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Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The table below presents disclosures about the financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis in UAL's financial statements (in millions):
March 31, 2021December 31, 2020
TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3
Cash and cash equivalents$12,666 $12,666 $— $— $11,269 $11,269 $— $— 
Restricted cash - current254 254 — — 255 255 — — 
Restricted cash - non-current218 218 — — 218 218 — — 
Short-term investments:
Corporate debt252 — 252 — 330 — 330 — 
Asset-backed securities35 — 35 — 51 — 51 — 
U.S. government and agency notes22 — 22 — 33 — 33 — 
Long-term investments:
Equity securities182 182 — — 205 205 — — 
Other assets116 — 81 35 36 — — 36 
Restricted cash - current — Primarily includes $217 million of cash collateral for a standby letter of credit associated with guarantees related to the BRW Term Loan (as defined below). See Note 7 of this report for additional information on the BRW Term Loan and guarantees. The balance also includes amounts to be used for the payment of fees, principal and interest on senior secured notes and a secured term loan facility (the "MileagePlus Financing") secured by substantially all of the assets of Mileage Plus Holdings, LLC, a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of United.
Restricted cash - non-current — Primarily includes collateral associated with the MileagePlus Financing, collateral for letters of credit and collateral associated with facility leases and other insurance-related obligations.
Short-term investments — The short-term investments shown in the table above are classified as available-for-sale. As of March 31, 2021, corporate debt securities have remaining maturities of less than two years, asset-backed securities have remaining maturities of less than one year to approximately nine years and U.S. government and agency notes have maturities of less than one year.
Equity securities — Equity securities represent United's investment in Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras S.A. ("Azul"), consisting of approximately 8% of Azul's outstanding preferred shares (representing approximately 2% of the total capital stock of Azul). The Company recorded $23 million and $293 million in losses during the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, for changes to the fair market value of its equity investment in Azul in Unrealized losses on investments, net in the Company's statements of consolidated operations. The carrying value of our investment in Azul was $182 million at March 31, 2021.
Other assets — The other assets represent warrants provided to United for the purchase of Class B membership units in Alclear Holdings, LLC and warrants for the purchase of shares from Archer.
Investments presented in the table above have the same fair value as their carrying value.
Other fair value information. The table below presents the carrying values and estimated fair values of financial instruments not presented in the tables above (in millions). Carrying amounts include any related discounts, premiums and issuance costs:
March 31, 2021December 31, 2020
Carrying AmountFair ValueCarrying AmountFair Value
TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3
Long-term debt$27,632 $28,939 $— $22,644 $6,295 $26,747 $27,441 $— $21,985 $5,456 
Fair value of the financial instruments included in the tables above was determined as follows:
DescriptionFair Value Methodology
Cash and cash equivalentsThe carrying amounts approximate fair value because of the short-term maturity of these assets.
Short-term investments,
Equity securities and
Restricted cash (current and non-current)
Fair value is based on (a) the trading prices of the investment or similar instruments, (b) an income approach, which uses valuation techniques to convert future amounts into a single present amount based on current market expectations about those future amounts when observable trading prices are not available, or (c) broker quotes obtained by third-party valuation services.
Other assetsFair value is determined utilizing the Black-Scholes options pricing model or observable market prices.
Long-term debtFair values were based on either market prices or the discounted amount of future cash flows using our current incremental rate of borrowing for similar liabilities or assets.
Avianca Loan. Avianca Holdings S.A. ("AVH") and certain of its affiliates filed voluntary reorganization proceedings under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on May 10, 2020 (the "AVH Reorganization Proceedings"). As part of the AVH Reorganization Proceedings, the Company has a debtor-in-possession ("DIP") term loan ("DIP Loan") receivable under the terms of the DIP credit agreement. The DIP Loan is not convertible. It bears paid-in-kind interest at a rate of 14.5% per annum and has a scheduled maturity date in November 2021. The DIP Loan becomes immediately payable upon AVH's emergence from bankruptcy, in either cash or shares of AVH stock, at AVH's election. As of March 31, 2021, the DIP Loan had a balance of $164 million and was recorded in Receivables on the Company's consolidated balance sheet.