Special Charges (Credits)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

For the years ended December 31, operating and nonoperating special charges (credits) and unrealized (gains) losses on investments in the statements of consolidated operations consisted of the following (in millions):


Operating:	2022		2021		2020
CARES Act grant	$	—	$	(4,021)	$	(3,536)
Severance and benefit costs	—		438		575
Impairment of assets	—		97		318
(Gains) losses on sale of assets and other special charges	140		119		27
Total operating special charges (credits)	140		(3,367)		(2,616)
Nonoperating unrealized (gains) losses on investments, net	(20)		34		194
Nonoperating debt extinguishment and modification fees	7		50		—
Nonoperating special termination benefits and settlement losses	—		31		687
Nonoperating credit loss on BRW Term Loan and related guarantee	—		—		697
Total nonoperating special charges and unrealized (gains) losses on investments, net	(13)		115		1,578
Total operating and nonoperating special charges (credits) and unrealized (gains) losses on investments, net	127		(3,252)		(1,038)
Income tax expense (benefit), net of valuation allowance	(33)		728		404
Total operating and nonoperating special charges (credits) and unrealized (gains) losses on investments, net of income taxes	$	94	$	(2,524)	$	(634)

2022

(Gains) losses on sale of assets and other special charges. During 2022, the Company recorded $140 million of net charges primarily comprised of $94 million for various legal matters and $23 million related to certain contract disputes. See Note 12 of this report for a discussion of the legal matters.

Nonoperating unrealized (gains) losses on investments, net. During 2022, the Company recorded gains of $20 million primarily for the change in the market value of its investments in equity securities.

Nonoperating debt extinguishment and modification fees. During 2022, the Company recorded $7 million of charges primarily related to the early redemption of $400 million of its outstanding principal amount of the 4.25% senior notes due 2022.

2021

CARES Act grant. During 2021, the Company received approximately $5.8 billion in funding pursuant to the Payroll Support Program agreements under the CARES Act (the "PSP2 and PSP3 Agreements"), which included approximately $1.7 billion aggregate principal amount of unsecured promissory notes. The Company recorded $4.0 billion as grant income in Special charges (credits). The Company also recorded $99 million for the PSP2 Warrants and PSP3 Warrants issued to Treasury as part of the PSP2 and PSP3 Agreements, within stockholders' equity, as an offset to the grant income.

Severance and benefit costs. During 2021, the Company recorded $438 million of charges related to pay continuation and benefits-related costs provided to employees who chose to voluntarily separate from the Company. The Company offered, based on employee group, age and completed years of service, pay continuation, health care coverage, and travel privileges. Approximately 4,500 employees elected to voluntarily separate from the Company.

Impairment of assets. During 2021, the Company recorded the following impairment charges:

•$61 million, primarily comprised of impairment charges for 13 Airbus A319 aircraft and 13 Boeing 737-700 airframes as a result of the then-current market conditions for used aircraft, along with charges for cancelled induction projects related to these aircraft.

•$36 million of impairments related to 64 Embraer EMB 145LR aircraft and related spare engines that United retired from its regional fleet. The decision to retire these aircraft was triggered by the United Next aircraft order.

(Gains) losses on sale of assets and other special charges. During 2021, the Company recorded net charges of $119 million primarily related to a one-time bonus paid to employees for their continued efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, incentives

for its employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination and the termination of the lease associated with three floors of its headquarters at the Willis Tower in Chicago, partially offset by gains primarily related to the sale of its former headquarters in suburban Chicago, aircraft sale-leaseback transactions and aircraft component manufacturer credits.

Nonoperating unrealized (gains) losses on investments, net. During 2021, the Company recorded losses of $34 million primarily for the change in the market value of its investments in equity securities.

Nonoperating debt extinguishment and modification fees. During 2021, the Company recorded $50 million of charges for fees and discounts related to the issuance of a new term loan and revolving credit facility and the prepayment of a CARES Act loan and a 2017 term loan and revolving credit facility.

Nonoperating special termination benefits and settlement losses. During 2021, as part of the first quarter voluntary leave programs, the Company recorded $31 million of special termination benefits in the form of additional subsidies for retiree medical costs for certain U.S.-based front-line employees. The subsidies were in the form of a one-time contribution to a notional Retiree Health Account of $125,000 for full-time employees and $75,000 for part-time employees. See Note 7 of this report for additional information.

2020

CARES Act grant. During 2020, the Company received approximately $5.1 billion in funding pursuant to the Payroll Support Program under the CARES Act, which consisted of a $3.6 billion grant and a $1.5 billion unsecured loan. The Company recorded $3.5 billion as grant income in Special charges (credits). The Company also recorded $66 million for warrants issued to Treasury, within stockholders' equity, as an offset to the grant income.

Severance and benefit costs. During 2020, the Company recorded $575 million related to its workforce reduction and voluntary plans for employee severance, pay continuance from voluntary retirements and benefits-related costs.

Impairment of assets. During 2020, the Company recorded the following impairment charges:

•$130 million for its China routes which were primarily caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company's subsequent suspension of flights to China and a further delay in the expected return of full capacity to the China markets.

•$94 million related to 11 permanently-grounded Boeing 757-200 aircraft and the related engines and spare parts.

•$38 million related to the right-of-use assets associated with the embedded aircraft leases in one of the Company's CPAs. This impairment was primarily due to the impact to cash flows from the pandemic and the relatively short remaining term under the CPA.

•$56 million related to various cancelled facility, aircraft induction and information technology capital projects. The decisions driving these impairments were the result of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the Company's operations.

(Gains) losses on sale of assets and other special charges. During 2020, the Company recorded losses on certain asset sales and charges for legal reserves, partially offset by gains on aircraft sale-leaseback transactions.

Nonoperating unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net. During 2020, the Company recorded losses of $194 million primarily for changes in the fair value of its investments in equity securities.

Nonoperating special termination benefits and settlement losses. During 2020, the Company recorded $687 million of settlement losses related to the Company's primary defined benefit pension plan covering certain U.S. non-pilot employees, and special termination benefits offered, under voluntary leave programs. See Note 7 of this report for additional information.

Nonoperating credit loss on BRW Term Loan and related guarantee. During 2020, the Company recorded a $697 million expected credit loss allowance for the Company's Term Loan Agreement (the "BRW Term Loan"), with, among others, BRW Aviation Holding LLC and BRW Aviation LLC, and the related guarantee.