About United Airlines
United Airlines is a major United States airline headquartered in Chicago, IL. The carrier operates under the IATA designator UA and the ICAO designator UAL; air-traffic controllers address its flight crews on the radio with the callsign "UNITED". The airline was founded in 1926 and currently operates a fleet of approximately 925 aircraft.
Within the US air-travel ecosystem, United Airlines sits in the "Major" segment. Major carriers operate large mainline fleets, sustain dozens of nonstop destinations across the country and the world, and dominate the gates at the largest US hubs. Their schedules tend to define what is possible for cross-country and international travel from the airports they anchor.
Codes & identifiers
| Legal / brand name | United Airlines |
|---|---|
| IATA code | UA |
| ICAO code | UAL |
| Radio callsign | UNITED |
| Category | Major |
| Headquarters | Chicago, IL |
| Year founded | 1926 |
| Fleet size | 925 aircraft |
| Official website | www.united.com |
Hub & focus airports
The airports below are listed as hubs or focus cities for United Airlines. From these airports the carrier operates the densest schedule of nonstop departures, holds the most gate space, and typically supports the broadest range of international or long-haul service.
| Airport | City | State | IATA | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago O'Hare International Airport | Chicago | IL | ORD |
Large hub |
| Denver International Airport | Denver | CO | DEN |
Large hub |
| George Bush Intercontinental Airport | Houston | TX | IAH |
Large hub |
| Newark Liberty International Airport | Newark | NJ | EWR |
Large hub |
| San Francisco International Airport | San Francisco | CA | SFO |
Large hub |
| Los Angeles International Airport | Los Angeles | CA | LAX |
Large hub |
| Washington Dulles International Airport | Dulles | VA | IAD |
Large hub |
Booking & service notes
Schedules, fares, and aircraft assignments for United Airlines change frequently, sometimes weekly. The data on this page is intended as a stable reference for codes, headquarters, fleet scale, and hub list; for live availability, fare class rules, baggage policies, and seat selection, always consult the carrier's own booking system at www.united.com. When a flight is operated under United Airlines's code but flown by a regional partner, the operating carrier is normally disclosed on the booking page; this distinction matters for elite-status benefits and, in rare cases, for irregular-operations rebooking.