United cargo revenue up 2.1% in 2025

United Airlines’ 2025 cargo revenue rose 2.1% year over year to $1.8 billion, the carrier reported Jan. 20. It also reported $490 million in cargo revenue for the fourth quarter, a decrease of 6% YoY. United did not report significant disruption from the short-term flight cuts introduced by the FAA in November. [caption id="attachment_417013" align="aligncenter" width="1828"] (Courtesy/United Airlines)[/caption] Near the end of the 2025 government shutdown , which ran from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, the U.S. DOT and FAA implemented flight cuts in response to the air traffic controller shortage. The shutdown exacerbated the shortage, as it prevented controllers from receiving their paychecks. “We worked closely with FAA leadership to swiftly implement the reductions,” Chief Operating Officer Toby Enqvist said on today’s earnings call. “We made a clear decision not to cut long-haul international and hub-to-hub flying. “We focused on reductions where we could minimize customer impact with the majority of cuts concentrated on regional flying and non-hub domestic routes with smaller narrowbody aircraft,” he said. “In many cases, that meant trimming frequency on routes where there were multiple daily options rather than eliminating connectivity altogether.” Annual and quarterly results United reported a 3.5% YoY increase in 2025 operating revenue to $59.1 billion. The carrier also reported for 2025: Net income of $3.4 billion, up 6.5% YoY; 3.6 billion cargo revenue ton miles, up 0.6% YoY; Operating income of $4.7 billion, down 7.5% YoY; Adjusted EBITDA of $8.1 billion, down 1.6% YoY; and Diluted earnings per share of $10.20, up 7.9% YoY. United reported its highest quarterly operating revenue of $15.4 billion in Q4, up 4.8% YoY. The carrier also reported in Q4: Net income of $1 billion, up 6% YoY; 963 million cargo revenue ton miles, down 1.9% YoY; Operating income of $1.4 billion, down 7.8% YoY; Adjusted EBITDA of $2.2 billion, down 6.4% YoY; and Diluted earnings per share of $3.19, up 8.1% YoY. Working with rapid-response humanitarian relief organization Airlink , among others, United transported more than eighty-five tonnes of cargo in Q4 in support of twenty-two response and recovery programs in fourteen countries, according to the earnings report. Fleet expansion The carrier ended Q4 with 1,490 passenger aircraft in its fleet, adding eighty-two aircraft into operation in 2025. United only operates passenger aircraft. The airline received twenty-two aircraft from Airbus this year, according to Airbus’ 2025 deliveries report, and fifty-eight aircraft from Boeing this year, according to Boeing’s 2025 deliveries report. United plans to add more than 100 narrowbody aircraft and about twenty 787s to its fleet in 2026, according to the earnings report. Shares of United Airlines ( NASDAQ: UAL ) were up 2.2% from market open to $110.96 as of market close today. United has a market capitalization of $35.9 billion. Cargo Facts will present four invaluable events for airfreight professionals in the first half of 2026, starting with Cargo Facts LATAM, on Feb. 10-12. To see the agendas and register for the events, visit CargoFactsEvents.com .

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