United Airlines is adding 270 new Boeing and Airbus planes to its fleet, an expansion that will open up to 3,000 new jobs at the airline’s Denver hub.
The order is the largest in United’s history, and the biggest by any carrier in a decade, the company said in a statement today. United anticipates the new planes will boost the number of seats available per domestic departure by almost 30 percent, the statement said.
More than 500 new, narrow-body aircraft will roll out between now and 2024. The planes will feature seat-back entertainment in every seat and larger overhead bins, among other amenities. The airline plans to upgrade its entire mainline narrow-body fleet by 2025.
“This move underscores the critical role United plays in fueling the broader U.S. economy,” CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement. “The addition of these new aircraft will have a significant economic impact on the communities we serve in terms of job creation, traveler spending and commerce."
United’s hubs in San Francisco, Newark, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Houston will also gain thousands of jobs. Los Angeles is set to gain 1,400 jobs, the airline said. In all, the company says it will create 25,000 union jobs by 2026.
