Despite reporting better-than-expected first-quarter results, United Airlines warned of a potential recession and offered an unusual dueling outlook for the rest of 2025 based on the economy’s direction.
Considering the challenging environment, the Chicago-based airline said on April 15 that it will remove four percentage points of scheduled domestic capacity starting in the third quarter. That plan, dubbed United Next, also includes adjustments to the airline’s fleet utilization rate, including reductions in off-peak flying on lower-demand days.
The airline expects to continue this product approach heading into the fourth quarter. The plan includes moving forward with retiring 21 of its most expensive aircraft earlier than previously planned….