United Airlines CEO hints at 'new aircraft types' amid plan to 'shake-up the industry'
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is hinting at some "surprises" to come from the carrier in 2026.
There is a lot on tap from the Chicago-based airline this year. Its new, upgraded Polaris business class (which includes the first class-lite Polaris Studio seats) is set to debut. It will take delivery of its first long-range Airbus A321XLR narrow-body, which is set to open even more new transatlantic nonstops. Plus, there are at least 14 new U.S. destinations and four international destinations — including McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD) near Carlsbad, California, and Santiago-Rosalia de Castro Airport (SCQ) near Santiago de Compostela, Spain — on the way.
Then, there is the information we do not yet know: In a letter sent to staff on Jan. 2 and viewed by TPG, Kirby wrote that United still had some surprises planned for this year.
"We’re saving a few things for later this year that include new aircraft types and innovative products that will shake-up the industry and continue to attract and retain brand loyal customers to United for the next decade and beyond," he wrote.
A United spokesperson confirmed the memo and said the new aircraft "types" comment can be read "more in terms of customer experience."
The new plane "type” may refer to a shakeup in the airline’s seating configurations or perhaps amenity upgrades in its cabins; otherwise, it could refer to a new onboard offering for its A321XLRs that will replace aging Boeing 757-200s on flights across the Atlantic or the long-promised new domestic transcontinental premium layout.
Delta Air Lines, for example, plans to introduce an A321neo with a 44-seat first class cabin sometime in 2026. Its standard A321neo layout comes with just 20 first class seats.
A new "type" for United could also suggest a new airplane order, though United played down that possibility in its comments to TPG. Still, if in play, an order for a new type could refer to a firm commitment for the Airbus A350 or a new small narrow-body aircraft like in the Airbus A220 or Embraer E-Jet-E2 families. Any of those plane types would be new to United, which already has one of the largest fleets in the world.
If United is considering an addition to its order book, the airline already has a commitment for 45 A350-900s on its books that dates back to 2009. However, it has repeatedly modified and postponed the order over the past 15 years, leading many to believe it will never actually come to fruition.
In September 2025, Kirby hinted at a possible A350 decision, saying, "By the end of the decade, we will be well into retiring the [Boeing] 767. It is a natural time to at least think about whether to make the Airbus A350 order firm in the 2030 timeframe.”
United executives in 2017 spoke of the A350-900 as a possible replacement for its 74 aging Boeing 777-200s. And then, in 2022 when it ordered up to another 200 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, it spoke of the aircraft as a possible 767 and 777 replacement.
Kirby and other United executives have previously dismissed talk of a small narrow-body order. However, given the success its rivals (notably Delta) have had with smaller jets that seat between 100 and 140 passengers, the possibility of such a deal does exist.
United also has tentative deals for several in-development planes, including Boom Supersonic's Overture supersonic airliner and Heart Aerospace's ES-30 hybrid-electric aircraft. Neither of these are classified as firm commitments in United's financial disclosures.
And then there are the "innovative products" that Kirby also promised in his letter. While he offered no additional details, these would undoubtedly build on the technological innovations the airline has steadily unveiled, such as the "virtual gate" function it debuted in December.
In his recent New Years letter to staff, Kirby said United will take delivery of more than 100 new planes in 2026. In addition to its first A321XLRs, deliveries will include A321neo and Boeing 737 MAX 9 narrow-body jets and at least 20 twin-aisle 787s.
United is also awaiting its first 737 MAX 10. However, Boeing has indicated the plane is unlikely to deliver before 2027.