United Airlines CEO Confirms Merger Talks with American Airlines Have Ended

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby issued an official statement acknowledging that he himself had approached American Airlines to discuss a potential merger. The talks have ended after American Airlines officially indicated its rejection of the proposal.

Kirby stated, “The reason we approached American Airlines is that we believed together we could do great things for customers. We have always understood that for a merger to succeed and win approval, it must be good for customers and must include a willing partner who shares the same vision. American Airlines declined to engage and publicly shut the door on the idea. A transaction of this magnitude cannot come together without a willing partner.”

He noted that while past mergers typically involved two struggling airlines cutting costs, reducing flight frequencies, and trimming staff, this merger plan was different. It envisioned expanding the customer-focused strategy United has been pursuing, including growth in international routes and regional services, a major increase in economy class seats to strengthen price competitiveness, the creation of a U.S. global carrier capable of competing with foreign airlines, the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs, and spillover benefits for the aircraft manufacturing industry.

He also said, “Airfares in 2025, adjusted for inflation, are 29 percent lower than before COVID-19. This merger would have put even more seats into the market, benefiting price-conscious customers, and we would never have proposed an integration that led to higher fares” (Kirby, CEO).

Following the end of talks with American Airlines, Kirby added, “United is steadily advancing our mission to build the best airline in aviation history. We have a winning strategy, a culture of innovation, and 115,000 of the world’s finest aviation professionals working together on behalf of our customers. The future of United Airlines is brighter than it has ever been.”