United Airlines 401(k) match, vesting and fees
What United Airlines' 401(k) plan says about matching contributions
Plan features
Indented passages are quoted word for word from the audit report; plan terms may have changed since, so check your current Summary Plan Description.
| Match vesting | • Management and Administrative Participants and UAFC Participants - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. Employer Direct Contributions will be on a three-year vesting schedule beginning with 33% vested after the first year of service and increasing in 33% increments thereafter. Participants will be 100% vested after their third year of service, upon death, or attainment of age 65 while employed by United or an Affiliate. • Technician and Related/Flight Simulator Technician and Related (IBT) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions and Employer Direct Contributions, if applicable • Flight Dispatcher Participants (PAFCA) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. Dispatchers employed by United Air Lines, Inc. on January 1, 2005 are 100% vested in United's Employer Direct Contributions. Otherwise, a five-year vesting schedule was implemented beginning with 20% vested after the first year of service and increasing in 20% increments thereafter. Participants will be 100% vested after their fifth year of service, upon death, or attainment of age 65 while employed by United or an Affiliate. Participants accruing a benefit in CARP are 100% vested in United’s Employer Direct Contributions. • Fleet Service Employees, Passenger Service Employees, Storekeepers, and Fleet Technical Instructors and Related Employees (IAM) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. • Maintenance Instructors (IAM) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. • Technical Operations Maintenance Controllers Participants (IBT) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. Employer Direct Contributions will be on a three-year vesting schedule beginning with 33% vested after the first year of service and increasing in 33% increments thereafter. Participants will be 100% vested after their third year of service, upon death, attainment of age 65 while employed by United or an Affiliate. | Audit report, p. 32 ↗ |
| Roth contributions | Participants may elect to make voluntary pre-tax, Roth 401(k) and/or post-tax contributions to the Plan. | Audit report, p. 30 ↗ |
| Loans | Participant Loans. Active employees who are receiving regular pay from United may borrow from their Plan accounts. Generally, participants may borrow up to 50% of his or her account balance (excluding certain subaccounts) and subject to a minimum amount of $1,000 and a maximum amount of $50,000. While the repayment period for a general purpose loan is usually 12 to 60 months, the maximum repayment period maybe up to 180 months if the loan is for the purchase of a principal residence. The Plan allows a participant to have up to two outstanding loans at any one time, but only one of such loans may be a principal residence loan. | Audit report, p. 33 ↗ |
| Recordkeeper | Fid Inv Inst Ops Co | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Mitchell & Titus, LLP (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
All rows are from the plan year 2024 filing; plan features from its audit report.
How the plan compares
Plan year 2024 medians for 37 defined-contribution plans with 50,000 or more participants.
| United Airlines: employer contribution per participant | $2,139 | |
| Peer median | $2,100 |
| United Airlines: average balance | $133,477 | |
| Peer median | $77,284 |
| United Airlines: admin expenses ÷ assets | 0.03% | |
| Peer median | 0.05% |
Admin expenses are the plan's reported administrative expenses divided by its assets; they do not include fund expense ratios.
Plan history
Plan assets went from $8.9B at the end of plan year 2023 to $10.3B at the end of plan year 2024.
| Plan year | Participants | Assets | Employer contributions | Per participant | Admin expense ratio | Match formula | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88,204 | $10.3B | $165M | $2,139 | 0.03% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2023 | 77,273 | $8.9B | $152M | $2,021 | 0.03% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
Other United Airlines plans (5)
Each plan files its own Form 5500. Figures are from each plan's latest filing.
United Airlines Flight Attendant 401(k) Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Fid Inv Inst Ops Co | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Mitchell & Titus, LLP (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
United Airlines Pilot Retirement Account Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Schwab Retirement Plan Services, in | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Mitchell & Titus (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
Continental Micronesia, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Asc Trust, LLC | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Mitchell & Titus, LLP (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
The Continental Retirement Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Alight Solutions LLC | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Mitchell & Titus (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | Pension (defined benefit) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Alight Solutions LLC | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Mitchell & Titus (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | Pension (defined benefit) · Frozen | Form 5500 ↗ |
Common questions
Does United Airlines match 401(k) contributions?
The match terms for the United Airlines 401(k) Savings Plan have not been published from its filing yet. The plan year 2024 filing reports $165M in employer contributions, about $2,139 per participant. That total includes any match and profit-sharing; it is not a match formula.
When is the United Airlines 401(k) match vested?
The audit report attached to the plan year 2024 Form 5500, page 32 says: “• Management and Administrative Participants and UAFC Participants - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. Employer Direct Contributions will be on a three-year vesting schedule beginning with 33% vested after the first year of service and increasing in 33% increments thereafter. Participants will be 100% vested after their third year of service, upon death, or attainment of age 65 while employed by United or an Affiliate. • Technician and Related/Flight Simulator Technician and Related (IBT) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions and Employer Direct Contributions, if applicable • Flight Dispatcher Participants (PAFCA) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. Dispatchers employed by United Air Lines, Inc. on January 1, 2005 are 100% vested in United's Employer Direct Contributions. Otherwise, a five-year vesting schedule was implemented beginning with 20% vested after the first year of service and increasing in 20% increments thereafter. Participants will be 100% vested after their fifth year of service, upon death, or attainment of age 65 while employed by United or an Affiliate. Participants accruing a benefit in CARP are 100% vested in United’s Employer Direct Contributions. • Fleet Service Employees, Passenger Service Employees, Storekeepers, and Fleet Technical Instructors and Related Employees (IAM) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. • Maintenance Instructors (IAM) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. • Technical Operations Maintenance Controllers Participants (IBT) - Participants are always 100% vested in their Employer Matching Contributions. Employer Direct Contributions will be on a three-year vesting schedule beginning with 33% vested after the first year of service and increasing in 33% increments thereafter. Participants will be 100% vested after their third year of service, upon death, attainment of age 65 while employed by United or an Affiliate.”
Who manages the United Airlines 401(k)?
The recordkeeper listed on Schedule C of the plan year 2024 filing is Fid Inv Inst Ops Co. The plan administrator is United Airlines Retirement Plans Administrative Committee.
I left United Airlines. How do I find my old 401(k)?
Your account stays in the plan until you move it. Contact the plan administrator (United Airlines Retirement Plans Administrative Committee, (877) 825-3729) or the recordkeeper, Fid Inv Inst Ops Co. The United Airlines old 401(k) page lists the contacts from every plan filing. Find an old United Airlines 401(k)
Data from the public Form 5500 annual reports United Airlines filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (plan years 2023 and 2024) and, where noted, the attached independent auditor's report. Plan terms may have changed since the filing; check your current Summary Plan Description. PlanFacts is not affiliated with United Airlines. Not financial advice. Report a correction · Methodology