Environmental sustainability
Sustainability at every altitude
United remains committed to integrating sustainability across our operations while also creating opportunities to enhance our customer experience.
In 2025, we continued to identify opportunities to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics across our operations, with a particular focus on our signature blue plastic cup used onboard and in certain clubs and lounges. We established a cross-functional team to review and test alternatives capable of handling both hot and cold beverages, including alcoholic beverages, without compromising safety or the customer experience. As a result, we selected a new blue paper cup, which will begin boarding domestic and international routes in 2026 and is expected to eliminate the use of 250 million single-use plastic cups annually.
Exploring circularity: Recycling and waste minimization at United
A new life for retired uniforms
In 2025, United launched brand-new uniforms for Customer Service employees, flight attendants and pilots. This transition presented an opportunity for the Company to pursue a scalable recycling solution for retired uniforms.
In partnership with Debrand, in September 2025 United launched the “Uniform Next-Life Program,” designed to make it easy for employees to return their retired uniform items. We established two convenient methods of collection, including strategically placed deposit bins at all hub locations and direct shipping options to Debrand’s facilities within the United States. Approximately 98% of employee-returned items were eligible to be recycled via fiber reclamation, which transforms end-of-life textiles into shoddy fiber, a versatile material used in insulation, fill and other industrial applications. The remaining uniform items not eligible for recycling — such as belts, bags, and hats — were disposed of via waste-to-energy, which converts end-of-life materials into recovered energy and alternative fuel sources through incineration.
Between the program launch in September 2025 through December 2025, a total of 24,819 pounds of uniform items were collected and successfully diverted from landfills. United plans to continue this program with Debrand into 2026.
Working to keep food waste out of landfills
In late 2024, United launched a pilot organic waste program at Houston’s IAH airport, targeting food waste from two United Club locations in Terminal C. Working with local composting company Moonshot, United diverts food waste from club operations into a composting process that produces nutrient-rich soil, enhancing soil health, reducing erosion and supporting water conservation efforts. The pilot’s strong performance led to permanent implementation at IAH in 2025, and United plans to extend the program to additional clubs at the airport. It has also generated valuable insights that will inform potential future expansion of the organic waste diversion program to other United clubs nationwide. IAH club employees have championed this sustainability initiative and are directly responsible for its success, driving continuous growth in organic waste diversion amounts through their committed participation and operational excellence.
Since the food waste project began
107,000pounds of organic waste diverted from landfills
102,000+pounds collected in 2025 alone
As part of the United IAH Airport Terminal B Transformation project at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, United partnered with HPP Recycles to recycle construction-generated soil that would otherwise have gone to landfills. United, HPP Recycles and the Texas Chambers County Commissioner worked together to use excess soil from the project for Chambers County municipal roadway projects. This beneficial use approach advances sustainable practices across our corporate real estate portfolio and supports a more resilient, resource-efficient future. United later received an award from HPP Recycles and the Texas Chambers County Commissioner for sustainability leadership in this effort.
Increasing electrification of equipment on the ground
United continues advancing the electrification of its ground support equipment (GSE), transitioning from traditionally fueled units to electric alternatives. As of December 2025, 50% of our systemwide core GSE — consisting of bag tractors, belt loaders and aircraft tractors — is electric. Overall, 41% of the United systemwide motorized mobile GSE fleet is electric. In our hubs alone, nearly half of our entire equipment has been electrified.
In addition to growing our electric GSE fleet, United is pioneering innovative ramp operations by evaluating cutting-edge electric equipment technologies. In 2025, our operational teams conducted comprehensive testing of the new Goldhofer electric Atlas 2 pushback tractor, a fully electric GSE capable of widebody aircraft pushback operations. Simultaneously, United conducted trials of the Vestergaard eBeta Hybrid Deicer under demanding operational conditions, demonstrating reliability during peak winter demands. Based on this proven performance, the eBeta Hybrid Deicer was selected for fleet integration and commenced operations at Washington Dulles (IAD) for the 2025 winter season, supporting our continued expansion of cleaner, more efficient ground operations across our network.
Total number of new electric GSE introduced to the United fleet annually
- 2021: 151 eGSE units
- 2022: 320 eGSE units
- 2023: 544 eGSE units
- 2024: 972 GSE units
- 2025: 688 GSE units
Working to reduce our noise footprint
United is committed to reducing aircraft noise. Our approach is multifaceted, relying on the use of preferred runways, deployment of quieter and more efficient aircraft through fleet modernization, and pilot training and adherence to established noise-abatement procedures during arrival, approach and departure (as permitted by flight conditions and air traffic control).
Another essential part of our approach is proactive community engagement. In 2025, we continued this work through active participation in Airport Community Noise Roundtables and Fly Quiet Programs at major airports, including LAX, SFO, EWR, ORD and LHR. In 2025, we received the following recognition for our ongoing efforts.
LAX
The Category 1 Gold Award in the LAX Fly Quieter Program, administered by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). This award recognizes airlines with over 100 daily flights that demonstrate exemplary compliance with LAX noise abatement procedures, use quieter aircraft and participate in voluntary noise reduction initiatives throughout the year.
ORD
The highest score in the Air Carrier category of the Fly Quiet Recognition Awards presented by the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC). The program evaluates airlines based on factors such as fleet noise quality, nighttime scheduling practices and use of preferential flight paths to minimize community noise impacts. United achieved a score of 80.4 out of 100 points, the top score among air carriers operating nighttime flights at O’Hare in 2024.
EWR
The Gold Tier Award in the EWR Fly Quiet Program, achieving a perfect engagement score along with a strong fleet noise quality score. This recognition is particularly notable as it’s the first time an airline has achieved a score high enough to earn a Gold Tier Award at Newark Liberty.