United Airlines Provides Unusual Dueling Outlook on Strong First Quarter Earnings

The company also cut summer capacity on recession fears.
United Airlines Provides Unusual Dueling Outlook on Strong First Quarter Earnings
United Airlines planes land and prepare to take off at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on Nov. 27, 2024. Vincent Alban/Reuters
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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.

Wesley Brown
Wesley Brown
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Wesley Brown is a long-time business and public policy reporter based in Arkansas. He has written for many print and digital publications across the country.