United Airlines is cutting its profit forecast for the year as fuel costs continue to fall, but the airline said passengers are still booking. United said Tuesday that it expects to earn between 50 cents and $1.50 per share on an adjusted basis in the fourth quarter, well below the $1.76 per share that Wall Street analysts were expecting. At the high end of that range, it would bring United’s adjusted earnings for 2026 to no more than $7.22 per share. In mid-July, United said it expected full-year earnings of between $9 and $11 per share. The airline expects to pay an average of $4.80 per gallon for fuel in the fourth quarter, up from an average price of $3.90 per gallon in the third. A rise in fuel prices this year has added billions of dollars to airline costs, denting profits despite strong demand and driving up airfares. Here’s what United Airlines reported for the quarter ended Sept. 30 versus what Wall Street expected, according to estimates compiled by LSEG: Share: Adjusted $2.54 vs. $2.57 expected Revenue: $17.88 billion vs. $17.9 billion United’s third-quarter net income rose 8.5% from a year ago to $1.03 billion dollars, or $3.14 per share. During the same period last year, its net income was $949 million, or $2.90 per share. “Our employees rose to the challenge of our ever-changing environment and our results demonstrate the resilience of focusing on building a brand-loyal airline for customers,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in an earnings release. United’s fuel bill rose about 62% in the quarter from a year earlier to $4.84 billion. Revenue for the three months ended Sept. 30 rose 17.4% year-over-year to $17.88 billion, compared with $15.23 billion a year earlier. Domestic passenger unit revenue was up 14.5% from a year earlier, while international unit revenue was up 17.4%, a sign of higher fares. Passengers continue to book, United said, up more than 2% from last year. Adjusting for one-time items, United reported net income of $833 million, or $2.54 per share.
