United CEO dismisses talk of JetBlue merger

[malpensante]

By Edward Russell | 27 May 2026

United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby has called a potential merger with JetBlue Airways “just idiotic”, saying the math does not work.

“The last thing I’m going to do is buy a route network that loses money,” he told investors at a conference hosted by financial firm Bernstein on 27 May.

United would need to improve margins on JetBlue’s route network by roughly 25 percentage points to meet its targets, Kirby says. That, by his estimate, is “mathematically close to impossible”.

Rumours have swirled about a potential United-JetBlue merger since news broke in April that Kirby approached American Airlines over a potential mega-airline merger. While that deal was dismissed by American, many speculated that the pitch was in part to warm the market to a smaller deal with rival JetBlue.

Buying JetBlue would provide United with bases in Boston, Fort Lauderdale and at New York’s JFK International airport. All of those would be of strategic value to the larger carrier, particularly Fort Lauderdale, which would fill a key gap in the United network.

JetBlue in March reportedly hired advisors to explore a potential sale of itself to either Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines or United.

Kirby says he has “immense respect” for JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty and her team who are working to return the airline to profitability. United will support JetBlue, he adds, through the carrier’s existing loyalty and technology partnership known as “Blue Sky”.

JetBlue aims to boost its operating profit by $850-950 million by the end of 2027 under its “JetForward” strategic plan.

The plan’s provisions include investing in “premium” products designed to woo more high-value fliers, significantly expanding in Fort Lauderdale and achieving roughly $175 million in cost savings.

As for consolidation, United is likely to sit this round out.

“I don’t think that United, at least, is going to participate in any consolidation [at] anytime I can see for the foreseeable future,” says Kirby.


https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/ ... ue-merger/