DALLAS – United Airlines (UA) delivered strong financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024, reporting a pre-tax margin increase of 3.2 points year over year.
The Chicago-based airline posted a net income of US$1 billion and total operating revenue of US$14.7 billion, representing a 7.8% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The carrier demonstrated significant operational success in 2024, achieving first place in on-time departures across all seven U.S. hubs. UA served a record-breaking 174 million passengers systemwide throughout the year, operating an average of 4,340 daily flights—145 more mainline flights per day than in 2023.
CEO Scott Kirby highlighted the company's successful post-COVID strategy: "2024 was a strong year across the board for United as we've become the leading global airline." The company saw growth across multiple revenue streams, with premium revenue up 10%, corporate revenue up 7%, and essential economy revenue increasing by 20% year-over-year in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead to 2025, UA announced its largest international expansion, adding service to nine new global destinations, including unique routes to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Nuuk, Greenland. The airline also revealed plans to partner with SpaceX to bring Starlink Wi-Fi service to over 1,000 aircraft starting in Spring 2025.
The carrier's financial outlook remains positive, with robust demand expected in the first quarter 2025. UA anticipates domestic RASM (Revenue per Available Seat Mile) turning "solidly positive" year over year while continuing to see improvements in international revenue metrics.
For the full year 2024, UA reported:
- Pre-tax earnings of US$4.2 billion
- Net income of US$3.1 billion
- Diluted earnings per share of US$9.45
- Operating cash flow of US$9.4 billion
The airline also continued its commitment to sustainability, becoming the first carrier to purchase sustainable aviation fuel at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) while voluntarily operating with SAF at multiple international airports throughout 2024.
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Exploring Airline History Volume I
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David H. Stringer, the History Editor for AIRWAYS Magazine, has chronicled the story of the commercial aviation industry with his airline history articles that have appeared in AIRWAYS over two decades. Here, for the first time, is a compilation of those articles.
Subjects A through C are presented in this first of three volumes. Covering topics such as the airlines of Alaska at the time of statehood and Canada's regional airlines of the 1960s, the individual histories of such carriers as Allegheny, American, Braniff, and Continental are also included in Volume One. Get your copy today!
February 2025
