United Airlines approached Delta Air Lines in 2025 about a potential merger that would have combined the two most valuable carriers in the United States. United CEO Scott Kirby reportedly contacted Delta CEO Ed Bastian directly as part of the proposal. Delta executives discussed the approach and considered the potential merits of a transaction during an early review, but the talks never developed into formal negotiations and both airlines eventually moved on.
The outreach illustrates Kirby’s interest in pursuing a large-scale transaction rather than acquiring a smaller airline. United later explored a possible combination with American Airlines, but American rejected the idea. Kirby has also dismissed suggestions that United could pursue JetBlue, arguing that only a transformative deal involving another major carrier would make strategic sense.
A United-Delta merger would have faced significant regulatory resistance. United, Delta, American, and Southwest already dominate the U.S. airline market following decades of consolidation, and combining two of the largest global network carriers would have raised concerns about fares, competition, route overlap, airport access, and loyalty programs. Lawmakers and state attorneys general would also likely have challenged a transaction of that scale.
Delta has become the most profitable U.S. airline by emphasizing premium products, customer experience, and loyalty rather than competing only on price. That strategy has influenced United’s own transformation. Together, the two airlines generated more than 90 percent of U.S. airline industry profits last year, while Delta’s market value stood at approximately $56 billion and United’s at about $38 billion.
Although the proposal did not progress, the approach shows that United continues to think about consolidation on an unusually ambitious scale. Without a willing partner and with antitrust barriers remaining substantial, however, a merger involving one of the largest U.S. airlines appears unlikely in the near term.
