Happy New Year, and thank you for choosing to fly with us.
This will be another exciting year for United Airlines, and it comes on the heels of a record-breaking 2023. Last year, we became the largest airline in the world, serving as the number one carrier across the Atlantic and the Pacific and giving you more choices to go more places than ever before. We became the fastest-growing airline in history, too: In 2023, we hired more than 15,000 people and created new career opportunities for a new generation of aviation professionals. We also continued to take delivery of new planes and expect 800 in total between 2023 and 2032—the most any airline has ever added.
In 2024, you’ll get to experience even more of these new aircraft. I believe our new single-aisle planes are the best customer narrowbody aircraft anywhere in the world, featuring screens in every seat, enough overhead room for everyone’s carry-on, Bluetooth connectivity, and faster Wi-Fi. Our twin-aisle aircraft include United Polaris business class, with lie-flat seats and custom Saks Fifth Avenue bedding.
While you travel this year, you’ll see all the other ways we’re investing in making your experience even better. Last year, we added more gates and unveiled renovations to terminals and clubs across our network, including the opening of the largest United Club in the world at our Denver hub. We launched improvements to the United app to make everything from navigating the airport to tracking your bags easier than ever.
With the best experience in the sky, United will also give you lots of easy ways to get to all the places you want to go. This summer, we’ll fly direct to 15 different destinations across the Pacific, including our new route between San Francisco and Manila and the reintroduction of San Francisco to Beijing. Across the Atlantic, we fly nonstop to over 38 European cities, including Lisbon, Rome, Athens, and Amsterdam—more than every other U.S. airline combined.
As we expand our network and invest in our fleet, we’re also growing our United team. We plan to add another 10,000 people in 2024—meaning great, long-lasting careers across all parts of our business, from pilots and flight attendants to customer service agents, accountants, and technology professionals.
United is also continuing its leadership in environmental sustainability. This is a personal passion of mine and a demonstration of our commitment to have Good Lead the Way. Next year, we’ll continue work on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 100%, without the use of traditional carbon offsets, by investing in technology that will make the entire aviation industry more sustainable.
Most importantly, our people are delivering outstanding service. I like to say that I have the easiest job of anyone at United, because my only responsibility is to create an airline that our people are proud of, because then they will take care of our customers and everything else. I’m proud that they are doing just that. We’re in the people business, and there’s nothing as important as a helpful customer service agent, two smiling flight attendants greeting you as you board the airplane, or a captain taking the time to come out of the cockpit and talk to customers.
It’s our goal here at United to build the biggest and best airline in the history of aviation—an airline that our employees are proud to work for, and that you are excited to fly.
Thank you again for choosing to fly with us. I hope to see you again this year—and beyond.
Happy New Year,
Scott Kirby
CEO, United Airlines
