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The basics:
United to add 250+ aircraft by 2028 under long-term growth strategy
New Airbus A321XLR, A321neo ‘Coastliner’ jets expand premium narrowbody offerings
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to feature upgraded Polaris Studio suites, premium seating
Investment includes Starlink Wi-Fi, enhanced cabins, expanded in-flight amenities
United Airlines announced Tuesday the next phase of its long-term growth strategy. The updates revealed March 24 center on a sweeping fleet expansion, new aircraft types and upgraded onboard products aimed at strengthening the airline’s position as a premium, brand-loyal carrier.
United expects to receive delivery of more than 250 new aircraft by April 2028 — one of the largest such investments in the industry. Meanwhile, the airline will continue to modernize its fleet and expand premium offerings across both domestic and international travel.
As part of this plan, United detailed the full mix of new aircraft set to join the fleet over the next two years, including:
47 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 33 of which will feature additional premium seating
40 Airbus A321neo “Coastliner” aircraft (out of 50 on order)
28 Airbus A321XLRs (out of 50 on order)
119 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
18 additional Airbus A321neos
The investment builds on the airline’s broader “United Next” strategy and reflects a continued push toward larger, more premium-configured aircraft across its network. Illinois-based United operates an East Coast hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.
A key part of the announcement is the introduction of 100 new Airbus A321 narrowbody aircraft – split between the 50 “Coastliner” A321neos and 50 A321XLRs – that will bring widebody-style premium experiences to smaller planes.
Enhancing connectivity at key hubs
The Coastliner fleet, with 40 expected in service by 2028, will primarily operate high-demand transcontinental routes connecting Newark and New York with United’s West Coast hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles. These aircraft will feature 20 lie-flat United Polaris seats, 12 premium plus seats and 129 economy seats, along with a rear snack bar and, for the first time, Polaris lounge access for domestic travelers on those routes.
The longer-range A321XLR will feature 32 premium seats – double that of the Boeing 757 aircraft they replace. It will help to expand international service to smaller markets in Europe and South America.
A United A321neo aircraft – PROVIDED BY UNITED
United plans to have more than half of its 50 XLRs in service by 2028, further enhancing connectivity from key hubs like Newark and New York. It already serves more transatlantic destinations than any other U.S. airline.
United is also expanding its widebody fleet with 47 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners featuring an “elevated” interior, including 33 configured with additional premium seating. These aircraft introduce the new Polaris Studio suites – 25% larger than standard Polaris seats – with privacy doors, companion ottomans, caviar service and 27-inch 4K OLED screens.
On the regional side, United is launching the CRJ450, a redesigned 41-seat aircraft designed to deliver a more premium experience on shorter routes. It will include a United First cabin with a luggage closet instead of overhead bins, larger storage in economy, and Starlink Wi-Fi. The airline expects to operate more than 50 CRJ450s and nearly 120 CRJ550s by 2028, improving connections from smaller cities into hubs like Chicago and Denver.
Building brand loyalty
During a call with reporters previewing the announcement, CEO Scott Kirby emphasized the broader strategy behind the investment.
“This is another step in a decade-long journey that we’ve been on at United to de-commoditize the industry, to de-commoditize united in particular, and build the best brand loyal airline in the country,” he said. “That’s been our goal all along. That’s been the vision.
‘We’re ready’
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“And we’ve been investing $1 billion a year, sometimes a little more, in that vision, to really try to win customer loyalty and make it an airline that customers love to fly, want to fly, and that they are loyal,” Kirby continued. “It’s worked really well for us – and this is just the next step in doing that.”
He also noted the investment comes despite the global uncertainty, as the war in Iran has led to fuel spikes, with jet fuel nearly doubling.
“Yet we’re still here focusing on making long-term investments, for the future,” said Kirby. “That was one of our goals coming out of COVID – to build an airline that had the financial firepower and the financial wherewithal that we could withstand the inevitable ups and downs that happen in this industry and the various shocks that happen.
“It’s dramatically different than it was in the past, where anytime there was a storm cloud on the horizon, United would be shrinking and furloughing.”
Ready to weather the storm
Kirby stressed that the company has positioned itself to get through these storms that are inevitable – and stayed focused on the long-term while continuing to invest in the long-term.
“One of the things that I’m most proud of with this announcement, even beyond the specifics of what’s in it, that it is a demonstration that when we’re in the storm, we can stay focused on what’s over the horizon and staying focused on the long-term,” said Kirby.
United Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said, “We are on a high-speed innovation challenge here at United. We view ourselves as 100-year startup company, and we continue to innovate for the customer. We know it’s really important to every year bring something new to our customers.”
We are on a high-speed innovation challenge here at United. We view ourselves as 100-year startup company, and we continue to innovate for the customer.
– Andrew Nocella, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, United
Beyond aircraft, United is also rolling out a wide range of new amenities across its fleet.
These include Starlink Wi-Fi expected on all dual-cabin planes by the end of 2027; seatback screens across more than 1,200 aircraft; upgraded economy blankets and earbuds; expanded food and wine offerings through a new Chef’s Table partnership; and enhanced in-flight entertainment with content from Apple TV, HBO Max, A24 and Spotify integration.
The airline also continues to upgrade its mobile app with features like real-time bag tracking, wayfinding, and gate notifications – part of a broader push to deliver a more seamless and premium experience for every traveler.
United’s new fleet will includes new premium customer experiences, aircraft variants, subfleet, seats and amenities, the airline announced March 24, 2025. – PROVIDED BY UNITED
Leveling up
The announcement builds on United’s broader United Next growth strategy unveiled in 2021, which has already driven significant expansion and modernization across the airline.
Since launching that plan, United has added 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 237 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and 67 Airbus A321neos to its fleet, while completing roughly 70% of its narrowbody retrofit program. The airline has also replaced 140 smaller regional jets with larger mainline aircraft, increased premium seating per North American departure by 40%, and hired more than 61,700 employees — underscoring the scale of its investment in both capacity and the customer experience.
“For more than a decade, we’ve invested tens of billions of dollars in our product, service, and technology as part of our plan to be the best brand loyal airline in the world and the result is that more and more customers are choosing to fly us every day,” said Kirby in the press release. “Today we accelerate our plans and elevate our offerings to the next level, creating an even more consistent, premium onboard experience for every customer and delivering value for consumers across every cabin of service.”
“These new planes and products not only complement our fleet and network plans, but they also give our customers more premium amenity and seat choices – whether they bought a basic economy ticket to fly from Chicago to Kalamazoo or are flying Polaris between San Francisco and Singapore,” said Nocella. “United is setting the pace and innovating for our customers at a scope and scale unheard of in aviation history – and we’re not taking our foot off the gas.”