United CEO pitched idea of United-American Airlines merger: report

The head of United Airlines reportedly suggested the idea of merging with American Airlines during a late-February meeting with Donald Trump, according to two sources, as reported by Reuters.

The proposal by Scott Kirby raises the possibility of a major industry-changing deal that would likely face tough regulatory scrutiny.

A merger between these two major U.S. carriers would represent the largest consolidation in over a decade, further concentrating a domestic market already dominated by four similarly sized airlines.

Including international operations, United and American were already the world’s two largest airlines by capacity in 2025, according to OAG.

A pairing like this would align with remarks Kirby has previously made about improving competitiveness with other global airlines.

In a September 2025 interview with CBS News, Kirby noted that roughly two-thirds of long-haul international seats to and from the United States are operated by foreign carriers, despite the fact that only about 40 per cent of airline passengers are non-U.S. citizens.

This latest discussion reportedly took place on February 25, near the end of a White House meeting about the future of Dulles Airport, Reuters reports.

It was also just days before the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, which drove up jet fuel prices and pushed airlines to increase fares and fees.

However, industry experts believe such a merger would face long odds of approval.

Opposition could come from labour unions, competing airlines, lawmakers, and airports, along with concerns about reduced competition, overlapping routes, and potential job losses.

"United would have to agree to so many concessions that I'm unsure it would end up being worth it for United to buy American," Atmosphere Research Group airline industry analyst Henry Harteveldt told CBS News. "I think what Scott really wanted to do with his comment is indirectly put AA into play to see what, if anything, happens."