ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS.
Any of the risks and uncertainties described below could significantly and negatively affect our business operations, financial condition, operating results (including components of our financial results), cash flows, prospects, reputation or credit ratings, which could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline significantly. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not presently known to us, or risks that we currently consider immaterial, could also impair our business operations, financial condition, operating results, cash flows, prospects, reputation or credit ratings.
Strategic and Business Development Risks
We may not be successful in executing elements of our strategic operating plan, which may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial results and market capitalization.
United Next, the Company's strategic operating plan, includes firm orders of over 630 narrow- and widebody aircraft, retrofitting plans and plans to continue to increase mainline daily departures and available seats across the Company's North American network. In developing our United Next plan, we made certain assumptions including, but not limited to, customer demand (in light of changing economic conditions), fuel costs, delivery of aircraft, aircraft certification approval timelines, labor market constraints and related costs, supply chain constraints, inflationary pressures, voluntary or mandatory groundings of aircraft, our regional network, competition, market consolidation and other macroeconomic and geopolitical factors. We also subsequently adjusted certain of our assumptions as a result of the increase in costs due to infrastructure improvements, new labor contracts and aircraft maintenance that were needed to support our United Next plan as well as delays in aircraft deliveries. Actual conditions may be different from our assumptions at any time and could cause us to further adjust our strategic operating plan. In addition, we cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to successfully execute our strategic plan, that the growth we anticipate will occur through execution of our strategic plan will not exacerbate any other risk described in this Form 10-K (especially relating to fuel costs, the impact of economic pressures or geopolitical events, our supply chain or our ability to recruit, hire, develop and retain talent), that our strategic plan will not result in additional unanticipated costs, that our suppliers will timely provide adequate products or support for our products (including but not limited to certification and delivery of aircraft, engines and other aircraft parts) or that our strategic plan will result in improvements in future financial performance. If we do not successfully execute our United Next or other strategic plans, if actual results vary significantly from our expectations or if we otherwise fail to successfully structure our business to meet market conditions, our business, operating results, financial condition and market capitalization could be materially and adversely impacted.
Changes in the Company's network strategy over time or other factors outside of the Company's control may make aircraft on order less economical for the Company, result in costs related to modification or termination of aircraft orders or cause the Company to enter into orders for new aircraft on less favorable terms, and any inability to accept or integrate new aircraft into the Company's fleet as planned could increase costs or affect the Company's flight schedules.
The Company's orders for new aircraft are typically made years in advance of actual delivery of such aircraft and the financial commitment required for purchases of new aircraft is substantial. As a result of our network strategy changing or our demand expectations not being realized, our preference for the aircraft that we previously ordered may decrease; however, we may be responsible for material liabilities to our counterparties if we attempt to modify or terminate any of our existing aircraft order commitments and as a result our financial condition could be adversely impacted. These risks are heightened as a result of the Company's sizeable United Next aircraft orders. Additionally, the Company may have a need for additional aircraft that are not available under its existing firm orders or options and may seek to acquire aircraft from other sources, such as through lease arrangements, which may result in higher costs and/or less favorable terms, or through the purchase or lease of used aircraft. The Company may not be able to acquire such aircraft when needed on favorable terms or at all.
Furthermore, if, for any reason, the Company is unable or does not want to accept deliveries of new aircraft or integrate such new aircraft into its fleet as planned, the Company may face higher financing and operating costs than planned or litigation risks, and may be required to seek extensions of the terms for certain leased aircraft or otherwise delay the exit of other aircraft from its fleet. Unanticipated extensions or delays may require the Company to operate existing aircraft beyond the point at which it is economically optimal to retire them, resulting in increased maintenance costs, or potentially requiring the Company to reduce its schedule, thereby reducing revenues.
The imposition of new tariffs, any increase in existing tariffs, and retaliatory tariffs implemented by other countries where United operates, on the importation of commercial aircraft, engines or commercial aircraft parts that the Company orders may result in higher costs. In addition, to the extent our key aircraft, engine or aircraft parts suppliers are affected by tariffs and seek to pass those costs onto us, our costs of acquiring new aircraft, engine or aircraft parts could increase.
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The failure to effectively manage acquisitions, divestitures, investments, joint ventures and other portfolio actions could adversely impact our operating results. In addition, any businesses or assets that we acquire in the future increase our exposure to unknown liabilities or other issues and also may underperform as compared to expectations.
An important part of the Company's strategy to expand its global network and operate an environmentally sustainable, responsible and innovative airline has included making significant investments, both domestically and in other parts of the world, in other airlines and other aviation industry participants, producers of SAF, manufacturers of electric, hybrid and other new generation aircraft, and startups developing technologies in aerospace, next-generation air traffic control and aviation infrastructure, energy transition and AI-driven travel innovation. The Company plans to continue to make additional investments, including through its corporate venture capital arm, UAV, and through the Fund. However, since there are a limited number of potential arrangements, and other airlines and industry participants seek to enter into similar relationships, this may make it difficult for the Company to complete strategic investments on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
These investments are inherently risky and may not be successful in meeting the Company's expectations. Future revenues, profits and cash flows of these and future investments and repayment of invested or loaned funds may not materialize due to safety concerns, regulatory issues, supply chain constraints or other factors beyond our control. Where we acquire debt or equity securities as all or part of the consideration for business development activities, such as in connection with a joint venture, the value of those securities will fluctuate and may depreciate in value. We may not control the companies in which we make investments and, as a result, we will have limited ability to determine their management, operational decisions, internal controls and compliance and other policies, which can result in additional financial and reputational risks. Further, acquisitions and investments create exposure to assumed litigation and unknown liabilities, as well as undetected internal control, regulatory compliance or other issues, or additional costs not anticipated at the time the transaction was completed, and our due diligence efforts may not identify such liabilities or issues, or they may not be fully disclosed to us.
From time to time, we also divest assets. We may not be successful in separating any such assets, and losses on the divestiture of, or lost operating income from, such assets may adversely affect our earnings. Any divestitures also may result in continued financial exposure to the divested businesses following the transaction, such as through guarantees or other financial arrangements or potential litigation.
In addition, we have incurred, and may again in the future incur, asset impairment charges related to acquisitions, divestitures, investments or joint ventures that have the effect of reducing our earnings. Moreover, new or revised accounting standards, rules and interpretations could result in changes to the recognition of income and expense that may materially and adversely affect our financial results.
If the execution or implementation of acquisitions, divestitures, investments, joint ventures and other portfolio actions is not successful, it could adversely impact our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. In addition, due to the Company's substantial amount of debt, there are certain limitations on the Company's business development capacity. Further, pursuing these opportunities may require us to obtain additional equity or debt financing and could result in increased leverage and/or a downgrade of our credit ratings.
Business, Operational and Industry Risks
The Company could experience adverse publicity, increased regulatory scrutiny, harm to its brand, reduced travel demand, potential tort liability and operational restrictions as a result of an accident, catastrophe or incident involving its aircraft or its operations or the aircraft or operations of another airline, which may result in a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results or financial condition.
An accident, catastrophe or incident involving an aircraft that the Company operates, or an aircraft or aircraft type that is operated by another airline, or an incident involving the Company's operations, or the operations of another airline, could have a material adverse effect on the Company if such accident, catastrophe or incident creates a public perception that the Company's operations, or the operations of its codeshare partners or regional carriers, are not safe or reliable, or are less safe or reliable than other airlines. Further, any such accident, catastrophe or incident involving the Company, its regional carriers or its codeshare partners could expose the Company to increased regulatory scrutiny and significant liability. For example, in 2024 the FAA conducted a review of the Company's safety and compliance oversight of its operations, though the FAA found no significant safety or compliance issues.
Although the Company maintains liability insurance in amounts and of the type the Company believes to be consistent with industry practice to cover damages arising from any such accident, catastrophe or incident, and the Company's codeshare partners and regional carriers carry similar insurance and generally indemnify the Company for their operations, if the Company's liability exceeds the applicable policy limits or the ability of another carrier to indemnify it, the Company could
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incur substantial losses from an accident, catastrophe or incident, which may result in a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results or financial condition.
In addition, any such accident, catastrophe or incident involving the Company, its regional carriers or its codeshare partners could result in operational restrictions on the Company, including voluntary or mandatory groundings of aircraft. Voluntary or involuntary groundings have also impacted, and could in the future impact, the Company's financial results and operations in numerous ways, including reduced revenue, redistributions of other aircraft and deferrals of capital expenditure and other spending. A prolonged period of time operating a reduced fleet in circumstances such as these could result in a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results or financial condition.
The global airline industry is highly competitive and susceptible to price discounting and changes in capacity, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
The airline industry is highly competitive, marked by significant competition with respect to routes, fares, schedules (both timing and frequency), services, products, customer service and frequent flyer programs. Consolidation in the airline industry, the rise of well-funded government sponsored international carriers, changes in international alliances, swaps of slots and the creation of immunized JBAs have altered and are expected to continue to alter the competitive landscape in the industry, resulting in the formation of airlines and alliances with increased financial resources, more extensive global networks and services and competitive cost structures. Open Skies agreements, including the agreements between the United States and each of the EU, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Brazil and the UK, may also give rise to better integration opportunities among international carriers. Movement of airlines between current global airline alliances could reduce joint network coverage for members of such alliances while also creating opportunities for JBAs and bilateral alliances that did not exist before such realignment. Further airline and airline alliance consolidations or reorganizations could occur in the future, and other airlines participating in such activities may significantly improve their cost structures or revenue generation capabilities, thereby potentially making them stronger competitors of the Company and impairing the Company's ability to realize expected benefits from its own strategic relationships.
Airlines also compete by increasing or decreasing their capacity, including route systems and the number of destinations served. Several of the Company's domestic and international competitors have increased their international capacity by including service to some destinations that the Company currently serves, causing overlap in destinations served and, therefore, increasing competition for those destinations. This increased competition in both domestic and international markets may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition.
The Company's U.S. operations are subject to competition from traditional network carriers, national point-to-point carriers and discount carriers, including low-cost carriers and ultra-low-cost carriers, that may have lower costs and provide service at lower fares to destinations also served by the Company. The significant presence of low-cost carriers and ultra-low-cost carriers, which engage in substantial price discounting, may diminish our ability to achieve sustained profitability on domestic and international routes and has also caused us to reduce fares for certain routes, resulting in lower yields on many domestic markets. Our ability to compete effectively, particularly in the domestic market, depends, in part, on our ability to maintain a competitive cost structure. If we cannot maintain our costs at a competitive level, then our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, our competitors have established new routes and destinations, including some at our hub airports, which may compete with our existing routes and destinations and expansion plans.
Our international operations are subject to competition from both foreign and domestic carriers. For instance, competition is significant from government-subsidized competitors from certain Middle East countries. These carriers have large numbers of international widebody aircraft on order and are increasing service to the U.S. from their hubs in the Middle East. The government support provided to these carriers has allowed them to grow quickly, reinvest in their product, invest in other airlines and expand their global presence. We also face competition from foreign carriers operating under "fifth freedom" rights permitted under international treaties that allow certain carriers to provide service to and from stopover points between their home countries and ultimate destinations, including points in the United States, in competition with service provided by us.
Through alliance and other marketing and codesharing agreements with foreign carriers, U.S. carriers have increased their ability to sell international transportation, such as services to and beyond traditional global gateway cities. Similarly, foreign carriers have obtained increased access to interior U.S. passenger traffic beyond traditional U.S. gateway cities through these relationships. In addition, several JBAs among U.S. and foreign carriers have received grants of antitrust immunity allowing the participating carriers to coordinate schedules, pricing, sales and inventory. If we are not able to continue participating in these types of alliance and other marketing and codesharing agreements in the future, our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.
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Our MileagePlus loyalty program plays a significant role in our business, and unfavorable developments affecting the program could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Our MileagePlus loyalty program benefits from the attractiveness and competitiveness of United Airlines as a material purchaser of award miles and the majority recipient for mileage redemption. If we are not able to maintain a competitive and attractive airline business, our ability to acquire, engage and retain customers in the MileagePlus loyalty program may be adversely affected, which could adversely affect the loyalty program and our operating results and financial condition.
Our MileagePlus loyalty program also faces significant and increasing direct competition from the frequent flyer programs offered by other airlines, as well as from similar loyalty programs offered by banks and other financial services companies. Competition among loyalty programs is intense regarding customer acquisition incentives, the value and utility of program currency, rewards range and value, fees, required usage, and other terms and conditions of these programs. If we are not able to maintain a competitive frequent flyer program, or if we make changes to our loyalty program, including as a result of legal or regulatory requirements or considerations, our ability to attract and retain customers to MileagePlus and United alike may be adversely affected, which could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.
Substantially all of the Company's aircraft, engines and certain parts are sourced from a limited number of suppliers; therefore, the Company would be materially and adversely affected if it were unable to obtain timely deliveries, additional equipment or support from any of these suppliers.
The Company currently sources substantially all of its aircraft and many related aircraft parts from The Boeing Company ("Boeing") or Airbus S.A.S. ("Airbus"). In addition, our aircraft suppliers are dependent on other suppliers for certain other aircraft parts. The Company is also dependent on a limited number of suppliers for engines and certain other aircraft parts. Therefore, if the Company is unable to acquire additional aircraft, engines or aircraft parts at acceptable prices, or if the suppliers fail to make timely deliveries of aircraft, engines or aircraft parts (whether as a result of unavailability, increased FAA oversight of the production process, any failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval or certification for new model aircraft, manufacturing delays or otherwise) or to provide adequate support for their products, including with respect to the aircraft subject to firm orders under our United Next plan, the Company's operations could be materially and adversely affected. For example, due to production delays, deliveries from Boeing and Airbus have been delayed in recent years, which caused the Company to rework its fleet plan, and the Company may experience further delays in the future which may impact our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
Many of our suppliers are experiencing inflationary pressures, as well as disruptions due to the lingering impacts of global supply chain disruption and labor market constraints and related costs. If one or more of our suppliers, our contractors or their subcontractors continue to experience financial difficulties, delivery delays or other performance problems, they may be unable to meet their commitments to us and our financial position, results of operations and cash flows may continue to be adversely impacted.
Unfavorable economic and political conditions, in the United States and globally, may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
The Company's business and operating results are significantly impacted by U.S. and global economic and political conditions. The airline industry is highly cyclical and the level of demand for air travel is correlated to the strength of the U.S. and global economies, including unemployment levels, consumer confidence levels and the availability of consumer and business credit. Air transportation is often a discretionary purchase that leisure travelers may limit or eliminate during difficult economic times. Short-haul travelers, in particular, have the option to replace air travel with surface travel. In addition, during periods of unfavorable economic conditions, business travelers historically have reduced the volume of their travel, either due to cost-saving initiatives, the replacement of travel with alternatives such as videoconferencing or as a result of decreased business activity requiring travel. Furthermore, an increase in price levels generally or in price levels in a particular sector (such as current inflationary pressures related to domestic and global supply chain constraints, which have led to both overall price increases and pronounced price increases in certain sectors) could result in a shift in consumer demand away from both leisure and business travel. Reduced or flat consumer spending may drive us and our competitors to reduce or offer promotional prices, which would negatively impact our gross margin. Any of the foregoing would adversely affect the Company's business and operating results. Significant declines in industry passenger demand, particularly with respect to the Company's business and premium cabin travelers and a reduction in fare levels could lead to a material reduction in revenue, changes to the Company's operations and deferrals of capital expenditure and other spending. Additionally, any deterioration in global trade relations, such as increased tariffs or other trade barriers, could result in a decrease in the demand for international air travel.
The Company's business relies extensively on third-party service providers, including certain technology providers. Failure of these parties to perform as expected, or interruptions in the Company's relationships with these providers or their
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provision of services to the Company, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition.
The Company has engaged third-party service providers to perform a large number of functions that are integral to its business, including regional operations, operation of customer service call centers, distribution and sale of airline seat inventory, provision of information technology infrastructure and services, transmitting or uploading of data, provision of aircraft maintenance and repairs, provision of various utilities and performance of airport ground services, aircraft fueling operations, catering services and air cargo handling services, among other vital functions and services. Although generally the Company enters into agreements that define expected service performance and compliance requirements, there can be no assurance that our third-party service providers will adhere to these requirements. Accordingly, any of these third-party service providers may materially fail to meet their service performance commitments to the Company or may suffer disruptions to their systems, labor groups or supply chains that could impact their services. For example, failures in certain third-party technology or communications systems have caused, and may in the future cause, flight delays or cancellations. In addition, the failure of any of the Company's third-party service providers to perform their service obligations adequately, or other interruptions of services, may reduce the Company's revenues and increase its expenses, prevent the Company from operating its flights and providing other services to its customers or result in adverse publicity or harm to our brand. We may also be subject to consequences from any illegal conduct of our third-party service providers, including for their failure to comply with anti-corruption laws, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In addition, the Company's business and financial performance could be materially harmed if its customers believe that its services are unreliable or unsatisfactory.
The Company may also have disagreements with its third-party service providers and related contracts may be terminated or may not be extended or renewed. For example, the number of flight reservations booked through third-party GDSs or OTAs may be adversely affected by disruptions in the business relationships between the Company and these suppliers. Such disruptions, including a failure to agree upon acceptable contract terms when contracts expire or otherwise become subject to renegotiation, may cause the Company's flight information to be limited or unavailable for display by the affected GDS or OTA operator, significantly increase fees for both the Company and GDS/OTA users and impair the Company's relationships with its customers and travel agencies. Any such disruptions or contract terminations may adversely impact our operations and financial results.
If we are not able to negotiate or renew agreements with third-party service providers, or if we renew existing agreements on less favorable terms, our operations and financial results may be adversely affected.
Extended interruptions or disruptions in service at major airports where we operate could have a material adverse impact on our operations, including our ability to operate our existing flight schedule and to expand or change our route network in the future, and space, facility and infrastructure constraints at our hubs or other airports may prevent the Company from maintaining existing service and/or implementing new service in a commercially viable manner.
The airline industry is heavily dependent on business models that concentrate operations in major airports in the United States and throughout the world. An extended interruption or disruption at one of our hubs or other airports where we have a significant presence resulting from ATC delays and disruptions, weather conditions, natural disasters, growth constraints, relationships with or the performance of third-party service providers, cybersecurity incidents and other failures of computer systems, disruptions to government agencies or personnel (including as a result of government shutdowns), regulatory changes, disruptions at airport facilities or other key facilities used by us to manage our operations, labor relations and market constraints, power supplies, fuel supplies, terrorist activities, international hostilities or other factors could result in the cancellation or delay of a significant portion of our flights and, as a result, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. For example, during the U.S. federal government shutdown in late 2025, the FAA directed airlines, including the Company, to implement temporary schedule reductions across approximately 40 domestic airports, which required us to modify portions of our regional and domestic mainline flying and resulted in operational disruption and additional costs. In addition, in the spring of 2025, challenges associated with ATC staffing, technology outages and runway construction led to a concentrated number of delays and cancellations out of our EWR hub.
We have minimal control over the operation, quality or maintenance of these services or whether our suppliers will improve or continue to provide services that are essential to our business. For example, because we prioritize operational excellence and continually work to optimize our route network and schedule, in light of the industry-wide operational challenges at airports in our network that have limited our system-wide capacity (like the operational disruptions experienced at EWR during the spring of 2025), we have reconfigured our proposed flight schedule and capacity to help improve our operational performance and our customers' experience. These industry-wide operational challenges have had a negative impact on our business and operating results and are expected to continue. In the future, we may not be able to adjust our operations to mitigate their effect, which
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may have a negative impact on our business, operating results, financial condition and liquidity and may limit our ability to expand or change our route network and execute our United Next strategy.
As airports around the world become more congested, space, facility and infrastructure constraints at our hubs or other airports where we operate now or may operate in the future may prevent the Company from maintaining existing service and/or implementing new service in a commercially viable manner because of a number of factors, including capital improvements at such airports being imposed by the relevant airport authorities without the Company's approval. Capital spending projects of airport authorities currently underway and additional projects that we expect to commence over the next several years are expected to result in increased costs to airlines and the traveling public that use those facilities as the airports seek to recover their investments through increased rental rates, landing fees and other facility costs. These actions have caused and may continue to cause the Company to experience increased space rental rates at various airports in its network, including a number of our hubs and gateways, as well as increased operating costs. Furthermore, the Company is not able to control decisions by other airlines to reduce their capacity, causing certain fixed airport costs to be allocated among fewer total flights and resulting in increased landing fees and other costs for the Company. We currently have sufficient slots or analogous authorizations to operate our existing flights and we have generally, but not always, been able to obtain the rights to expand our operations and to change our schedules, but there can be no assurance that we can maintain existing service or implement new service in a cost-effective manner in the future.
Geopolitical conflict, terrorist attacks or security events may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
As a global business with operations outside of the United States from which we derive significant operating revenues, volatile conditions in certain domestic and international regions may have a negative impact on our operating results and our ability to achieve our business objectives. The Company's international operations are a vital part of its worldwide airline network. Political disruptions and instability in certain regions have negatively impacted the demand and network availability for air travel, as well as fuel prices, and may continue to have a negative impact on these and other items. For example, the suspension of the Company's overflying in Russian airspace as a result of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict and interruptions of our flying as a result of military conflicts across the globe have significantly impacted our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. In addition, terrorist attacks or international hostilities, even if not made on or targeted directly at the airline industry, or the fear of or the precautions taken in anticipation of such attacks (including elevated national threat warnings, travel restrictions, selective cancellation or redirection of flights and new security regulations) could materially and adversely affect the Company and the airline industry. The Company's financial resources and insurance coverage may not be sufficient to absorb the adverse effects of any future terrorist attacks, international hostilities or other security events, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial condition, liquidity and operating results. In addition, due to threats against the aviation industry, the Company has incurred, and may continue to incur, significant expenditures to comply with security-related requirements to mitigate threats and protect the safety of our employees and customers.
Managing our reputation and brand image is critical to our business success and if our reputation or brand image is damaged, it could adversely affect our business or financial results.
We operate in a public-facing industry and our brand is recognized throughout most of the world. Maintaining, enhancing and leveraging the value of our reputation and brand image is critical to the future success of our business. The Company's reputation or brand image could be diminished or eroded by a variety of factors, including any actual or perceived failure to maintain satisfactory practices for all of our operations and activities or to reassure the traveling public of the safety of air travel at any of our major hub locations; any failure or perceived failure to achieve and/or make progress toward any publicly-announced safety, community impact, environmental sustainability, human capital management, people impact, responsible sourcing, cybersecurity or governance ("Corporate Citizenship") goals, which are aspirational in nature, subject to risks and uncertainties that are outside of our control and are not guarantees that we will be able to achieve them–within the anticipated timelines disclosed or at all; our stakeholders—including proxy advisory services—not being satisfied with our Corporate Citizenship goals or strategy, our efforts to meet such goals or our actual or perceived position or lack of position on political, public policy or other sensitive issues; public pressure, which can be varied and conflicting, from investors or policy groups to change our Corporate Citizenship goals, policies and strategies or our position on political, public policy or other sensitive issues; customer perceptions of our advertising campaigns, sponsorship arrangements or marketing programs, including greenwashing concerns regarding our advertising campaigns and marketing programs related to our sustainability initiatives; deficiencies in the quantitative data that we disclose in relation to our Corporate Citizenship goals; customer perceptions of statements made by us, our employees, executives or agents or others; our inability to respond in a timely and appropriate manner to address negative, inaccurate or malicious publicity (such as posts, articles or comments on social media, on the internet or in the press, which can be disseminated quickly and broadly without context), including, but not limited to, as a result of external developments or actual or perceived misconduct by our employees, partners or customers; or other matters discussed elsewhere in this risk factors section. Damage to our reputation or brand image or loss of customer confidence in our
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services has in the past adversely affected—and could in the future adversely affect—our business and financial results, as well as has in the past required—and could in the future require—additional resources to rebuild our reputation that may not be successful.
Regulators, customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders are focusing more on Corporate Citizenship impacts of operations, diligence processes and related disclosures, which are subject to legislation, regulations, standards and accords for identifying, collecting, measuring and reporting that are developing and sometimes ambiguous, inconsistent or conflicting, could change over time and could result in significant revisions of our goals. This scrutiny and the associated legislation, regulations, standards and accords also involve internal controls and processes that continue to evolve and are not uniform; depend in part on third-party performance or data that is outside the Company's control; expose us to litigation and regulatory enforcement risks; and have resulted in, and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and increased management time and attention spent complying with or meeting such expectations, legislation, regulations, standards and accords.
Our reputation and brand image may be impacted by our ability to comply with applicable Corporate Citizenship-related federal, state and international binding or non-binding legislation, regulation, standards and accords as well as by the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of our disclosures relating to our Corporate Citizenship goals and initiatives and progress towards those goals.
Disruptions to our regional network and United Express flights provided by third-party regional carriers could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
While the Company has contractual relationships that are material to its business with various regional carriers to provide regional aircraft service branded as United Express that include contractually agreed performance metrics, each regional carrier is a separately certificated commercial air carrier, and the Company does not control the operations of these carriers. A number of factors may impact the Company's regional network, including weather-related effects, seasonality, equipment, software, or other system failures or disruptions and cybersecurity attacks and any significant declines in demand for air travel services.
Information Technology, Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Risks
The Company relies heavily on technology and automated systems to operate its business and any significant failure or disruption of, or failure to effectively integrate and implement, these technologies or systems could materially harm its business or business strategy.
The Company depends on technology and automated systems, including artificial intelligence ("AI"), to operate its business, including, but not limited to, computerized airline reservation systems, electronic tickets, electronic airport kiosks, demand prediction software, flight operations systems, in-flight wireless internet, cloud-based technologies, technical and business operations systems and commercial websites and applications, including www.united.com and the United Airlines mobile app. These systems could suffer substantial or repeated disruptions due to various events, some of which are beyond the Company's control (including natural disasters (which may occur more frequently or intensely as a result of the impacts of climate change), power failures, terrorist attacks, dependencies on third-party technology services, equipment or software failures, cybersecurity attacks, insider threats or other security breaches and the deployment by certain wireless carriers of "5G" service networks), which could reduce the attractiveness of the Company's services versus those of our competitors, materially impair our ability to market our services and operate our flights, result in the unauthorized release of confidential or sensitive information, or information that should be protected from inadvertent disclosures, negatively impact our reputation among our customers and the public, subject us to liability to third parties, regulatory action or contract termination and result in other increased costs, lost revenue and the loss of, or compromise to the integrity, availability or confidentiality of, important data. These systems have in the past and may in the future be subject to failure, disruption or cyber incidents as a result of these or other factors. Substantial or repeated systems failures or disruptions may adversely affect the Company's business, operating results, financial condition and business strategy. We have cybersecurity frameworks, resiliency initiatives and disaster recovery plans in place designed to prevent and mitigate disruptions, and we continue to invest in improvements to these initiatives and plans. We also maintain property and business interruption insurance. However, these measures may not be adequate to prevent or mitigate disruptions or provide coverage for the Company's associated costs, some of which may be unforeseeable.
Automated systems and technologies, including AI, are becoming increasingly important in our operations over time. The Company may face challenges in implementing, integrating and modifying the automated systems and technologies required to operate its business or new systems and technologies designed to enhance its business, each of which may require significant expenditures, human resources, the development of effective internal controls and the transformation of business and financial processes. Our competitors or other third parties may incorporate AI into their products more quickly or more successfully than us, which could impair our ability to compete effectively and adversely affect our results of operations. Additionally, if AI is improperly utilized, including if the content, analyses, or recommendations that AI applications assist in producing are or are
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alleged to be deficient, inaccurate, or biased, we would be exposed to new or expanded risks and liabilities related to inaccuracies or errors in the output of such AI applications and our business, reputation, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected. AI also presents emerging ethical issues, and if our use of AI becomes controversial, we may experience brand or reputational harm, competitive harm, or legal liability. The rapid evolution of AI, including current and proposed government regulation of AI, may require significant resources to develop, test and maintain our AI platform and services to help us implement AI in a compliant and ethical manner in order to minimize any adverse impact to our business. If the Company is generally unable to timely or effectively implement, integrate or modify its systems and technologies, the Company's operations could be adversely affected.
Increasing privacy, data security and cybersecurity obligations or a significant data breach may adversely affect the Company's business.
In our regular business operations, we collect, process, store and transmit to commercial partners sensitive data, including personal information of our customers and employees, such as payment processing information, and information of our business partners to provide our services and operate our business.
The Company must manage increasing legislative, regulatory and consumer focus on privacy issues, data security and cybersecurity risk management in a variety of jurisdictions domestically and across the globe. For example, the EU's General Data Protection Regulation imposes significant privacy and data security requirements, as well as potential for substantial penalties for non-compliance that have resulted in substantial adverse financial consequences to non-compliant companies. Similarly, Executive Order 14117 (Preventing Access to Americans' Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and US Government Related Data By Countries of Concern), and its implementing regulations, may limit our ability to share information with China and other "Countries of Concern" and certain service providers. Depending on the regulatory interpretation and enforcement of emerging data protection regulations and industry standards, the Company's business operations could be impacted, up to and including being unable to operate, within certain jurisdictions. Also, some of the Company's commercial partners, such as credit card companies, have imposed data security standards that the Company must meet. The Company will continue its efforts to meet its privacy, data security and cybersecurity risk management obligations; however, it is possible that certain new obligations or customer expectations may be difficult to meet and could require changes in the Company's operating processes and increase the Company's costs. Any significant liabilities associated with violations of any related laws or regulations could also have an adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and liquidity, reputation and consumer relationships.
Additionally, the Company must manage the increasing threat of continually evolving cybersecurity risks. Our network, systems and storage applications, and those systems and applications maintained by our third-party commercial partners (such as aircraft and engine suppliers, cloud computing companies, credit card companies, regional airline carriers and international airline partners) have been and likely will continue to be subject to attempts to gain unauthorized access, breaches, malfeasance or other system disruptions, including those involving criminal hackers, denial of service attacks, hacktivists, state-sponsored actors, corporate espionage, employee malfeasance and human or technological error. In some cases, it is difficult to anticipate or to detect immediately such incidents and the damage caused thereby, and we may not be able to realize the benefits of our proactive defense measures and may experience operational difficulty in implementing them. Our use of AI applications has resulted in certain immaterial cybersecurity incidents and may in the future result in additional cybersecurity incidents, including incidents that implicate the personal data of our customers, employees or users of such applications, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and liquidity, reputation and consumer relationships. In addition, as attacks by cybercriminals and nation state actors become more sophisticated, frequent and intense, the costs of proactive defense measures have increased and will likely continue to increase. Furthermore, the Company's remote work arrangements may make it more vulnerable to targeted activity from cybercriminals and significantly increase the risk of cyberattacks or other security breaches. While we endeavor to safeguard our network, systems and applications, including through risk assessments, system monitoring, cybersecurity and data protection policies, processes and technologies and employee awareness and training, and seek to require that third parties adhere to security standards, there is no assurance that such actions will be sufficient to prevent actual or perceived cybersecurity incidents or data breaches or the damages and impacts to our business that result therefrom.
Any such cybersecurity incident or data breach could result in significant costs, including monetary damages, operational impacts, including service interruptions and delays, and reputational harm. Furthermore, the loss, disclosure, misappropriation of or access to sensitive Company information, customers', employees' or business partners' information or the Company's failure to meet its privacy or data protection obligations could result in legal claims or proceedings, penalties and remediation costs. A significant data breach or the Company's failure to meet its data privacy or data protection obligations may adversely affect the Company's operations, reputation, relationships with our business partners, business, operating results, financial condition and business strategy.
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Increased use of social media platforms present risks and challenges.
We are increasing our use of social media to communicate Company news and events. The inappropriate and/or unauthorized use of certain media vehicles could cause brand damage or information leakage or could lead to legal implications, including from the improper collection and/or dissemination of personally identifiable information from employees, customers or other stakeholders. In addition, negative or inaccurate posts or comments about us on any social networking website could damage our reputation, brand image and goodwill. Further, the disclosure of non-public Company-sensitive information by our workforce or others, whether intentional or unintentional, through external media channels could lead to information loss and reputational or competitive harm.
Human Capital Management Risks
Union disputes, employee strikes or slowdowns and other labor-related disruptions as well as increased employee and retiree health, pension, labor and regulatory compliance costs could adversely affect the Company's business, operations and results of operations.
United is a highly unionized company. As of December 31, 2025, the Company and its subsidiaries had approximately 113,200 employees, of whom approximately 83% were represented by various U.S. labor organizations. See Part I, Item 1. Business—Human Capital Management and Resources of this report for additional information on our represented employee groups and collective bargaining agreements. If we are unable to reach an agreement with any of our unionized work groups in future negotiations regarding the terms of their collective bargaining agreement, we may be subject to work interruptions or stoppages, which could adversely affect our business and operations. There is also a possibility that our unionized work groups could engage in job actions such as slowdowns, work-to-rule campaigns, sick-outs or other similar activity designed to disrupt the Company's normal operations in an attempt to pressure the Company in collective bargaining negotiations. Although the Railway Labor Act makes such actions unlawful until the parties have been lawfully released to self-help after the failure of direct negotiation, mediation and arbitration process to reach a resolution, and the Company can seek injunctive relief against premature self-help, such actions can cause significant harm to the Company's operations even if ultimately enjoined. There is also a risk that our unionized work groups might pursue judicial or arbitral claims arising out of changes implemented as a result of the Company entering into collective bargaining agreements with its represented employee groups. Similarly, if the operations of our third-party regional carriers, ground handlers or other partners (including our suppliers) are impacted by labor-related disruptions, our operations as well as our strategic operating plan could be adversely affected.
Our active employee and retiree health programs, pension benefits and salary expenses are significant. For instance, the costs of providing pension and other retirement benefit plans are dependent on numerous assumptions and the changes in actuarial assumptions and differences between the assumptions and actual values, as well as significant declines in the value of investments that fund our pension and other postretirement plans, if not offset or mitigated by a decline in plan liabilities, could increase pension and other postretirement expense, and we could be required from time to time to fund the pension plans with significant amounts of cash. Further, we participate in the multi-employer benefit plan for employees covered under our collective bargaining agreement with the IAM and have agreed to contribute certain amounts, which could increase in future. The funding status of the plan is subject to risk that other employers may not meet their obligations and if we were to withdraw or terminate, or if the plan were to undergo a mass withdrawal, we could be subject to liability as imposed by law. In addition, collective bargaining agreements with the Company's represented employee groups have materially increased the Company's labor costs due to wage inflation. We remain in negotiations regarding certain of these collective bargaining agreements and anticipate that any new contracts involving the relevant labor groups may include material increases in salaries and other benefits, which would significantly increase our labor expense. Furthermore, there is rising litigation in the airline industry over the application of state and local employment and labor laws that purport to govern benefits and duties of certain employee groups but are increasingly in conflict with our negotiated collective bargaining agreements. Adverse decisions in these cases could negatively impact our operational flexibility and ability to apply our collective bargaining agreements as negotiated.
If we are unable to recruit, hire, develop or retain skilled personnel, including our senior management team or other key employees, our business could be adversely affected.
Much of our future success is largely dependent on our continued ability to recruit, hire, develop and retain highly-qualified personnel with industry experience and knowledge, including our senior management team and other key employees. Competition for the best-qualified talent in the aviation industry is intense. Labor market constraints may arise in the future, including as a result of an intensely competitive labor market. If these or other constraints lead to a sustained shortage of skilled labor, the cost of hiring and retaining quality talent could materially increase and our operations and service levels may be impacted, which could impair our ability to adjust capacity or otherwise execute our strategic operating plan. In addition, if we are unable to effectively provide for the smooth transition of senior management or other key employees, despite our robust
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management succession planning process, our business, ability to execute our strategic operating plan and company culture may be adversely affected.
Regulatory, Tax, Litigation and Legal Compliance Risks
The airline industry is subject to extensive government regulation, which imposes significant costs and may adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.
Airlines are subject to extensive regulatory and legal oversight. Compliance with U.S. and international regulations imposes significant costs and may have adverse effects on the Company.
United provides air transportation under certificates of public convenience and necessity issued by the DOT. If the DOT modified, suspended or revoked these certificates, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business. The DOT also regulates consumer protection and, through its investigations or rulemaking authority could impose restrictions that materially impact the Company's business. United also operates pursuant to an air carrier operating certificate issued by the FAA, and FAA orders and directives have previously resulted in the temporary grounding of an entire aircraft type when the FAA identifies design, manufacturing, maintenance or other issues requiring immediate corrective action which has had and could in the future have a material effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition.
The FAA's reauthorization, which runs through fiscal year 2028, increased the authorized funding level for the FAA and required the hiring of additional air traffic controllers, an effort to address staffing and resource shortages and improve the operation of the ATC system in the U.S. Any new or enhanced requirements resulting from the FAA reauthorization may materially impact our operations and costs. Additionally, the U.S. Congress may consider legislation related to environmental issues relevant to the airline industry, such as the implementation of CORSIA, which could negatively impact the Company and the airline industry.
The Company's operations may also be adversely impacted due to the existing antiquated ATC system utilized by the U.S. government and regulated by the FAA, which may not be able to effectively handle projected future air traffic growth. The outdated ATC system has led to short-term capacity constraints imposed by government agencies and has resulted in delays and disruptions of air traffic during peak travel periods in certain markets due to its inability to handle demand and reduced resiliency in the event of a failure causing flight cancellations and delays. For example, in the spring of 2025, challenges associated with ATC staffing and technology outages at EWR led to a concentrated number of delays and cancellations. Failure to update the ATC system in a timely manner and the substantial funding requirements of a modernized ATC system that may be imposed on air carriers may have an adverse impact on the Company's financial condition or operating results.
Access to slots at several major U.S. airports and many foreign airports served by the Company is subject to government regulation on airspace management and competition that might limit the number of slots or change the rules on the use and transfer of slots. If slots are eliminated at one of our hubs or other airports, or if the number of hours of operation governed by slots is reduced at an airport, the lack of controls on take-offs and landings could result in greater congestion both at the affected airport and in the regional airspace and could significantly impact the Company's operations. Similarly, a government or regulatory agency, including the DOT, could choose to impose slot restrictions or cap hourly arrivals and departures at one of our hubs or other airports (as the FAA did at EWR in 2025, when it issued an order capping operations through October 2026) or grant increased access to another carrier and limit or reduce our operations at an airport, whether or not slot-controlled, which could have a significant impact on our operations. The DOT (including the FAA) may limit the Company's airport access by limiting the number of departure and arrival slots at congested airports, which could affect the Company's ownership and transfer rights, and local airport authorities may have the ability to control access to certain facilities or the cost to access their facilities, which could have an adverse effect on the Company's business. If the DOT were to take actions that adversely affect the Company's slot holdings, the Company could incur substantial costs to preserve its slots or may lose slots.
The Company currently operates a number of flights on international routes under government arrangements, regulations or policies that designate the number of carriers permitted to operate on such routes, the capacity of the carriers providing services on such routes, the airports at which carriers may operate international flights or the number of carriers allowed access to particular airports. Applicable arrangements between the U.S. and foreign governments (such as Open Skies) may be amended from time to time, government policies with respect to aviation may be revised or may lead to termination of air service agreements and the availability of appropriate slots or facilities may change.Depending on the nature of any such change, the value of the Company's international route authorities and slot rights may be materially enhanced or diminished. Similarly, foreign governments control their airspace and can restrict our ability to overfly their territory, which may diminish the value of the Company's existing international route authorizations and slot rights. Any such change could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial condition and operating results and could result in the impairment of material amounts of related tangible and intangible assets.
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In addition, disruptions to the Company's business could result from the deployment of new cellular networks (e.g., "5G") by wireless carriers, which, due to potential interference with aircraft systems, could cause flights to be cancelled or diverted, which in turn could affect consumer perceptions of the safety of air travel. For example, over the past years regulators have addressed potential "5G" interference on a temporary and piecemeal basis tailored to specific aircraft and airports, which could occur again. Systematic regulation of the overlap between aviation systems and cellular networks may not occur in the near term or may not involve terms that are favorable to the Company.
Moreover, any legislation that would result in a reshaping of the benefits that the Company is able to provide to its consumers through the co-branded credit cards issued by our partner could also materially negatively affect the Company's profitability and competitive position.
In addition, competition from revenue-sharing JBAs and other alliance arrangements by and among other airlines could impair the value of the Company's business and assets on the Open Skies routes. The Company's plans to enter into or expand U.S. antitrust immunized alliances and JBAs on various international routes are subject to receipt of approvals from applicable U.S. federal authorities and other applicable foreign government clearances or satisfaction of other applicable regulatory requirements. There can be no assurance that such approvals and clearances will be granted or will continue in effect upon further regulatory review or that changes in regulatory requirements or standards can be satisfied.
See Part I, Item 1. Business—Industry Regulation, of this report for additional information on government regulation impacting the Company.
Current or future litigation and regulatory actions, or failure to comply with the terms of any settlement, order or agreement relating to these actions, could have a material adverse impact on the Company.
From time to time, we are subject to litigation and other legal and regulatory proceedings relating to our business or investigations or other actions by governmental agencies, including as described in Part I, Item 3. Legal Proceedings, of this report. In addition, the Company was subject to an increased risk of litigation and other proceedings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and responsive measures. For example, the Company is involved in a certified class action lawsuit relating to its vaccination requirements for employees. No assurances can be given that the results of these or any potential new matters will be favorable to us. An adverse resolution of lawsuits, arbitrations, investigations or other proceedings or actions could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results, including as a result of non-monetary remedies, and could also result in adverse publicity. Defending ourselves in these matters may be time-consuming, expensive and disruptive to normal business operations and may result in significant expense and a diversion of management's time and attention from the operation of our business, which could impede our ability to achieve our business objectives. Additionally, any amount that we may be required to pay to satisfy a judgment, settlement, fine or penalty may not be covered by insurance. If we fail to comply with the terms contained in any settlement, order or agreement with a governmental authority relating to these matters, we could be subject to criminal or civil penalties, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company. Under our charter and certain indemnification agreements that we have entered into (and may in the future enter into) with our officers, directors and certain third parties, we could be required to indemnify and advance expenses to them in connection with their involvement in certain actions, suits, investigations and other proceedings. Any of these payments may be material.
We are subject to many forms of environmental regulation and liability as well as risks associated with climate change and may incur substantial costs as a result.
Many aspects of the Company's operations are subject to federal, state, local and international laws regarding the environment, including those relating to aircraft and ground-based carbon emissions, noise, plastic use, water discharges, safe drinking water and the use and management of hazardous materials and wastes. Compliance with existing and future environmental laws and regulations has required and may in the future require significant expenditures and operational changes. Violations have led and may in the future lead to significant fines, penalties, lawsuits and reputational harm. In addition, we have in the past been identified—and may in the future be identified—as a responsible party for environmental investigation and remediation costs under applicable environmental laws due to the disposal or release of hazardous substances generated by our operations, including PFAS, two of which, PFOA and PFOS, were designated by U.S. EPA as hazardous substances under the CERCLA. We could also be subject to environmental liability claims from various parties—including airport authorities and other third parties—related to our operations at our owned or leased premises, including our use of PFAS-containing fire suppression systems as required by fire codes and insurers, or the off-site disposal of waste generated at our facilities.
As discussed in Part I, Item 1. Business—Our Approach to Corporate Citizenship and Value Creation—Environmental Sustainability Strategy, the Company has made commitments to reduce its GHG emissions by 100% by 2050 and its carbon emission intensity by 50% by 2035 compared to 2019. The Company has incurred, and expects to continue to incur, costs to achieve its climate goals—which will involve a transition to lower-carbon technologies (such as SAF)—and to comply with environmental sustainability legislation and regulation and non-binding standards and accords. Such activity may require the
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Company to modify its supply-chain practices, make capital investments to modify certain aspects of its operations or increase its operating costs (including fuel costs). The potential transition cost to a lower-carbon economy could be prohibitively expensive without appropriate government policies and incentives in place. The precise nature of future binding or non-binding legislation, regulation, standards and accords in this area of increased focus by global, national and regional regulators is difficult to predict and the financial impact to the Company could be significant if future legal standards and regulatory policies do not align with or support the Company's plans to achieve its climate goals. There is a risk that a patchwork of inconsistent or conflicting regional regulations, could unduly shift excessive cost burden to airlines and inhibit the development of carbon reduction technologies that the Company needs to reach its climate goals. In addition, while CORSIA-related costs cannot be fully predicted at this time, the program is expected to increase operating costs for airlines that operate internationally.
There can be no assurance of the extent to which any of our climate goals will be achieved or that any current or future investments that we make in furtherance of achieving our climate goals will produce the expected results or meet stakeholders' evolving expectations. Moreover, future events could lead the Company to prioritize other nearer-term interests over progressing toward our current climate goals based on business strategy, economic, regulatory and social factors or pressure from investors or other stakeholders. If we fail—or are perceived to fail—to meet or properly report on our progress toward achieving our climate change goals and commitments, we could face adverse reactions from investors or other stakeholders, which could result in adverse effects to the Company. In addition, the Company believes it is possible that, in the future, segments of the public may choose to fly less frequently as a result of negative perception of the environmental impact of air travel or fly on an airline based on carriers' GHG emissions or which carrier they perceive as operating in a manner that is more sustainable to the climate, which presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Company; if this trend materializes, the Company's results of operations could be adversely impacted and those impacts could be exacerbated if the Company fails to meet or properly report on its climate change goals and commitments. More broadly, we could also be subject to climate litigation as groups, individuals and governmental authorities affected by climate change seek to recover climate-related damages from entities they perceive as being partially responsible for human-induced climate change because of the emission of GHGs from their operations.
The Company's key pathways to achieving its climate goals include investing in and using more SAF, reducing its conventional jet fuel consumption and working with strategic partners to advance the future of more sustainable flight. The achievement of our goals is therefore largely dependent on the significant development of and maturation in the SAF market. Currently, there is a premium for SAF above the cost of conventional jet fuel and this premium has recently increased in certain markets due to SAF blending mandates in Europe, the UK and other parts of the world. The Company has been able to increase its purchases of SAF in recent years due to its corporate customers' funding of the price premium for SAF through the Company's Eco-Skies Alliance, but the willingness of corporate customers to assist the Company in covering the price premium for SAF in the future could decrease for a number of reasons, including based on economic factors or concerns regarding the validity of a book-and-claim approach for claiming the emissions reductions from SAF, constraints on supplies of SAF that meet customer requirements, emerging SAF certification or book-and-claim restrictions developed by governments or non-governmental organizations or practices whereby corporate customers purchase the environmental attributes from SAF directly from fuel producers, bypassing the airlines. In addition, the demand for cost-competitive SAF within the aviation industry significantly exceeds the current available supply. While we have been able to increase our current supply of SAF year-over-year through definitive offtake agreements, we have also entered into certain conditional agreements with start-up companies for future SAF supply. These conditional SAF purchase agreements for future SAF supply may pertain to production from facilities that are planned but not yet operational and may utilize technology that has not been proven at commercial scale. There is no assurance that these facilities will produce SAF at commercial scale or that they will meet expected production timelines and volumes.
As we seek to mitigate our business risks associated with climate change by establishing robust environmental programs, the Company has incurred costs and substantial operational disruptions as a result of both its physical risks (such as extreme weather conditions or rising sea levels) and transition risks (such as regulatory or technological changes) associated with climate change. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency, severity, unpredictability and duration of severe weather events and other natural cycles and could affect travel demand for certain of our flight offerings as well as result in increases in delays and cancellations, turbulence-related injuries and fuel consumption to avoid such weather, any of which could result in a significant loss of revenue and higher costs. These events and the disruptions, alone or in combination, could also lead to increased costs for and reduced availability of insurance. In addition, certain of our and our vendors' and airport authorities' operations and facilities around the world are in locations that may be impacted by the physical impacts of climate change and we could incur significant costs to improve the climate resiliency of our infrastructure and supply chain and otherwise prepare for, respond to and mitigate the effects of climate change. We are not able to reasonably predict the future materiality of any potential losses or costs associated with the effects of climate change.
See Part I, Item 1. Business—Industry Regulation—Environmental Regulation, of this report for additional information on environmental regulation impacting the Company.
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Market, Liquidity, Accounting and Financial Risks
High and/or volatile fuel prices or significant disruptions in the supply of aircraft fuel could have a material adverse impact on the Company's strategic plans, operating results, financial condition and liquidity.
Aircraft fuel is critical to the Company's operations and is one of our largest operating expenses. During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company's fuel expense was approximately $11.4 billion. The timely and adequate supply of fuel to meet operational demand depends on the continued availability of reliable fuel supply sources as well as related service and shared delivery infrastructure. Although the Company has some ability to cover short-term fuel supply and infrastructure disruptions at some major demand locations, it depends significantly on the continued performance of its vendors and service providers to maintain supply integrity. While the Company plans for long-term fuel demand to support its strategic growth plan, it depends on securing adequate fuel supply for future needs at cost competitive rates and the timely completion of planned infrastructure investments. Consequently, the Company can neither predict nor guarantee the continued timely or adequate availability of aircraft fuel throughout the Company's system.
Aircraft fuel has historically been the Company's most volatile operating expense due to the highly unpredictable nature of market prices for fuel. The Company generally sources fuel at prevailing market prices, which have historically fluctuated substantially in short periods of time and continue to be volatile due to a multitude of unpredictable factors beyond the Company's control, including changes in global crude oil prices, closely related diesel prices, regional balances between aircraft fuel supply and demand, natural disasters, weather events, regional fuel inventory levels and availability and cost of oil refining and transportation infrastructure. Prices of aircraft fuel are also impacted by indirect factors, such as geopolitical events, economic growth indicators, strength of the U.S. dollar, fiscal/monetary policies, sanctions and tariffs that impede the global flow of oil and refined products, fuel tax policies, changes in regulations, environmental concerns and degree of financial investments in energy markets. Both actual changes in these factors, as well as changes in related market expectations, can potentially drive rapid changes in fuel prices in short periods of time. Rising fuel prices can also lead to constraints on the Company's regional partners, reduced capital available for other spending or other outcomes that could adversely impact the Company.
Given the highly competitive nature of the airline industry, the Company historically has had limited ability to, and may not be able to in the future, increase its fares and fees sufficiently to offset the full impact of increases in fuel prices, especially if these increases are significant, rapid and sustained. Further, any such fare or fee increase may not be sustainable, may reduce the general demand for air travel and may also eventually impact the Company's operations, strategic growth and investment plans for the future. In addition, decreases in fuel prices for an extended period of time may result in increased industry capacity, increased competitive actions for market share and lower fares or surcharges. If fuel prices were to then subsequently rise quickly, there may be a lag between the rise in fuel prices and any improvement of the revenue environment.
The Company does not currently hedge the market price of its future fuel requirements. However, to the extent the Company decides to start a hedging program to hedge a portion of its future fuel requirements, such hedging program may not be successful in mitigating higher fuel costs and any price protection provided may be limited due to the choice of hedging instruments and market conditions, including the breakdown of correlation between any such hedging instrument and the market price of aircraft fuel and failure of hedge counterparties. To the extent that the Company decides to use hedge contracts that have the potential to create an obligation to pay upon settlement if fuel prices decline significantly, such hedge contracts may limit the Company's ability to benefit fully from lower fuel prices in the future. If fuel prices decline significantly from the levels existing at the time the Company enters into a hedge contract, the Company may be required to post collateral (margin) beyond certain thresholds. There can be no assurance that any such hedging arrangements would provide any particular level of protection against rises in fuel prices or that the counterparties to any such hedging arrangements would be able to perform. Additionally, deterioration in the Company's financial condition could negatively affect its ability to enter into hedge contracts in the future.
The Company has a significant amount of financial leverage from fixed obligations and insufficient liquidity may have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and business.
The Company has a significant amount of financial leverage from fixed obligations, including aircraft lease and debt financings, leases of airport property, secured bonds, secured and unsecured loan facilities and other facilities, and other material cash obligations. In addition, the Company has substantial noncancelable commitments for capital expenditures, including for the acquisition of new aircraft and related spare engines. If the Company's liquidity is materially diminished, the Company's substantial level of indebtedness, the Company's non-investment grade credit ratings and the lack of availability of Company assets as collateral for loans or other indebtedness may make it difficult for the Company to raise additional capital if needed to meet its liquidity needs on acceptable terms, or at all, and the Company may not be able to timely pay its leases and debts or
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comply with material provisions of its contractual obligations, including covenants under its financing and credit card processing agreements.
In addition to the foregoing, the degree to which we are leveraged could have important consequences to holders of our securities, including the following: we must dedicate a substantial portion of cash flow from operations to the payment of principal and interest on applicable indebtedness, which, in turn, reduces funds available for operations and capital expenditures; our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in the markets in which we compete may be limited; we may be at a competitive disadvantage relative to our competitors with less indebtedness; we are rendered more vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions; we are exposed to increased interest rate risk given that a portion of our indebtedness obligations are at variable interest rates; and our credit ratings may be reduced and our debt and equity securities may significantly decrease in value.
See Part II, Item 7., Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of this report for additional information regarding the Company's liquidity.
Agreements governing our debt include financial and other covenants. Failure to comply with these covenants could result in events of default.
Our financing agreements include various financial and other covenants. Certain of these covenants require UAL or United, as applicable, to maintain minimum liquidity and/or minimum collateral coverage ratios. UAL's or United's ability to comply with these covenants may be affected by events beyond its control, including the overall industry revenue environment, the level of fuel costs and the appraised value of the collateral. In addition, our financing agreements contain other negative covenants customary for such financings. If we fail to comply with these covenants and are unable to remedy or obtain a waiver or amendment, an event of default would result.
If an event of default were to occur, the lenders could, among other things, declare outstanding amounts immediately due and payable. In addition, an event of default or declaration of acceleration under one financing agreement could also result in an event of default under other of our financing agreements due to cross-default and cross-acceleration provisions. The acceleration of significant amounts of debt could require us to renegotiate, repay or refinance the obligations under our financing arrangements, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
The Company's ability to use its net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes to offset future taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be significantly limited due to various circumstances, including certain possible future transactions involving the sale or issuance of UAL common stock, or if taxable income does not reach sufficient levels.
As of December 31, 2025, UAL reported consolidated U.S. federal net operating loss ("NOL") carryforwards of approximately $10.6 billion. The Company's ability to use its NOL carryforwards and certain other tax attributes will depend on the amount of taxable income it generates in future periods and, as a result, certain of the Company's NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes may expire before it can generate sufficient taxable income to use them in full. In addition, the Company's ability to use its NOL carryforwards and certain other tax attributes to offset future taxable income may be limited if it experiences an "ownership change" as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Potential future transactions involving the sale or issuance of UAL common stock may increase the possibility that the Company will experience a future "ownership change" under Section 382. Such transactions may include the conversion of any future convertible debt, the repurchase of any debt with the Company's common stock, the acquisition or disposition of any stock by a stockholder owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of UAL common stock, or a combination of the foregoing.
The Company has established a tax benefits preservation plan (the "Plan") in order to preserve the Company's ability to use its NOLs and certain other tax attributes to reduce potential future income tax obligations, which expires December 4, 2026. The Plan is designed to reduce the likelihood that the Company experiences an "ownership change" by deterring certain acquisitions of Company securities. There is no assurance, however, that the deterrent mechanism in the Plan will be effective, and such acquisitions may still occur. In addition, the Plan may adversely affect the marketability of UAL common stock by discouraging existing or potential investors from acquiring UAL common stock or additional shares of UAL common stock because any non-exempt third party that acquires 4.9% or more of the then-outstanding shares of UAL common stock would suffer substantial dilution of its ownership interest in the Company.
The Company may never realize the full value of its intangible assets or its long-lived assets causing it to record impairments that may negatively affect its financial condition and operating results.
In accordance with applicable accounting standards, the Company is required to test its indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis, or more frequently where there is an indication of impairment, and certain of its other assets for
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impairment where there is any indication that an asset may be impaired. The Company may be required to recognize losses in the future due to, among other factors, extreme fuel price volatility, tight credit markets, government regulatory changes, decline in the fair values of certain tangible or intangible assets, such as our aircraft, route authorities, airport slots and frequent flyer database, unfavorable trends in historical or forecasted results of operations and cash flows and an uncertain economic environment, as well as other uncertainties. The Company can provide no assurance that a material impairment loss of tangible or intangible assets will not occur in a future period.
The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly.
The closing price for our common stock has varied between a high of $116.02 and a low of $56.15 in the year ended December 31, 2025. Volatility in the market price of our common stock may prevent holders from selling shares at or above the prices paid for them. The market price of our common stock could fluctuate significantly for various reasons which include: changes in the prices or availability of oil or jet fuel; our quarterly or annual earnings or those of other companies in our industry; changes in our earnings or recommendations by research analysts who track our common stock or the stock of other airlines; the public's reaction to our press releases, our other public announcements and our filings with the SEC; changes in the competitive landscape for the airline industry, including any changes resulting from industry consolidation whether or not involving the Company; an accident, catastrophe or incident involving an aircraft that the Company operates; mandatory grounding of an aircraft that the Company operates; changes in general conditions in the United States and global economies, financial markets or airline industries, including those resulting from changes in fuel prices or fuel shortages, war, incidents of terrorism, pandemics, geopolitical conflicts or responses to such events; our liquidity position; the sale of substantial amounts of our common stock; and the other risks described in these "Risk Factors."
The Company's operating results fluctuate due to seasonality and other factors associated with the airline industry, many of which are beyond the Company's control.
Due to greater demand for air travel during the spring and summer months, revenues in the airline industry in the second and third quarters of the year are generally stronger than revenues in the first and fourth quarters of the year, which are periods of lower travel demand. The Company's operating results have historically reflected this seasonality and have also been impacted by numerous other factors that are not necessarily seasonal, including, among others, extreme or severe weather, outbreaks of disease, public health issues (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) and associated government restrictions and regulations, ATC congestion, geological events, political instability, terrorism, natural disasters, changes in the competitive environment due to industry consolidation, tax obligations, general economic conditions and other factors, as well as related consumer perceptions. Such factors have adversely affected, and could in the future continue to adversely affect, the Company. As a result, the Company's quarterly operating results are not necessarily indicative of operating results for an entire year and historical operating results in a quarterly or annual period are not necessarily indicative of future operating results.
Increases in insurance costs or inadequate insurance coverage may materially and adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.
The Company maintains insurance policies, including, but not limited to, terrorism, aviation hull and liability, workers' compensation and property and business interruption insurance, but we are not fully insured against all potential hazards and risks incident to our business. If the Company is unable to obtain sufficient insurance with acceptable terms, the costs of such insurance increase materially, or if the coverage obtained is unable to pay or is insufficient relative to actual liability or losses that the Company experiences, whether due to insurance market conditions, policy limitations and exclusions or otherwise, our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.
We cannot guarantee that our share repurchase program will enhance long-term stockholder value.
As part of our capital deployment program, in the fourth quarter of 2024, the Board authorized a share repurchase program. The Company believes the price of its stock should reflect expectations that the share repurchase program will be fully consummated. However, the program does not obligate us to purchase any specific dollar amount or to acquire any specific number of shares of UAL common stock. The specific timing and amount of any share purchases will depend on the capital needs of the business, the market price of UAL common stock, general market conditions, securities law limitations and other factors. Our future repurchases of UAL common stock, if any, may be limited, suspended or discontinued at any time at our discretion and without prior notice, which could adversely affect our stock price. We, therefore, cannot guarantee that the share repurchase program will enhance long-term stockholder value.
