United Air Lines, Inc., (NYSE: UAL), operating as United Airlines, is a U.S. airline and the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees and operating the second-largest fleet with 702 aircraft. It is a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings, Inc. formerly, UAL Corporation, with corporate headquarters in Chicago. United's largest hub is George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. United is a founding member of the Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance in the world, and offers connections to over 1,000 destinations in over 170 countries worldwide. The airline's regional service is United Express.

United Airlines originated from the Varney Air Lines air mail service of Walter Varney, who also founded Varney Speed Lines which later became Continental Airlines. Founded in Boise, Idaho in 1926, the carrier flew the first Contract Air Mail flight in the U.S. on April 5, 1926, marking the first scheduled airline service in the country's history. In 1927, airplane pioneer William Boeing founded his own airline, Boeing Air Transport, and began buying other airmail carriers including Varney Airlines. In 1929, Boeing merged his company with Pratt & Whitney to form the United Aircraft and Transport Corporation (UATC).

Jeffery A. Smisek is the president and CEO of United Continental Holdings Inc., (NYSE:UAL), the holding company for United Airlines. Together with their regional partners, these airlines operate a total of approximately 5,675 flights a day to 372 airports on six continents. Smisek is also a member of the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Board of Directors.

Previously, Smisek was Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Continental Airlines, Inc. Smisek joined Continental in 1995 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. In 2004, he became President and was elected to the company’s board of directors. He became President and Chief Operating Officer in September 2008 and assumed the role of Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2010.

Smisek serves on the board of directors of the Baker Institute, the Museum of Science and Industry and National Oilwell Varco, Inc. He was also named Aviation Week’s Person of the Year for 2010.

Smisek graduated from Princeton University, A.B. summa cum laude in Economics, in 1976, and Harvard Law School, J.D. magna cum laude, in 1982.