United Airlines Holdings, Inc. · UAL

How United Airlines makes money

United Airlines brought in $59.1 billion in revenue in 2025 and kept $3.4 billion as profit: $5.68 of every $100. Its biggest source of money was Passenger tickets, at $53.4 billion (90% of the total).

From United Airlines' Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. Page updated November 8, 2026.

Revenue$59.1 billion2025

Operating profit$4.7 billion8.0% of revenue

Net profit$3.4 billion$5.68 of every $100

Employees113,200$521,820 revenue each

Out of every $100 United Airlines took in, it kept

$5.68profit

Kept $5.68Everything else $94.32

$0$100 in sales

Where United Airlines' money comes from. 3 lines in its 10‑K.

Passenger ticketsIncluding bag and seat fees$53.4B90% of total

OtherMostly MileagePlus partners$3.9B7% of total

Cargo$1.8B3% of total

6 years of United Airlines' revenue and profit.

$15.4B

$24.6B

$45.0B

$53.7B

$57.1B

$59.1B

2020-$7.1B2021-$2.0B2022$737M2023$2.6B2024$3.1B2025$3.4B

Revenue (on top of each bar)Net profit (under each year)

Fiscal years as United Airlines reports them; the latest ended December 31, 2025. Profit is net income.

Quick answers about United Airlines.

How does United Airlines make money?

United sells airline tickets, plus bag and seat fees, cargo and money from MileagePlus partners. The biggest line in its latest 10-K is Passenger tickets ($53.4 billion).

How much money does United Airlines make a year?

$59.1 billion in revenue in 2025, and $3.4 billion in net profit. That's up 4% from the year before.

Is United Airlines profitable?

Yes. United Airlines made $3.4 billion in net profit in 2025, which is $5.68 of every $100 it took in. It lost money in 2020, 2021.

How many employees does United Airlines have?

About 113,200 employees as of December 31, 2025. That works out to $521,820 in revenue per employee.

Is United Airlines growing?

Yes. Revenue went from $15.4 billion in 2020 to $59.1 billion in 2025, up 285%.

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Source: United Airlines Holdings, Inc., annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 12, 2026.

Revenue, profit and the breakdowns are the numbers the company reported in that filing (its XBRL data). Profit means net income; "operating profit" means operating income. Nothing on this page is estimated.