United Airlines (UAL) Q1 2026 earnings

By Finance News On Apr 22, 2026

A United Airlines plane approaches the runway at Denver International Airport on March 23, 2026.

Al Drago | Getty Images

United Airlines slashed its 2026 earnings outlook Tuesday as it grapples with a surge in jet fuel prices due to the Iran war, but CEO Scott Kirby said demand remains strong.

United said it could earn between $7 and $11 a share on an adjusted basis this year, down from its previous forecast of between $12 and $14 a share that it released in January, more than a month before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

Wall Street had already been adjusting its expectations for the year because of higher fuel. Analysts polled by LSEG had forecast that United’s adjusted, full-year earnings would be $9.58 a share.

The carrier, like others, is trimming some of its planned flying this year to reduce costs. Lower capacity can drive up airfare, with fewer seats on the market.

For the second quarter, United forecast adjusted earnings of between $1 and $2 a share. Analysts had expected $2.08 a share for the quarter. United estimated its fuel price would average $4.30 a gallon in the second quarter.

The carrier said it expects its revenue to cover between 40% to 50% of the fuel price increase in the second quarter, as much as 80% in the third and between 85% and 100% by the end of the year.

United reiterated that it is tweaking its schedules to adjust to higher fuel, with capacity in the second half of the year expected to be flat to up about 2% on the year. It grew 3.4% in the first quarter.

Here is what United Airlines reported for the quarter that ended March 31 compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on estimates compiled by LSEG:

Earnings per share: $1.19 adjusted vs. $1.07 expected
Revenue: $14.61 billion vs. $14.37 billion expected

Revenue, profit climb

Revenue overall rose more than 10%, to $14.61 billion, up from the $13.21 billion from a year before.

For the first quarter, United’s net income rose 80% to $699 million, or $2.14 cents a share, compared with net income of $387 million, or $1.16 cents a share, a year earlier. Adjusted for one-time items, United posted earnings per share of $1.19 a share.

Unit revenue was up in every reported segment, including for domestic U.S. flights, where it rose 7.9% to $7.9 billion from a year earlier, signaling strong pricing power in the quarter.

Jet fuel in the U.S. was going for $3.51 a gallon on Monday, down from the high on April 2 of $4.78, but far above the $2.39 on Feb. 27, the day before the first attacks on Iran, according to prices assessed by Platts.

Airline executives have said demand has remained robust even while they have increased fares and checked bag fees as they pass along higher fuel prices to customers.

“Bookings are strong,” Kirby told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday.

United and the rest of the industry have become more reliant on travelers who are willing to shell out more for flights and bigger seats, and who are less affected by price increases.

Alaska Airlines pulled…