United Airlines has been flying for over nine decades. The founding member of Star Alliance serves six continents with its fleet of over 900 aircraft, but the Chicago-based carrier hasn’t always been the powerhouse that it is today. With roots in other aviation outfits, the company developed from a mail carrier to one of the world’s largest passenger airlines.
The airline boasts a bunch of records. It was the first US airline to order a jetliner, the first to publish an inflight magazine for a single airline, and the first North American airline to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
United’s origins from Boeing
United’s early history is closely associated with that of fellow US aviation powerhouse Boeing. United’s story traces back to the launch of Boeing in the early 1900s, along with the subsequent introduction of several airlines in the 1920s. Varney Air Lines (VAL), National Air Transport (NAT),…