United Airlines has a strong safety record by industry standards, though like all major carriers it has faced operational and safety incidents

United Airlines operates one of the largest fleets in the world and carries millions of passengers annually. The airline's safety record is tracked by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and independent aviation safety databases. By the numbers that matter most — fatal accidents per flight hour — United's record is in line with other major U.S. carriers. The most recent fatal accident involving a United aircraft was in 2009. Since then, the airline has not had a crash resulting in passenger deaths.

Safety in commercial aviation is a shared responsibility. The FAA certifies aircraft, inspects maintenance, and oversees pilot training. United maintains its own maintenance operations and follows FAA standards. Pilots are required to log training hours, pass medical exams, and complete recurrent training every six months to two years depending on aircraft type. The airline's safety culture — how seriously it takes incident reporting, maintenance standards, and crew training — matters as much as any single metric.

Key Takeaways

  • United Airlines has not had a fatal crash since 2009, and its accident rate per flight hour matches other major U.S. carriers.
  • The FAA oversees all U.S. airlines equally through certification, inspection, and enforcement, so safety standards do not vary significantly between carriers.
  • Operational incidents like engine failures or hydraulic problems are rare and are designed to be survivable through redundant systems and crew training.
  • You can check an airline's safety record through the FAA's database, NTSB reports, and independent aviation safety sites like Aviation Safety Network.

How the FAA ensures all major airlines meet the same safety standards

The FAA does not allow airlines to choose their own safety level. Every U.S. carrier — United, American, Delta, Southwest, and others — must meet identical certification requirements for aircraft, maintenance, and crew. The FAA inspects maintenance facilities, reviews training programs, and audits operations. If an airline falls short, the FAA can ground aircraft, restrict routes, or revoke the airline's operating certificate.

This means that safety differences between United and its competitors are small. A Boeing 737 operated by United follows the same maintenance schedule, inspection protocol, and airworthiness standard as a 737 operated by Southwest. Pilots at all carriers train on the same procedures and pass the same FAA exams. The real variation comes from how strictly each airline enforces those standards internally — and United, like other major carriers, has strong incentives to do so. A safety incident damages reputation, triggers investigations, and can result in fines or operational restrictions.

What United's maintenance and inspection record shows

United operates its own maintenance facilities and contracts with third-party vendors for some work. The FAA oversees both. In 2023 and 2024, United faced several high-profile maintenance issues: an engine failure on a Boeing 777 in February 2024 that forced an emergency landing, and a door plug blowout on a 737 MAX 9 in January 2024 (though that aircraft was delivered by Boeing, not maintained by United). These incidents were serious but not fatal, and they triggered FAA investigations and corrective actions.

Maintenance issues at United are not unique to the airline. In 2024, Southwest, American, and Delta all reported significant maintenance-related incidents. The difference is visibility: United's incidents received heavy media coverage, which can make the airline appear less safe than competitors even when the underlying rate of incidents is similar. The FAA's response to United's 2024 issues included increased inspections and a requirement that the airline submit a corrective action plan — a standard enforcement tool, not a sign that United is uniquely unsafe.

How to read United's safety record yourself

The NTSB maintains a public database of all aviation accidents and incidents in the United States. You can search by airline, aircraft type, or date at ntsb.gov. The database shows what happened, what the probable cause was, and what safety recommendations came from the investigation. For United specifically, you will see a mix of fatal accidents (none since 2009), non-fatal accidents, and incidents that caused no injuries.

The Aviation Safety Network, an independent organization, also tracks accidents and incidents by airline and publishes annual safety rankings. These rankings account for fleet size and flight hours, so they show accident rate rather than raw accident count. United typically ranks in the middle of major carriers — neither the safest nor the least safe by this measure. The FAA's own safety data, published in its annual reports, shows that major U.S. carriers have similar accident rates when adjusted for the number of flights they operate.

What operational incidents mean for passenger safety

An engine failure, hydraulic leak, or electrical problem sounds catastrophic but is not the same as a crash. Modern aircraft are built with redundancy: two or more engines, multiple hydraulic systems, backup electrical power. Pilots train extensively for single-engine flight, loss of hydraulics, and other emergencies. When United's 777 lost an engine in February 2024, the pilots followed procedure, declared an emergency, and landed safely. No passengers were injured. The incident was serious enough to trigger an FAA investigation, but it is exactly the kind of problem the aircraft and crew are designed to handle.

Incidents that result in emergency landings are recorded and investigated, which is why they become public. Routine flights where a minor problem is caught and fixed on the ground never make the news. This creates a bias: you hear about United's problems more than you hear about the thousands of flights that operate without incident. That does not mean United is less safe — it means United's incidents are more visible.

Comparing United to other major carriers

If you are choosing between United and another airline based on safety, the honest answer is that the difference is negligible. United, American, Delta, and Southwest all operate under the same FAA rules, use similar aircraft, and have similar accident rates. United's fleet is slightly older on average than some competitors, which can affect maintenance costs and frequency, but older aircraft are not inherently less safe if maintained properly. The FAA does not allow airlines to operate unsafe aircraft regardless of age.

Factors that matter more for your experience — on-time performance, customer service, seat comfort — vary more between carriers than safety does. If you are worried about delays or cancellations, that is a fair reason to compare airlines. If you are worried about safety, the difference between United and its competitors is too small to be a deciding factor. Your risk of injury on any major U.S. airline is extremely low.

What to do if you witness a safety concern on a United flight

If you notice something that concerns you — unusual sounds, visible damage, crew behavior that seems unsafe — tell a flight attendant when ready. Flight attendants are trained to assess safety concerns and report them to the captain. If the captain determines there is a real problem, the flight will be diverted or delayed. This system works because airlines take safety reports seriously and because the FAA investigates complaints.

After your flight, you can file a report with the FAA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) at asrs.faa.gov. The ASRS is confidential and is used to identify safety trends rather than to punish individual pilots or crew members. You can also file a complaint with the FAA's Safety and Compliance office if you believe an airline violated safety rules. These reports are part of how the FAA monitors airlines and ensures standards are enforced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has United Airlines had any crashes recently?

United has not had a fatal crash since 2009. The airline has experienced non-fatal accidents and serious incidents in recent years, including an engine failure in 2024, but no crashes resulting in passenger deaths. Major U.S. airlines have very low fatal accident rates overall.

Is United's fleet older than other airlines?

United's average fleet age is slightly higher than some competitors, but aircraft age alone does not determine safety. The FAA requires all aircraft to meet the same maintenance and inspection standards regardless of age. Older aircraft can be as safe as newer ones if maintained properly.

What should I do if I am nervous about flying United?

Your nervousness is normal — many people feel anxious about flying. The statistical risk of injury on any major U.S. airline is extremely low. If anxiety is severe, consider speaking with a therapist who specializes in flight phobia. Choosing a different airline will not meaningfully reduce your risk.

Can I check if a specific United flight has had problems?

You can search the NTSB database by aircraft registration number or flight date, but most flights operate without incidents that are recorded publicly. If you want to know about a specific aircraft's maintenance history, that information is not available to the public. The FAA monitors it.

How does United compare to Southwest or Delta on safety?

All three airlines operate under identical FAA safety standards and have similar accident rates when adjusted for fleet size. Safety differences between major U.S. carriers are too small to be a meaningful factor in choosing which airline to fly.