United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) will decide on its potential A350 order by the end of the decade, as the retirement of the company’s B767 fleet moves forward, according to chief executive Scott Kirby.
Participating at the APEX Global Expo 2025 in Long Beach, California, Kirby said: “By the end of the decade, we will be well into retiring the B767. It is a natural time to at least think about whether to make the Airbus A350 order firm in the 2030 timeframe.”
The carrier runs a fleet of 1,051 aircraft including thirty-seven B767-300ERs and sixteen B767-400ERs, averaging 29.6 and 24 years of age, respectively, according to ch-aviation data. Earlier in the year, the company said it was in the process of retiring its older, more expensive aircraft.
United’s A350 discussion dates back to 2017, when it reportedly purchased forty-five A350-900s. However, it has since repeatedly deferred the order.
