Is “merger mania<\/span>” returning to the U.S. airline industry?<\/p>\n You certainly might think so after reading Monday’s Bloomberg News report<\/span>, which stated that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby apparently floated a blockbuster merger with American Airlines to federal officials earlier this year.<\/p>\n Whether such a deal is ever formally proposed (as there’d be intense regulatory scrutiny on combining two of the nation’s biggest global carriers), it’s safe to say that the topic of airline mergers is back in full force.<\/p>\n It also prompts a look back at the previous wave of major airline mergers from 2005 to 2016, which helped shape the current competitive aviation landscape:<\/p>\n Those deals dramatically reduced the number of major airlines in the U.S. \u2014 ultimately melding nine different airlines into just four. In the process, storied brands like Northwest, Continental and US Airways fell by the wayside. This left four supersized airlines (American, Delta, United and Southwest) in control of roughly 80% of the U.S. market.<\/p>\n By 2015,<\/span> most people didn’t expect any further airline consolidation. However, in 2016, Alaska Airlines managed to complete one more major deal, outbidding JetBlue to acquire Virgin America.<\/p>\n But, fast forward to 2026, and government and industry leaders now seem to see the opportunity for a new round of U.S. airline mergers.<\/p>\n Even before reports began linking United to American, merger talk had grown amid skyrocketing fuel prices squeezing the industry.<\/span><\/p>\n Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter<\/p>\n Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG\u2019s experts<\/p>\n\n
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