# United Airlines

> American airline

**Wikidata**: [Q174769](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174769)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/united-airlines

## Summary
United Airlines is an American airline founded on April 6, 1926. It is a publicly traded airline-level business and operating brand associated with the holding company United Airlines Holdings, headquartered in Chicago and historically connected with UAL Corporation.

## Key Facts
- Inception: April 6, 1926.
- Primary classification: American airline (wikidata description: "American airline").
- Corporate form: public company — a company that offers its securities for sale to the general public.
- Parent / owner: United Airlines Holdings (American company; inception December 30, 1968).
- Former corporate name / related holding company: UAL Corporation — former name of United Continental Holdings; incorporated in Delaware; headquarters listed as 77 West Wacker Drive, Chicago; employees: 47,000 (point in time: 2009).
- Headquarters / located in: Chicago, Illinois; associated location: Willis Tower (skyscraper in Chicago, inception 1971).
- Work period start / official inception (metadata): 1926-04-06 (work_period_start).
- Sitelink count (wikidata metadata): 79.
- Wikipedia title (metadata): United Airlines.
- Common aliases: United Air Lines, Inc.; UA; UAL; Varney Air Lines; Boeing Air Transport; United; Continental; United Airlines, Inc.
- Official websites: https://www.united.com/ (and language/region variants: /de/de/, /es/mx/, /pt/pt/).
- Membership / alliance affiliation: Star Alliance (airline alliance; inception May 14, 1997; headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany).
- Notable affiliated person: Al Haynes (American commercial pilot).
- Related places and venues (connected entities): Willis Tower (Chicago), Chicago, United States, United Center (indoor arena in Chicago; inception Aug 18, 1994), Chicago Bulls (professional basketball team; inception 1966), Boise (city and state capital of Idaho).
- Extensive historic and current aircraft types associated in source material: Sud Aviation Caravelle; Boeing 737 MAX; Boeing 377 Stratocruiser; Boeing 737 Next Generation; Boeing 757; Boeing 247; Boeing 737-900; Douglas DC-8; Boeing 747-100; Boeing 747SP; Boeing 737; Boeing 727; Boeing 777; Boeing 787 Dreamliner; Airbus A320 family.
- Notable flights / incidents in source material: United Airlines Flight 585 (1991); United Airlines Flight 610 (crashed June 30, 1951); United Airlines Flight 521 (May 29, 1947); United Airlines Flight 859 (1961 crash); 1933 United Airlines Boeing 247 mid-air explosion; United Airlines Flight 629; United Airlines Flight 521; United Air Lines Flight 608 (1947 crash in Garfield County, Utah); United Airlines Flight 266 (1969); United Airlines Flight 173 (1978); United Airlines Flight 823 (1964); United Airlines Flight 2885 (1983); United Airlines Flight 227 (1965); United Airlines Flight 297 (1962); United Airlines Flight 409 (1955); United Airlines Flight 2860 (1977); United Airlines Flight 328 (2021 B777-200 engine failure); United Airlines Flight 811 (1989); United Airlines Flight 175 (9/11 hijacked flight that hit the South Tower); United Airlines Flight 93 (9/11 hijacked flight, attempted target: U.S. Capitol or White House); United Express Flight 3411 (incident involving forcible removal of a passenger, 2017).
- Related program / operator: CommuteAir (U.S. regional airline; inception 1989).
- Related aerospace / scientific connection: Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (retired NASA airborne infrared observatory).
- Stock exchange referenced in related data: Nasdaq — described as an American fully electronic stock exchange (inception February 4, 1971).
- Sitelnk_count and other metadata repeated: sitelink_count: 79 (entry-level metadata).

## FAQs
Q: What is United Airlines?
A: United Airlines is an American airline entity established April 6, 1926, operating passenger and freight air transport and associated with the holding company United Airlines Holdings.

Q: Where is United Airlines based?
A: United Airlines is associated with Chicago, Illinois, and has historical corporate connections tied to Willis Tower in Chicago.

Q: Who owns or operates United Airlines?
A: United Airlines is owned/operated by United Airlines Holdings. Historically, UAL Corporation has been a named holding entity related to the company (incorporated in Delaware; headquarters at 77 West Wacker Drive).

Q: Is United Airlines part of an airline alliance?
A: Yes. United Airlines is affiliated with Star Alliance, an airline alliance headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, founded May 14, 1997.

Q: What aircraft families have been associated with United Airlines?
A: Aircraft families and types referenced include the Boeing 247, 377 Stratocruiser, 727, 737 (and 737 Next Generation, 737-900, 737 MAX), 747 (including 747-100 and 747SP), 757, 777, 787 Dreamliner, Douglas DC-8, Sud Aviation Caravelle, and the Airbus A320 family.

Q: What notable incidents involve United Airlines?
A: Several notable accidents and incidents are recorded in connection with United Airlines in the source material, including multiple historic crashes (e.g., Flight 521, Flight 610), the 9/11 hijacked flights Flight 175 and Flight 93, engine and in-flight incidents (e.g., Flight 328), and the publicized forcible removal on United Express Flight 3411.

Q: What are the company’s official online presences and aliases?
A: Official websites include https://www.united.com/ and regional variants; aliases include United Air Lines, Inc., UA, UAL, Varney Air Lines, Boeing Air Transport, United, Continental, and United Airlines, Inc.

Q: When did United Airlines begin operations?
A: United Airlines' inception date is given as April 6, 1926 (work_period_start 1926-04-06).

## Why It Matters
United Airlines matters because it is a longtime American airline brand with nearly a century of operational history (inception 1926). It serves as a major component of commercial air transport infrastructure in the United States and globally through its Star Alliance membership. The company is integrated into a larger corporate structure (United Airlines Holdings) that manages airline operations at scale, and its history intersects with significant developments in aviation technology (multiple Boeing and Airbus aircraft families) and aviation safety and policy through numerous high-profile accidents and incidents. Its role connects transportation networks, regional partners (for example CommuteAir), and international partnerships, affecting commerce, travel, logistics, and aviation industry standards. The association with Chicago and principal corporate entities (including UAL Corporation) positions it centrally within U.S. airline corporate governance and historical airline industry evolution.

## Notable For
- Being an American airline with an inception date of April 6, 1926.
- Association with a major airline holding company, United Airlines Holdings (inception December 30, 1968).
- Historic and extensive use of major airliner families: Boeing 247, 377, 727, 737 (including NG and MAX), 747 (including SP), 757, 777, 787 Dreamliner, Douglas DC-8, and the Airbus A320 family.
- Membership in Star Alliance, a leading global airline alliance (inception May 14, 1997).
- Involvement in multiple widely reported aviation incidents and accidents cited in records (including the 9/11 hijacked flights Flight 175 and Flight 93).
- Public company classification and multiple corporate identities / aliases (United Air Lines, UAL, Varney Air Lines, Boeing Air Transport, Continental, etc.).
- Historical corporate identity connections to UAL Corporation with headquarters at 77 West Wacker Drive and an employee count reported as 47,000 for 2009 (as a related corporate data point).
- Cited online presence with official multilingual websites (primary: https://www.united.com/).

## Body

### History and Origins
- United Airlines' inception date in structured metadata is April 6, 1926. The work_period_start matches 1926-04-06.
- Related historical corporate identities and aliases include United Air Lines, Inc., Varney Air Lines, Boeing Air Transport, UAL, and Continental among others.
- UAL Corporation is identified as a former name of United Continental Holdings and is recorded as incorporated in Delaware, with headquarters at 77 West Wacker Drive in Chicago and an employee number of 47,000 reported for 2009.

### Headquarters and Locations
- The company is associated with Chicago, Illinois, United States.
- A specific related location is Willis Tower, a Chicago skyscraper (inception 1971), which is listed among the company’s locations/origin data.
- Additional connected places and venues in the dataset include the United Center (indoor arena in Chicago; inception August 18, 1994) and the Chicago Bulls (professional basketball team; inception 1966). Boise, Idaho, is listed among related places in the provided material.

### Corporate Structure and Ownership
- United Airlines is presented as a public company — a corporate class that offers securities to the general public.
- United Airlines Holdings is identified both as the owner/operator of United Airlines and as an organization containing United Airlines. United Airlines Holdings’ inception is recorded as December 30, 1968.
- UAL Corporation is referenced as a former name for United Continental Holdings and is connected to the company’s corporate history.

### Fleet and Aircraft Associations
- The source material lists numerous aircraft types connected to United Airlines’ operations or history:
  - Early and historic types: Boeing 247, Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, Vickers Viscount (listed among related airliners), Douglas DC-4E.
  - Jet-era and subsequent common types: Sud Aviation Caravelle; Douglas DC-8; Boeing 727; Boeing 737 family (including Boeing 737 Next Generation, Boeing 737-900, Boeing 737 MAX); Boeing 747 (including 747-100 and 747SP); Boeing 757; Boeing 777; Boeing 787 Dreamliner; Airbus A320 family.
- These aircraft families represent the technological evolution referenced in the dataset from piston propeller transports to modern twin-engine widebodies.

### Notable Flights, Accidents, and Incidents
- The provided material enumerates many flights and incidents tied to United Airlines:
  - Early and mid-20th-century crashes and accidents: United Airlines Flight 521 (May 29, 1947); United Air Lines Flight 608 (1947); United Airlines Flight 629; United Airlines Flight 409 (1955); 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision is cited in related lists.
  - Historical major accidents: 1933 United Airlines Boeing 247 mid-air explosion is listed.
  - Late 20th-century incidents: United Airlines Flight 173 (1978); United Airlines Flight 2885 (1983); Flight 811 (1989 Hawaii accident); Flight 585 (1991); Flight 266 (1969); numerous other crashes and accidents spanning 1947–1997 within the dataset.
  - 9/11 attacks: United Airlines Flight 175 (hijacked flight that hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center) and United Airlines Flight 93 (hijacked flight that attempted to hit the U.S. Capitol or White House) are explicitly included.
  - Modern incidents: United Airlines Flight 328 (2021 B777-200 engine failure over Broomfield, Colorado) and the publicized forcible removal on United Express Flight 3411 are included.
- These events are cited in the source material as connected incidents and are part of United’s documented operational history in the dataset.

### Affiliations, Alliances, and Partnerships
- Star Alliance is recorded as a key membership/affiliation. Star Alliance is an airline alliance headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, with an inception date of May 14, 1997.
- CommuteAir is listed among related entities; it is a U.S. regional airline (inception 1989) and may be interpreted as a regional partner in the dataset.
- The dataset includes the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy among related items, indicating a connection to airborne scientific platforms within the referenced material.

### Subsidiaries, Containing Organizations, and Related Companies
- United Airlines Holdings appears both as the owner/operator and as a containing organization for United Airlines in the provided material.
- UAL Corporation is referenced as an antecedent or former corporate identity connected to United’s holding structure.
- CommuteAir appears in the related items and is identified as a U.S. regional airline (inception 1989).

### People and Notable Personnel
- Al Haynes is listed as an affiliated person; he is identified as an American commercial pilot.
- No further named executives or individual corporate officers are provided in the data; Star Alliance appears in the dataset under "Key People" in the raw input, and is treated in this entry as a principal alliance affiliation.

### Related Places, Venues, and Organizations
- Chicago (city) and the United States are primary locational and national contexts for United Airlines in the material.
- Willis Tower in Chicago is listed under locations/origin.
- United Center and the Chicago Bulls are included in the related section.
- Boise, Idaho, appears in the related items list; the exact nature of its connection is not specified in the provided dataset.

### Digital Presence, Aliases, and Metadata
- Official website URLs provided: https://www.united.com/ (primary) and localized variants (/de/de/, /es/mx/, /pt/pt/).
- Aliases and alternate names include United Air Lines, Inc.; UA; UAL; Varney Air Lines; Boeing Air Transport; United; Continental; United Airlines, Inc.
- Wikidata/metadata entries: sitelink_count 79; wikipedia_title "United Airlines"; wikidata_description "American airline"; work_period_start 1926-04-06.

### Financial Market and Exchange Context
- Nasdaq is listed among related organizations and is described as an American fully electronic stock exchange with an inception date of February 4, 1971. The dataset includes Nasdaq in related data; however, the source material does not explicitly state United Airlines’ listing status on Nasdaq within the provided text.

### Cross-references and Historical Predecessors
- Capital Airlines (1938–1961) appears twice under preceded/succeeded by in the provided material and is listed among related airline entities.

### Miscellaneous Related Technical and Historical Items
- The dataset connects United Airlines to many specific aircraft types and historical items (e.g., Monomail, Vickers Viscount, Douglas DC-4E) and to aerospace/science programs (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy), indicating a breadth of operational, historical, and technical associations captured in the source material.

(End of factual entry based solely on the provided source material.)

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lobbyfacts.eu/datacard/united-airlines-inc?rid=371838712280-15)
2. [Source](http://www.staralliance.com/en/member-airlines)
3. [Source](http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2015/09/08/united-airlines-ceo-jeff-smisek-abruptly-resigns.html)
4. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20151016050925/http://ir.united.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=83680&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2086209)
5. [Source](https://www.economist.com/united-states/2015/09/12/the-chairmans-flight)
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. Library of Congress Name Authority File
8. 20th Century Press Archives
9. [Source](https://iabsc.org/members-directory/#!biz/id/626990e68b5ac64d8b5c05a8)
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. MusicBrainz
12. [Contact Reservations | United Airlines](https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/help/contact-reservations.html)
13. [Source](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/UAL/)
14. BabelNet
15. EU Transparency Register
16. Quora
17. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
18. Via P227 lookup with GND value from PM20 folder. 20th Century Press Archives
19. Merchant Category Codes
20. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20201001170115/https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/contact/headquarters.html)
21. [Source](https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20060713/NEWS12/200021317/united-hq-heading-for-chicago)
22. [Source](https://ir.united.com/node/13606/html)
23. [United Airlines (@united) Official TikTok | Watch United Airlines's Newest TikTok Videos](https://www.tiktok.com/@united)
24. YouTube API
25. [United Airlines Company Culture | Comparably](https://www.comparably.com/companies/united-airlines)