American rejects merger talks with United Airlines

InternationalAmerican rejects merger talks with United AirlinesBy Reuters -Apr 18, 2026American Airlines said on Friday that it was not interested in a merger with United Airlines and had not held any such talks, diminishing prospects of an ​industry-reshaping deal that would face tough regulatory scrutiny. A combination of two of the ‌largest US network carriers would mark the biggest consolidation move in more than a decade, further tightening a domestic market already dominated by four similarly sized players. Including international flights, United and American were already the world’s ​two largest airlines by available capacity in 2025, according to OAG data. That scale would, ​however, invite extraordinary scrutiny from regulators, labor unions and consumer advocates wary of ⁠higher fares and reduced competition, leaving the deal with slim chances of approval, analysts and industry ​officials have said. There is also significant overlap between American and United, including Chicago O’Hare and major ​hubs in Texas. “While changes in the broader airline marketplace may be necessary, a combination with United would be negative for competition and for consumers,” American Airlines said, adding that such a deal would be inconsistent with its ​understanding of the Trump administration’s approach to antitrust enforcement. United Airlines declined to comment, while the ​White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House has previously said it has ‌no opinion ⁠on a potential United Airlines deal for American Airlines. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby pitched the potential for merging with American Airlines in a meeting with US President Donald Trump in late February, Reuters reported on Monday. The meeting with Trump was three days before the start of the US-Israeli ​war with Iran that ​sent jet fuel prices ⁠soaring and has led airlines to raise fares and fees to offset higher costs. Kirby has argued to administration officials that a com...