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United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby pitched a potential merger to Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian last year.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby approached Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian last year to propose a potential merger between the two major carriers. The Wall Street Journal reported that the two airlines conducted preliminary due diligence to evaluate the benefits of a potential tie-up. While a merger would have had significant implications for the industry and faced scrutiny from federal antitrust regulators, the talks did not advance and both airlines ultimately moved on. Scott Kirby has since downplayed the likelihood of a major consolidation deal, stating that while United remains open to buying assets like airport slots and gates, a full merger is a low probability. This follows a rejected proposal from American Airlines, which criticized the idea of a merger with United as anticompetitive. United Airlines currently focuses on expanding its global reach and acquiring specific assets rather than a full-scale consolidation with a rival.

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