United Airlines Announces First-Quarter 2024 Financial Results | The company had a pre-tax loss of $164 million, a $92 million improvement over the same quarter last year; adjusted pre-tax loss1 of $79 million, a $187 million improvement on an adjusted basis over the same quarter last year. These earnings reflect the approximately $200 million impact from the Boeing 737 MAX 9 grounding, without which the company would have reported a quarterly profit. In the quarter, the company generated $2.8 billion operating cash flow and free cash flow1 of $1.5 billion. The company continues to expect full-year 2024 adjusted diluted earnings per share3 of $9 to $11.
United delivered strong financial and operational performance in the quarter. The demand environment remained strong with a double-digit percentage increase in business demand quarter over quarter, as compared to pre-pandemic. Additionally, the company was able to take advantage of a number of opportunities to adjust domestic capacity which drove meaningful improvements in first quarter profitability. Atlantic and Domestic markets both saw large passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) increases year over year, with 11% and 6% growth respectively.
“I want to thank the United team for working so hard this quarter to deliver strong operational metrics for our customers and sharpen our focus on safety, while producing excellent financial results for our shareholders,” said United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby. “We’ve adjusted our fleet plan to better reflect the reality of what the manufacturers are able to deliver. And, we’ll use those planes to capitalize on an opportunity that only United has: profitably grow our mid-continent hubs and expand our highly profitable international network from our best in the industry coastal hubs.”
Fleet Update
United has made several adjustments to its long-term fleet strategy based on future needs of the airline and manufacturers production and delivery timelines that are expected to smooth out and moderate the company’s aircraft delivery schedule in the coming years including: Converted a portion of Boeing MAX 10 aircraft orders to Boeing MAX 9 from 2025 through 2027; maintained the right to convert more Boeing MAX 10 into MAX 8 or MAX 9 as needed. Have agreed to letters of intent with two lessors to lease 35 new Airbus A321neos with CFM engines expected in 2026 and 2027. Due to manufacturing and certification delays from prior years, by the end of 2023, the airline’s contractual aircraft commitments for 2024 had increased to 183 narrowbody aircraft.
At the beginning of 2024, these delays were anticipated to continue and the company expected 101 narrowbody deliveries. Following the 737 MAX 9 grounding and the FAA’s announced significant production capacity constraints on Boeing, the company now anticipates 61 narrowbody aircraft and 5 widebody aircraft to be delivered in 2024.
In the short run, the company expects a small number of aircraft previously scheduled to enter into service in the second quarter to be pushed into the third quarter, which is expected to have minimal impact on the company’s capacity plans
United Airlines Announces First-Quarter 2024 Financial Results
