United Airlines fleet

This article is about the mainline United Airlines fleet, including the historical fleets of United Airlines. For information about the fleet of United's regional operations, see United Express § Fleet.

A United Airlines Boeing 787-9 in the most recent livery landing at Beijing Capital International Airport in April 2020.

As of December 2024, the United Airlines fleet consists of 991 mainline aircraft, making it one of the two largest commercial airline fleets in the world, along with Delta Air Lines. United Airlines operates a mix of Airbus and Boeing narrow-body and all Boeing wide-body aircraft. Additionally, United operates more widebody aircraft than any other U.S. carrier.

With an average age of 16.3 years, United has the oldest fleet of all major US airlines. Their oldest planes are the Boeing 767-300ER from the early 1990s, which are between 30 and 32 years old; however, United recently placed several orders for new narrow-body and wide-body aircraft and are expecting over 700 new planes in their fleet by 2033.

Fleet strategy

On July 20, 2011, American Airlines announced an order for 460 narrow-body jets, including 260 Airbus A320s. This order broke Boeing's monopoly with the airline and forced Boeing to proceed with plans for the re-engined 737 MAX. The contract with American included a Most-Favoured-Customer Clause, which requires Airbus to refund to American any difference between the price paid by American and the price paid by United or another airline, if lower. The clause acts to perpetuate United having a Boeing-skewed fleet.

On September 22, 2012, United became the first American airline to take delivery of the Boeing 787 aircraft. United is also the North American launch customer for the Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft, which are stretched versions of the base 787-8 model, delivered at launch.

In May 2018, United planned to replace its 51 Boeing 767s in a deal potentially worth $14 billion at list prices, and was in talks with both Airbus and Boeing, for their A330neo and 787. United operates 128 757s and 767s (77 757s and 51 767s), the second-largest combined fleet after Delta Air Lines with 206 (127 757s and 79 767s). Both have to replace them; they could be replaced by 737 MAX 10s, A321neos, Boeing NMAs, 787-8s, or A330neos.

On June 3, 2021, United announced that a deal had been confirmed with Boom Supersonic to purchase at least 15 of their Overture supersonic airliners and potentially up to 50 in total. These aircraft will be flown on 100% sustainable fuels. The aircraft is intended to enter service with United in 2029 and is expected to be the first supersonic airliner to fly domestically for an airline since the Concorde was retired with British Airways and Air France in 2003.

On June 29, 2021, United announced an order for 270 aircraft valued at around $15 billion: 150 737 MAX 10 aircraft, 50 737 MAX 8 aircraft, and 70 A321neo aircraft. United also announced the rollout of the "Signature Interior" which will include video screens on every seat. New aircraft will enter the fleet with the Signature Interior, while all mainline aircraft will be retrofitted with the interior by 2025. United has also announced the retirement of older mainline aircraft and at least 200 single-class regional aircraft.

Current fleet

As of December 2024, United Airlines operates the following mainline aircraft:

United Airlines fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers							Notes
			J	F	W	Y+	Y	Total	Refs
Airbus A319-100	81	—	—	12	—	36	78	126
Airbus A320-200	79	—	—	12	—	42	96	150
Airbus A321neo	26	144	—	20	—	57	123	200		Deliveries until 2032.
Airbus A321XLR	—	50	TBA							Deliveries start in 2025. To replace Boeing 757-200.
Airbus A350-900	—	45	TBA							Deliveries deferred to 2030, at the earliest.
Boeing 737-700	40	—	—	12	—	36	78	126
Boeing 737-800	141	—	—	16	—	54	96	166
						48	102
						42	108
Boeing 737-900	12	—	—	20	—	45	114	179
Boeing 737-900ER	136	—	—	20	—	45	114	179
						42	117
						39	120
Boeing 737 MAX 8	107	16	—	16	—	54	96	166
Boeing 737 MAX 9	85	138	—	20	—	45	114	179		Largest operator.
Boeing 737 MAX 10	—	167	—	20	—	64	104	188		Launch customer. Deliveries not expected until after 2025.
Boeing 757-200	40	—	16	—	—	42	118	176		To be retired and replaced by Airbus A321XLR.
Boeing 757-300	21	—	—	24	—	54	156	234		Largest operator.
Boeing 767-300ER	13	—	30	—	24	32	113	199		To be retired by 2030 and replaced by Boeing 787.
	24		46		22	43	56	167
Boeing 767-400ER	16	—	34	—	24	48	125	231
Boeing 777-200	19	—	—	28	—	102	234	364		Launch customer. Domestic configuration.
Boeing 777-200ER	51	—	50	—	24	46	156	276
	4		—	32	—	124	206	362		Domestic configuration.
Boeing 777-300ER	22	—	60	—	24	62	204	350
Boeing 787-8	12	147	28	—	21	36	158	243		Order with 50 options. To replace Boeing 767 and older Boeing 777s.
Boeing 787-9	41		48	—	21	39	149	257
Boeing 787-10	21		44	—	21	54	199	318
Boom Overture	—	15	TBA							Order with 35 options.
Total	991	722

Gallery

• United Airlines current fleet
• 
  Airbus A319-100
• 
  Airbus A320-200
• 
  Airbus A321neo
• 
  Boeing 737-700
• 
  Boeing 737-800
• 
  Boeing 737-900
• 
  Boeing 737-900ER
• 
  Boeing 737 MAX 8
• 
  Boeing 737 MAX 9
• 
  Boeing 757-200
• 
  Boeing 757-300
• 
  Boeing 767-300ER
• 
  Boeing 767-400ER
• 
  Boeing 777-200
• 
  Boeing 777-200ER
• 
  Boeing 777-300ER
• 
  Boeing 787-8
• 
  Boeing 787-9
• 
  Boeing 787-10

Historical fleet

United Airlines former fleet

Aircraft	Total	Introduced	Retired	Replacement	Notes
Boeing 40A	Un­known	1927	1937	Un­known	Launch customer. Operated by Boeing Air Transport and Varney Air Lines.
Boeing 80A	Un­known	1928	1934	Un­known	Launch customer. Operated by Boeing Air Transport.
Boeing 247	59	1933	1942	Un­known	Launch customer. All base models were built for United Airlines.
Boeing 377 Stratocruiser	7	1950	1954	Un­known
Boeing 720	29	1960	1976	Boeing 727	Launch customer.
Boeing 727-100	126	1963	1993	Boeing 737-500	Two crashed as Flight 389 and Flight 227.
Boeing 727-200	104	1968	2001	Airbus A320 family Boeing 737 NG Bombardier CRJ-700	One crashed as Flight 266.
Boeing 737-200	101	1968	2001		Launch customer. Two crashed as Flight 553 and Flight 585.
Boeing 737-300	103	1986	2009
Boeing 737-500	73	1990	2009
	29	2010	2013		Former Continental Airlines fleet.
Boeing 747-100	23	1970	1999	Boeing 747-400 Boeing 777-200ER	One was damaged as Flight 811, but was later repaired and re-registered as N4724U. Another was damaged as Flight 826.
Boeing 747-200B	10	1987	2000
Boeing 747SP	11	1985	1995	Boeing 747-400 Boeing 767-300ER Boeing 777-200	Former Pan Am fleet.
Boeing 747-400	44	1989	2017	Boeing 777-300ER Boeing 787 Dreamliner	Largest operator of Boeing 747-400 in United States. One leased by Mahan Air.
Boeing 767-200	19	1982	2005	Boeing 757-200 Boeing 767-300ER	Launch customer. Many were later upgraded to -ER standards. One hijacked and crashed into South Tower of the World Trade Center as Flight 175, as part of the September 11 attacks.
Boeing 767-200ER	10	2010	2013		Former Continental Airlines fleet.
Convair 340	52	1952	1968	Un­known
Douglas DC-3	118	1936	1956	Convair 340
Douglas DC-4	36	1946	1957	Un­known
Douglas DC-4E				Un­known
Douglas DC-6	90	1946	1969	Un­known
Douglas DC-6B				Un­known
Douglas DC-7	57	1954	1966	Un­known
Douglas DC-8-10	2	1959	1961	None	Two crashed as Flight 826 and Flight 859.
Douglas DC-8-20	30	1959	1982	Boeing 727-200
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-30	11	1967	1974
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-50	18	1959	1983
	15	1964	1987	None	Cargo fleet. Two crashed as Flight 2860 and Flight 2885.
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-60	41	1967	1991	Boeing 757-200	One crashed as Flight 173.
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-70
Ford Trimotor	Un­known	1931	Un­known	Un­known	Operated on a transcontinental route between New York City and San Francisco.
Laird Swallow J-5	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Single seat biplane used to carry US Air Mail (CAM 5) by predecessor Varney Air Lines.
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar	6	1986	1989	Boeing 747-100 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30	Former Pan Am fleet. All aircraft were sold to Delta Air Lines.
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10	48	1971	2001	Boeing 757-200 Boeing 767-300ER Boeing 777-200	Launch customer. One crashed as Flight 232.
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30	7	1983	2001
	4	1997		None	Converted into freighters for the short-lived "United Airlines Worldwide Cargo" service.
Sud Aviation Caravelle	20	1961	1970	Boeing 727 Boeing 737-200	Only U.S. operator in scheduled passenger service. Used to operate "Executive" service between Chicago and Newark restricted to men only passengers. Also operated on other United domestic services.
Vickers Viscount	48	1961	1969		Former Capital Airlines aircraft. Only mainline turboprop aircraft type ever operated by United Airlines.

Bibliography

• Taylor, H. A. "Boeing's Trend-Setting 247". Air Enthusiast, No. 9, February–May 1979, pp. 43–54. ISSN 0143-5450.