United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby is charting an ambitious next phase for the carrier, spanning a larger footprint at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, further international expansion, premium cabins and artificial intelligence, while keeping the door open to major airline mergers.
The strategy comes as US airlines contend with rising costs, limited airport capacity and growing demand for premium travel. United is also preparing for the delayed arrival of Boeing's 737 Max 10, leaving it with hundreds of premium seats originally designed for the aircraft.
United has hundreds of lie-flat seats sitting in storage after delays pushed back the certification and delivery of the Boeing 737 Max 10. The aircraft was originally expected to enter service in 2020, but United now expects its first Max 10s in summer 2027.
“We got a bunch of lie-flat seats that we don’t know what to do with,” Kirby told CNBC. “They don’t fit on other airplanes.”
United has already adapted to the delays by upgrading a group of Airbus A321neo aircraft with 20 Polaris suites, premium economy seats and other redesigned interiors. The subfleet, called the “Coastliner”, will be used on transcontinental routes.
Kirby also wants United to expand at JFK Airport, where the airline plans to return through a partnership with JetBlue Airways as early as next year.
United is exploring ways to acquire slots from carriers that are not operating profitable routes from the airport.
“We got a bunch of irons in the fire to try to find ways to do it,” Kirby told CNBC in an interview.
The airline already leads US carriers in international flying and is preparing to announce additional overseas routes. Its international network has expanded in recent years to destinations such as Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia and Bilbao in Spain.
Kirby also wants United to strengthen its presence in South America and the southeastern US, where the airline lacks a strong hub.
“Those are two places that are holes for United that are hard to fix on a stand-alone basis,” CNBC quoted Scott Kirby.
Scott Kirby identified Miami International Airport as the best location for serving South America. American Airlines held more than 60 per cent of passenger enplanements at Miami in fiscal 2025.
Scott Kirby has explored potential combinations with Delta Air Lines and American Airlines as he looks for ways to expand United's scale. Both approaches have faced resistance.
People familiar with the matter told CNBC that Delta rejected an approach from United, while American publicly rejected a merger proposal this year.
Kirby said United is not interested in acquiring a smaller airline such as JetBlue.
