United Airlines Reports Second Quarter 2026 Net Profit of $805 Million or $2.46 per Diluted Share
- Joe Breitfeller
- 4 minutes ago
- 2 min read
United Airlines has reported a second quarter 2026 net profit of $805 million or $2.46 per diluted share on a year-over-year increase in revenue of 16 percent to $17.7 billion. The company ended the period with $19.6 billion in total available liquidity.
On Wednesday (July 15, 2026), United Airlines reported their second quarter financial results for the period ending June 30, 2026. The carrier reported a second quarter 2026 net profit of $805 million or $2.46 per diluted share on a year-over-year increase in revenue of 16 percent to $17.7 billion. United’s second quarter total revenue per available seat mile (TRASM) increased 12.1 percent compared to the same period last year to 20.25 cents, while cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 15.2 percent to 18.99 cents. Costs excluding fuel (CASM-ex) increased 6.1 percent versus Q2 2025 to 13.12 cents. United ended the second quarter with $19.6 billion in total liquidity.
In Wednesday’s announcement, United Airlines’ CEO, Scott Kirby, said,
“Our results show why we have been investing in customer improvements throughout every cabin and winning brand-loyal customers. United is built to thrive in every environment, and when oil prices spiked in March, we quickly and decisively acted to adjust our schedules, while simultaneously doubling down on our customer investments. Our brand-loyal customers value their travel on United whether they are in Polaris or in Economy. Our network expansions, investment in Starlink, and innovations such as Relax Row are giving customers new reasons to choose United.”
United raised $3.7 billion in new liquidity in private bank transactions at attractive rates during the period to provide low-cost insurance from geopolitical uncertainty and the possibility of an extreme spike in oil prices. Once fuel prices moderate, the carrier expects to use this cash to further strengthen their balance sheet by opportunistically paying down higher-cost debt and to fund new aircraft deliveries this year and next. Since the beginning of the second quarter, the company pre-paid approximately $1 billion of higher cost debt.
During the second quarter, United installed Starlink on their first widebody aircraft, and Starlink is now installed on 450 United mainline and United Express aircraft. United remains on track to bring Starlink to the whole fleet by the end of 2027. Starlink is free for MileagePlus® members and offers the fastest connectivity available for every customer onboard. United’s first ‘Born to Explore’ Airbus A321XLR is expected to enter domestic service this fall, and will be connecting the U.S. to international destinations by early next year.
At United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL), ‘Good Leads the Way.’ As measured by available seat miles, United is the world’s largest airline, connecting passengers to more than 360 destinations, including 75 that no other U.S. airline serves. The carrier flies to over 225 U.S. cities, operating more than 4,000 domestic flights a day on average. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers.
Source: United Airlines / PRNewswire