Kirby's Vision for United: JFK Expansion, Growth, and AI
Scott Kirby, United Airlines' chief executive, has outlined an ambitious strategy for the carrier, touching on expansion at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, a push into South America, and the integration of artificial intelligence. Speaking to CNBC during a ride from Midtown Manhattan to United's hub at Newark Liberty International Airport, Kirby, 59, did not shy away from discussing competitive dynamics and his vision for the airline's future.
Kirby, who joined United in August 2016 and became CEO in May 2020, says he doesn't believe in revenge, despite having been fired from American Airlines a decade ago when he was president of that carrier. "Everyone thinks I do, but no, I don't. I compete aggressively," he told CNBC. Under his leadership, United has become the second-most profitable U.S. airline, with American, his former employer, a distant third among the bigger, century-old carriers, though American is working on revenue booster efforts such as bringing back seatback screens.
United announced it had hired Kirby as president on Aug. 29, 2016, shortly after American disclosed his departure. He became CEO in May 2020.
Kirby's strategy encompasses a larger JFK presence. The airline plans to return to JFK through a partnership with JetBlue Airways, as early as next year, according to the same CNBC interview. "We got a bunch of irons in the fire to try to find ways to do it," Kirby said, adding that United could acquire slots from carriers that are not flying profitable routes out of the airport. The push for JFK may also capitalize on American's existing share at Miami, a key hub for South America travel.
JFK Expansion and South America Focus
Kirby said he wants to expand United's footprint at JFK after his airline returns to the congested airport via a partnership with JetBlue. The carrier already holds the crown among U.S. airlines for international flying, and CNBC reported that United announced new international routes this week, with earlier announcements including Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Bilbao, Spain. Kirby wants to grow United in South America and the Southeast U.S., where American dominates Miami International. According to airport data, American had more than 60% of passenger enplanements at Miami in fiscal 2025, as reported by the sources.
"We got a bunch of irons in the fire to try to find ways to do it," Kirby told CNBC during an interview, referring to expansion at JFK. He confirmed that United could acquire slots from carriers that aren't profitable.
Kirby also expressed interest in growing in South America and Southeast U.S., aiming to strengthen United's presence in these regions, as covered by both CNBC and Livemint.
The Lie-Flat Seat Dilemma
The major operational issue front and center is the Boeing 737 MAX 10, which has been delayed for years. United ordered the aircraft with plans to feature lie-flat, premium seats on transcontinental routes, but those plans have stalled because of certification issues. Hundreds of seats designed for the MAX 10 are now in storage.
During an interview in August 2018, the then-president Kirby told reporters about the plane's premium plans. The MAX 10 was initially scheduled to enter service in 2020, but now United expects the first planes in summer 2027, as per multiple reports. United has 167 Max 10s on order, making it the model's largest customer.
United is holding onto the seats, as Kirby said: "We got a bunch of lie-flat seats that we don't know what to do with. They don't fit on other airplanes." He spoke to CNBC earlier this month, with a similar comment reported by CNBC at other occasions.
United hasn't disclosed what the MAX 10's interior layout will be, or the assignment of the aircraft. The delays for both the MAX 7 and MAX 10 came after Boeing had to redesign an anti-icing system, and Boeing was also dealing with safety and manufacturing crises. The single-aisle Max 7 won approval earlier this month, and Southwest expects to fly it somewhere in the first half of 2027, as per reports.
Pivoting to the Airbus A321neo
Meanwhile, United has been responding to the delay by outfitting a subfleet of its Airbus A321neo aircraft with 20 Polaris lie-flat suites, 12 Premium Plus seats, 129 economy seats, and other new seating. This Coastliner subfleet is designed for transcontinental routes. The airline will eventually operate 50 of these A321neos, with 40 expected by early 2028, according to reports from Simple Flying.
The MAX 10-designed seats, however, may not be usable on the Airbus jets due to dimension mismatches. United's inventory of the lie-flat suites could not be fitted into other planes, as per Kirby's comments.
United's new Coastliner configuration has 20 Polaris suites, standard economy at 129, and 12 Premium Plus, for a total of 161. It will serve as premium transcontinental service.
For the MAX 10, United's planned interior instructions included 189 seats, with 20 United First recliners and 169 economy (with 64 Economy Plus), according to Simple Flying. The MAX 10 might serve as a high-capacity domestic aircraft, possibly replacing the Boeing 757-300 in the fleet.
Future Plans: AI and Growth
Beyond hardware, Kirby is looking ahead with integrations of AI and a host of new international routes. He also participated in discussions about potential megamergers with Delta and American, though both rebuffed him, with industry analysts skeptical. Kirby reportedly proposed the idea within the past year but American publicly rejected a merger proposal in stride.
He insists he is not interested in acquiring a smaller airline such as JetBlue, despite the JFK partnership.
The airline ranked behind Delta and Alaska in first-half on-time arrivals, according to the U.S. Transportation Department, as reported by CNBC and Livemint.
The Vision and Questions
Kirby is thinking bigger than he has before as the industry faces high costs and limited infrastructure. He offered his typical hotly competitive personality, and says he's not concerned: "Nothing keeps me awake at night." He also mentioned his goal to never have another furlough at the airline. Whether the seats will ever fit remains to be seen, but Kirby is moving forward with a grand strategy.