Air TransportUnited Airlines said it expects to receive more than 250 new aircraft over the next two years, as it accelerates a fleet renewal program that includes new cabin products, additional premium seating and new aircraft variants.
The deliveries will include Boeing 787-9s, 737 MAX jets and Airbus A321-family aircraft, alongside new regional jets. The airline said the intake represents the largest two-year fleet addition in its history.
A key part of the plan is the introduction of new Airbus A321neo “Coastliner” aircraft, configured for high-density transcontinental routes between hubs in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Newark/New York. The jets will feature lie-flat seats with direct aisle access in business class, marking the first time United offers a long-haul-style cabin on domestic narrowbody flights.
United will also deploy Airbus A321XLR aircraft starting later this year, replacing Boeing 757s on routes to smaller destinations in Europe and South America. The aircraft will offer 32 premium seats, double the number available on the 757s they replace.
On the widebody side, the carrier will introduce a new Boeing 787-9 configuration with an updated interior, including an expanded premium cabin, the ‘Elevated’. The first international flight with the new layout is scheduled for April 22, from San Francisco to Singapore.
At the regional level, United is adding a new 41-seat CRJ450 aircraft operated by SkyWest, designed to connect smaller cities to hubs in Denver and Chicago. The aircraft will feature a redesigned premium cabin and increased luggage capacity.
The airline said it has already made significant progress in renewing its fleet since 2021, adding more than 300 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 737 MAX jets and Airbus A321neos, while retiring older regional aircraft and increasing the number of premium seats on North American routes.
The new aircraft and cabin configurations are expected to support network expansion, particularly on long-haul and transcontinental routes, while allowing United to replace older, less efficient jets such as the Boeing 757.
“For more than a decade, we’ve invested billions of dollars in our product, service, and technology as part of our plan to be the best brand loyal airline in the world, and the result is that more and more customers are choosing to fly us every day,” said United CEO Scott Kirby.
