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Debt
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt
DEBT
(In millions)
 
At December 31,
 
 
2018
 
2017
Secured
 
 
 
 
Notes payable, fixed interest rates of 0.0% to 9.52% (weighted average rate of 4.18% as of December 31, 2018), payable through 2030
 
$
8,811

 
$
8,661

Notes payable, floating interest rates of the London interbank offered rate ("LIBOR") plus 1.05% to 1.75%, payable through 2030
 
2,051

 
1,880

Term loan, LIBOR plus 1.75%, or alternative rate based on certain market rates plus 0.75%, due 2024
 
1,474

 
1,489

Unsecured
 
 
 
 
6.375% Senior Notes due 2018 (a)
 

 
300

6% Senior Notes due 2020 (a)
 
300

 
300

4.25% Senior Notes due 2022 (a)
 
400

 
400

5% Senior Notes due 2024 (a)
 
300

 
300

Other
 
300

 
101

 
 
13,636

 
13,431

Less: unamortized debt discount, premiums and debt issuance costs
 
(191
)
 
(163
)
           Less: current portion of long-term debt
 
(1,230
)
 
(1,565
)
Long-term debt, net
 
$
12,215

 
$
11,703

(a) UAL is the issuer of this debt. United is a guarantor.
The table below presents the Company's contractual principal payments (not including debt discount or debt issuance costs) at December 31, 2018 under then-outstanding long-term debt agreements in each of the next five calendar years (in millions): 
2019
 
$
1,230

2020
 
1,310

2021
 
1,300

2022
 
1,653

2023
 
703

After 2023
 
7,440

 
 
$
13,636


Secured debt
Credit and Guaranty Agreement. On March 29, 2017, United and UAL, as borrower and guarantor, respectively, entered into an Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement (as amended, the "Credit Agreement"). The Credit Agreement consists of a $1.5 billion term loan due April 1, 2024 and a $2.0 billion revolving credit facility available for drawing until April 1, 2022. The obligations of United under the amended Credit Agreement are secured by liens on certain international route authorities, certain take-off and landing rights and related assets of United.
Term loan borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at a variable rate equal to LIBOR plus a margin of 1.75% per annum, or another rate based on certain market interest rates, plus a margin of 0.75% per annum. The principal amount of the term loan must be repaid in consecutive quarterly installments of 0.25% of the original principal amount thereof, commencing on June 30, 2017, with any unpaid balance due on April 1, 2024. United may prepay all or a portion of the loan from time to time, at par plus accrued and unpaid interest.
As of December 31, 2018, United had its entire capacity of $2.0 billion available under the revolving credit facility of the Company's Credit Agreement. United pays a commitment fee equal to 0.75% per annum on the undrawn amount available under the revolving credit facility. If drawn, revolving loans under the Credit Agreement bear interest at a variable rate equal to LIBOR plus a margin of 2.25% per annum, or another rate based on certain market interest rates, plus a margin of 1.25% per annum.
As of December 31, 2018, United had cash collateralized $73 million of letters of credit, which generally have evergreen clauses and are expected to be renewed on an annual basis. As of December 31, 2018, United also had $418 million of surety bonds securing various obligations with expiration dates through 2022.
EETCs. As of December 31, 2018, United had $8.8 billion principal amount of equipment notes outstanding issued under EETC financings included in notes payable in the table of outstanding debt above. Generally, the structure of these EETC financings consists of pass-through trusts created by United to issue pass-through certificates, which represent fractional undivided interests in the respective pass-through trusts and are not obligations of United. The proceeds of the issuance of the pass-through certificates are used to purchase equipment notes which are issued by United and secured by its aircraft. The payment obligations under the equipment notes are those of United. Proceeds received from the sale of pass-through certificates are initially held by a depositary in escrow for the benefit of the certificate holders until United issues equipment notes to the trust, which purchases such notes with a portion of the escrowed funds. These escrowed funds are not guaranteed by United and are not reported as debt on United's consolidated balance sheet because the proceeds held by the depositary are not United's assets.
In February 2018, May 2018 and February 2019, United created separate EETC pass-through trusts, each of which issued pass-through certificates. The proceeds of the issuance of the pass-through certificates are used to purchase equipment notes issued by United and secured by its aircraft. The Company records the debt obligation upon issuance of the equipment notes rather than upon the initial issuance of the pass-through certificates. Certain details of the pass-through trusts with proceeds received from issuance of debt in 2018 are as follows (in millions, except stated interest rate):
EETC Date
 
Class
 
Principal
 
Final expected distribution date
 
Stated interest rate
 
Total debt recorded
as of December 31, 2018
 
Proceeds received from issuance of debt during 2018
 
Remaining proceeds from issuance of debt to be received in future periods
February 2019
 
AA
 
$
717

 
August 2031
 
4.15
%
 
$

 
$

 
$
717

February 2019
 
A
 
296

 
August 2031
 
4.55
%
 

 

 
296

May 2018
 
B
 
226

 
March 2026
 
4.60
%
 
226

 
226

 

February 2018
 
AA
 
677

 
March 2030
 
3.50
%
 
677

 
677

 

February 2018
 
A
 
258

 
March 2030
 
3.70
%
 
258

 
258

 

 
 
 
 
$
2,174

 
 
 
 
 
$
1,161

 
$
1,161

 
$
1,013


In 2018, United borrowed approximately $424 million aggregate principal amount from various financial institutions to finance the purchase of several aircraft delivered in 2018. The notes evidencing these borrowings, which are secured by the related aircraft, mature in 2030 and have interest rates comprised of LIBOR plus a specified margin.
Unsecured debt
4.25% Senior Notes due 2022. In September 2017, UAL issued $400 million aggregate principal amount of 4.25% Senior Notes due October 1, 2022 (the "4.25% Senior Notes due 2022"). These notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed and recorded by United on its balance sheet as debt. The indenture for the 4.25% Senior Notes due 2022 requires UAL to offer to repurchase the notes for cash if certain changes of control of UAL occur at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest.
5% Senior Notes due 2024. In January 2017, UAL issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of 5% Senior Notes due February 1, 2024 (the "5% Senior Notes due 2024"). These notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed and recorded by United on its balance sheet as debt. The indenture for the 5% Senior Notes due 2024 requires UAL to offer to repurchase the notes for cash if certain changes of control of UAL occur at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest.
As of December 31, 2018, UAL and United were in compliance with their respective debt covenants. The collateral, covenants and cross default provisions of the Company's principal debt instruments that contain such provisions are summarized in the table below:
Debt Instrument
Collateral, Covenants and Cross Default Provisions
Various equipment notes and other notes payable
Secured by certain aircraft. The indentures contain events of default that are customary for aircraft financing, including in certain cases cross default to other related aircraft.
Credit Agreement

Secured by certain of United's international route authorities, specified take-off and landing slots at certain airports and certain other assets.

The Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain at least $2.0 billion of unrestricted liquidity at all times, which includes unrestricted cash, short-term investments and any undrawn amounts under any revolving credit facility, and to maintain a minimum ratio of appraised value of collateral to the outstanding obligations under the Credit Agreement of 1.6 to 1.0 at all times. The Credit Agreement contains covenants that, among other things, restrict the ability of UAL and its restricted subsidiaries (as defined in the Credit Agreement) to incur additional indebtedness and to pay dividends on or repurchase stock, although, as of December 31, 2018, the Company had ample ability under these restrictions to repurchase stock under the Company's share repurchase program.

The Credit Agreement contains events of default customary for this type of financing, including a cross default and cross acceleration provision to certain other material indebtedness of the Company.
6% Senior Notes due 2020
4.25% Senior Notes due 2022
5% Senior Notes due 2024
The indentures for these notes contain covenants that, among other things, restrict the ability of the Company and its restricted subsidiaries (as defined in the indentures) to incur additional indebtedness and pay dividends on or repurchase stock, although the Company currently has ample ability under these restrictions to repurchase stock under the Company's share repurchase program.