Standing in front of a new gleaming white Airbus airliner, United Airlines officials announced the airline is ready to add 2,500 new jobs at Newark Airport as the hub bounces back from the spring air traffic control chaos.
CEO Scott Kirby and other executives spoke employees who crowded an airline hangar, thanking them for rebuilding the airport’s reputation and increasing on-time performance.
United plans to hire more than 2,500 employees at Newark between 2025 and 2026 and will be the first airline to use sustainable aviation fuel at the airport, Kirby said.
“We’re working with the Port Authority to get more gates in Terminal A for international departures using wide body (aircraft),” he said. “It is our biggest hub for European Service — the best launching pad and we want to grow.”
Kirby said he is looking to keep that momentum for the eventual return of full hourly flight volumes at Newark. This fall and winter, United plans flights to more than 160 domestic and international destinations from Newark.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka praised United’s hiring plans, use of local businesses as suppliers and running a summer youth training program to expose students to aviation careers.
“Residents are looking to United to change the narrative at Newark Airport,” he said.
Kirby cited summer accomplishments, both at Newark and across the airline that will be a launching pad for the phase of United’s growth, in conjunction with Federal Aviation Administration plans to upgrade Air Traffic Control Technology and train more air traffic controllers.
“This was the most reliable summer operation we ever had … we had eight consecutive days with no ground delays (of flights) at Newark,” he said,
Kirby praised actions by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford to “put Newark on an equal footing” with JFK and LaGuardia airports. That resulted in United’s Newark flights hitting an on-time performance milestone between June 2 and Aug. 31 that was equal to those two New York airports, he said.
Kirby cited accomplishments from early completion of construction on a primary runway, to commitment of more air traffic control resources that will position the airline for the next phase of growth.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of our operating team,” said Toby Enquist United chief operating officer, paraphrasing a proverb, “It might not be your fault, but it’s your problem and our Newark team handled it.”
Newark Airport is the nation’s eighth busiest airport used by 47 million total passengers from July 2024 to July 2025. That was a rebound from a 20% reduction in traffic in May, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey figures.
Newark bucked a national trend of 1.2% declining in passengers between June 2025 and the same period in 2024, report by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
United carried 650,000 passengers systemwide in one day, Aug. 16, which is the equivalent of moving the population of Detroit, Michigan, COO Enquist said.
The FAA slightly increased the number of hourly departures and arrivals from 68 to 72 this summer until October 2026, below the highs of 86 flights per hour.
Flight caps were imposed in May after a chaotic spring when a series of equipment failures led to the loss of radar and radio frequencies used by air traffic controllers to guide aircraft into and out of Newark Airport.
The incidents shed light on the need to replace antiquated equipment air traffic controllers use including telephone data lines between the Philadelphia Airport Traffic Control Center (TRACON) that controls Newark Airport air space. Fiber optic cable replacements were installed in July.
Newark will see more 200-passenger Airbus A321neo aircraft flying out of the airport. The A321neo, which was on display for people to tour, is the largest non-wide body aircraft in United’s fleet.
United ordered 70 Airbus A321’s in 2022, that feature more seating in first class and economy plus, larger overhead bins with space for one carry-on bag per customer and LED lighting.
Other amenities displayed included new premium seating, enhanced entertainment systems from New Jersey-based Panasonic and Polaris International flight overnight sleeping compartments.
New Jersey has a large economic interest in United’s performance and growth plans, said Les Matthews Choose New Jersey CEO.
“The impact is extensive, contributing $16 billion to the New Jersey economy, United is one of our largest employers of 14,000 people,” he said. “One of New Jersey’s assets is infrastructure and Newark Airport is a crown jewel connecting us to the world.”