United CEO takes merger with American Airlines off the table

Published April 27, 2026 9:57am ET | Updated April 27, 2026 9:57am ET



United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby took his proposed merger with American Airlines off the table on Monday after it generated backlash from antitrust experts, lawmakers, and President Donald Trump.

Two weeks ago, reports surfaced of Kirby floating the potential merger with Trump during a private meeting in late February. Since then, the deal has been widely panned as one that would further reduce competition in an industry that is already highly consolidated, cut flight routes, and raise ticket prices for customers.

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