United Airlines Holdings (UAL) delivered its third-quarter fiscal 2026 results after Tuesday's closing bell, and the numbers came in just shy of what Wall Street was looking for. The airline missed on both the top and bottom lines, and investors responded by sending shares lower in extended trading.

Inside the Q3 Report

United reported quarterly earnings of $2.54 per share, which fell short of the consensus estimate of $2.59, according to market data. Revenue for the quarter was $17.875 billion, also missing the analyst consensus estimate of $17.888 billion.

Adjusted pre-tax earnings came in at $1.1 billion, with an adjusted pre-tax margin of 6.2%. Fuel expense was a notable headwind, rising $1.8 billion compared to the third quarter of 2025.

Despite the headline miss, there were bright spots in the report. Compared to the third quarter of 2025, premium revenue climbed 17%, revenue from Basic Economy rose 16%, loyalty revenue increased 17%, and cargo revenue jumped 23%. Economy cabin revenue also grew for the third consecutive quarter, with unit revenue up 17% year-over-year.

"Our employees met the challenge of our ever-changing environment and our results prove the resilience of focusing on building a brand-loyal airline for customers," said United CEO Scott Kirby.

UAL Stock Price: According to market data, United Airlines stock was down 2.12% to $95.70 in Tuesday's extended trading session.