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United Orders More Boeing 777-300ER and 737 MAX Aircraft, Sets New Passenger Records

Jan. 16, 2019
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3 min read
United Polaris Lounge LAX Preview ZH
United Orders More Boeing 777-300ER and 737 MAX Aircraft, Sets New Passenger Records
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A day after Delta announced that in-app SkyMiles seat upgrades were coming soon, the government shutdown was costing it a pretty penny and the long-awaited first flight of the A220 may be delayed, United is unloading a barrage of bulletins itself. As part of its full-year and Q4 2018 earnings report, the carrier quietly disclosed that it ordered an additional four Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and 24 737 MAX aircraft last month.

That's atop the 21 new Boeing aircraft it took delivery of in the past year, including four 777-300ER, four 787-9, three 787-10 (which we recently reviewed between Newark and Los Angeles) and 10 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

United's 777-300ER offers 1-2-1 seating in business class. (Photo by Zach Honig / The Points Guy)

The 777-300ER expansion is great news for those looking to plop down in a Polaris business-class seat across the ocean, and we found the 737 MAX 9 to offer a slick first-class cabin, improved seats from front to back and a far quieter ride than the aircraft it will replace. United isn't going so far as to point out which routes on which the new metal will fly, but we'll be keeping an ear out on its full earnings call for added detail.

On the operational side, it saw profit drop some 20% — attributed to higher fuel and labor costs — but still managed to beat expectations. More interesting, however, are the records set in Q4. United flew "the most revenue passengers ever," and also operated "the most mainline departures and achieving the fewest cancellations ever in a year." Translation? More United customers departed on time in 2018 than ever before. Granted, the weather in 2018 seemed to help all airlines, as Delta noted on Tuesday that it, too, blew past 2017's on-time performance records with 251 days of 2018 without a Delta mainline cancellation.

United 737 MAX 9. (Photo by Zach Honig / The Points Guy)

You may have noticed a little less luck in scoring an open middle seat last year as well, as United was able to push its year-over-year load factor from 82.4% to 83.6%. That's even more impressive given the rate at which United is adding seats, and it seems to be filling them at higher prices. Passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) was up 5%, while cost per available seat mile (CASM) was up 7%, both on a year-over-year basis.

United absorbed a staggering 29.3% uptick in fuel cost from 2017, reporting an average rise from $1.74 per gallon to $2.25 per gallon, while the airline as a whole guzzled 4% more during the period.

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On the customer experience front, it swung open the doors at three new United Polaris lounges located in San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), while also introducing a new boarding process and United Premium Plus seating. In January, it opened its newest Polaris lounge in Los Angeles (LAX).

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.