United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) said it plans to expand its fleet by more than 250 aircraft by April 2028, a move the carrier says would represent the largest number of aircraft added by any airline over a two-year period.
The expansion includes several new aircraft types and updated cabin layouts. Among them are 40 Airbus A321neo “Coastliner” aircraft, which will feature a distinctive livery and lie-flat business class seats designed for transcontinental routes linking Los Angeles, San Francisco and Newark. Passengers on these flights will also gain domestic access to United Polaris lounges for the first time.
United also intends to introduce 28 Airbus A321XLR aircraft configured with 32 premium seats. These aircraft will replace Boeing 757 jets currently used on certain routes to Europe and South America. The A321XLR is scheduled to begin operations later this summer.
The airline will additionally deploy the CRJ450 regional jet, operated by SkyWest, to connect smaller cities with United’s hubs in Denver and Chicago starting this fall. The 41-seat aircraft features a luggage storage closet in the first-class cabin in place of traditional overhead bins.
New Boeing 787-9 aircraft with upgraded interiors are also set to join the fleet, with international service scheduled to begin on April 22 on flights from San Francisco to Singapore. These aircraft will feature United Polaris Studio suites that are 25% larger than standard business class seats and equipped with 27-inch screens.
The fleet growth will include 47 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 119 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and 18 additional Airbus A321neo jets. Since 2021, United has already added 326 aircraft to its fleet, including 22 Boeing 787s, 237 Boeing 737 MAX jets and 67 Airbus A321neos.
The company said it has completed around 70% of its retrofit program for mainline narrow-body aircraft, replaced more than 100 regional jets with larger models, increased the number of premium seats on North American flights by 40%, and hired more than 60,000 employees since 2021.
“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,” said CEO Scott Kirby in the company’s announcement.