, 2024). "Starlink Lands United Deal for the Airline's Full Fleet". Avionics International. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  11. ^ Rucinski, Tracy; Nishant, Niket (February 10, 2021). "Archer to go public, United Airlines invests and orders electric aircraft". Reuters.
  12. ^ Pritchard, Jason (June 14, 2023). "Eve Air Mobility and United Airlines to launch eVTOL aircraft services in San Francisco area by 2026 – eVTOL Insights". eVTOL Insights. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  13. ^ Daleo, Jack (September 11, 2023). "Electric Airplane Manufacturer Heart Aerospace Taps Honeywell for Flight Control System". Flying magazine. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  14. ^ "Boom – United". Boom. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  15. ^ "United Airlines Fleet Information". United Airlines.
  16. ^ a b "Form 10-Q". United Airlines Holdings, Inc. March 31, 2024. p. 19. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "Airbus 319 (319)". United.com. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  18. ^ Investor Update (Report). United Airlines. January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  19. ^ "Airbus 320 (320)". United.com. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  20. ^ "United Airlines purchases more new planes, eyeing fewer, larger flights". Chicago Tribune. October 3, 2023.
  21. ^ "United Airlines Announces First-Quarter 2024 Financial Results; Exceeds Revenue and EPS Expectations". United Newsroom (Press release). April 16, 2024. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  22. ^ Schlappig, Ben (September 10, 2023). "United Airlines Airbus A321neo Enters Service Late 2023". One Mile at a Time. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  23. ^ a b Rains, Taylor. "United executive said the new Airbus A321XLR will replace Boeing 757 routes and open new ones". Business Insider. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  24. ^ a b Hamilton, Scott (September 11, 2017). "Assessing the United A350-900 order". pp. Leeham News and Analysis. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  25. ^ "Boeing 737-700". United.com. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  26. ^ "Boeing 737-800 (738)". United.com. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  27. ^ "Boeing 737-900". United.com. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  28. ^ "Boeing: Orders and Deliveries (updated monthly)". Boeing. December 31, 2023. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  29. ^ "United Adds 270 Boeing and Airbus Aircraft to Fleet, Largest Order in Airline's History and Biggest by a Single Carrier in a Decade". United Hub. June 29, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  30. ^ "United Airlines Orders 200 More Boeing 737 MAX Jets". MediaRoom. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  31. ^ Dumas, Breck (March 12, 2024). "United tells Boeing to stop making the Max 10s the airline ordered: report". FOXBusiness. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  32. ^ "United Says It's Changing Its Boeing Fleet Strategy Due to Safety Delays — What to Know". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  33. ^ Bachman, Justin (August 21, 2018). "United Tests Lie-Flat Seats on 737 Max for Longest U.S. Routes". Bloomberg News. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  34. ^ "Boeing 757-200 (752)". United.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  35. ^ "Boeing 757-300 (753)". United.com. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  36. ^ a b c d "United Airlines Unveils Historic Order to Purchase Up To 200 New Boeing Widebody Planes" (Press release). United Airlines. December 13, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  37. ^ "Boeing 767-400ER (764)". United.com. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  38. ^ a b "777-200". United.
  39. ^ "The Boeing 777 Program Background". Boeing. Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
  40. ^ "Boeing 777-200 (777)". united.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  41. ^ "Boeing 777-200 (777)". united.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  42. ^ "Boeing 777-300ER (77W)". United.com. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  43. ^ "Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner". United.com. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  44. ^ "United Airlines orders 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with options for 100 more". ABC News. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  45. ^ "Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner". United.com. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  46. ^ "Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner". United.com. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  47. ^ Bohl, Walt: Boeing model 40 and its descendants
  48. ^ a b c United: The Main Line Airway by George Cearley, Jr
  49. ^ Seely, Victor J. (December 1, 1991). The Boeing 247: the first modern airliner. University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-295-97094-3. Retrieved May 3, 2010 – via Google Books.
  50. ^ "United retired its last three B737-500s by end of May". ch-aviation. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  51. ^ "United Airlines retires its last B767-200". ch-aviation. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  52. ^ "June 1, 1931 United Air Lines system timetable". www.timetableimages.com. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  53. ^ "Swallow". united.com. October 3, 2002. Archived from the original on October 3, 2002. Retrieved April 10, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

Bibliography

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