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After the important role of aircraft in World War I, the US government realised that aviation could play a valuable peacetime role – delivering mail. This was hugely successful in a very short space of time and attracted the interest of businessmen who could see the potential of a regular and lucrative source of income. The Air Mail Act of 1925 allowed the bidding of contracts from private operators. One of the successful bidders was Walter T Varney who launches a mail service over a desolate area of Nevada in April 1926. This not only marked the beginnings of commercial air transportation with the USA but also the birth of United Airlines. 

On the 20th May 1927, Charles Lindbergh ignited the world's imagination with his courageous solo flight across the Atlantic in his tiny Ryan M-1 monoplane. During the 1920’s, several U.S. aviation giants rose to prominence including William Boeing with his aircraft manufacturing and airline operations based on the West Coast. It was also the start of air travel for commercial passengers and as more comfortable aircraft were designed, Boeing decided to trial a stewardess service initially using a nurse called Ellen Church who served coffee and sandwiches as well as tending to the needs of apprehensive flyers! 

During World War II, over 1500 United employees signed up for military duty. Those that remained in their jobs helped to train thousands of ground crew for the US Army and Navy forces as well as transporting over 150,000 military personnel and huge amounts of freight. 

After the war, air travel was cheaper in many instances than travelling by rail and a booming economy meant that demand for air travel soared. United centralised its daily operations out if its new hub in Denver and aircraft maintenance was centralised at a new high-tech facility in San Francisco. With new fleets of aircraft such as the Douglas DC-7 and Boeing 377, United Airlines launched a service to Hawaii. 

In the 1960’s, United became the world’s largest commercial airline when it merged with Capital Airlines, one of the major air transport companies in the USA. The 1970s and 1980s were a difficult time for United with frequent changes of leadership, the refusal of new route applications into Asia and multi-million dollar losses. 

The 1990’s saw a change in United’s fortunes with government approval to serve destinations in Europe and South America as well as an expansion of services to Pacific Rim destinations. United also made history with the placement of the largest commercial aircraft order worth over $22 billion dollars which was followed by the purchase of Pan America’s transatlantic routes from the USA to London. In July 1994, United became the largest employee majority-owned company in the world when in order to achieve cost savings, 54,000 employees exchange some of their salaries and benefits for United Airlines shares. 

Also during the 1990s United launched a successful low-cost carrier, ‘Shuttle by United’ and was instrumental in forming the Star Alliance global partnership with some of its key Airline allies. In 1995, United began flights to New Delhi in India – the final link to the Indian subcontinent allowed it to establish itself as a true ‘Round the World’ global carrier. 

Today, United Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines with a fleet of 460 aircraft operating over 3000 flights a day to over 200 destinations worldwide.

Business Class – New United Business Elite 

In November 2007, United Airlines became the first major US airline to offer a business class cabin with lie-flat beds with the refit of a Boeing 767 on the Washington to Frankfurt route. The new business class cabin will be available on most international longhaul flights by 2009 with the refit of Boeing 767 aircraft, followed by the 747s and 777s. 

The 180 degree fully lie-flat beds recline to an impressive 6 foot 4 inch bed and have been carefully designed to provide passengers with a better sense of space and privacy. The forward and rear-facing seat design allows better aisle access and onboard comfort. A table is provided for passengers laptops and a USB port enables electronics such as mobile phones and digitals cameras to be charged enroute. 

A 15 inch personal video monitor provides 150 hours of on-demand in-flight entertainment with a wide choice of films and television programmes as well as videogames, audio books, radio and 30 channels of music. 

The onboard dining experience has been revamped with menus created by the well known American chef, Charlie Trotter. Master Sommelier Doug Frost has selected a range of wines especially for United Airlines to compliment the cuisine.