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Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 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):
June 30, 2021December 31, 2020
TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3
Cash and cash equivalents$20,838 $20,838 $— $— $11,269 $11,269 $— $— 
Restricted cash - current254 254 — — 255 255 — — 
Restricted cash - non-current216 216 — — 218 218 — — 
Short-term investments:
Corporate debt199 — 199 — 330 — 330 — 
Asset-backed securities23 — 23 — 51 — 51 — 
U.S. government and agency notes— — 33 — 33 — 
Long-term investments:
Equity securities269 269 — — 205 205 — — 
Warrants176 96 80 — 36 — — 36 
Investments presented in the table above have the same fair value as their carrying value.
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 June 30, 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), and United's ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding Class A common shares of Clear Secure, Inc. (formerly, Alclear, Inc.) ("Clear"). As of June 30, 2021, the carrying value of United's investment in Azul and Clear was $238 million and $31 million, respectively.
Warrants — Represents vested warrants for the purchase of 2.4 million shares of Class A common shares of Clear and for the purchase of 4.7 million common shares from Archer Aviation Inc. ("Archer"). The initial value of the warrants received from Archer is recorded as a deferred credit that will be recognized as a reduction to the cost of the aircraft received in future periods.
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:
June 30, 2021December 31, 2020
Carrying AmountFair ValueCarrying AmountFair Value
TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3
Long-term debt$34,184 $35,798 $— $30,268 $5,530 $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 June 30, 2021, the DIP Loan had a balance of $170 million and was recorded in Receivables on the Company's consolidated balance sheet.
Investments in Regional Carriers. United holds investments in several regional carriers that fly or used to fly for the Company as United Express under its capacity purchase agreements ("CPAs"). The combined carrying value of the investments was approximately $152 million as of June 30, 2021. United accounts for each investment using the equity method. Each investment and United's ownership stake are listed below.
Champlain Enterprises, LLC ("Champlain"). United owns a 40% minority ownership stake in Champlain. Champlain does business as CommutAir. CommutAir currently operates 70 regional aircraft under a CPA that has a term through 2026.
Republic Airways Holdings Inc. ("Republic"). United holds a 19% minority interest in Republic. Republic is the parent company of Republic Airways Inc. Republic currently operates 66 regional aircraft under a CPA that has a term through 2029.
ManaAir, LLC ("ManaAir"). United holds a 49.9% minority ownership stake in ManaAir. ManaAir is the parent company of ExpressJet Airlines LLC ("ExpressJet"). The Company terminated its CPA with ExpressJet. ExpressJet flew its last commercial flight, on behalf of United, on September 30, 2020.
Other Investments. United holds other investments that are recorded at cost less impairment, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for an identical or similar investment of the same issuer. As of June 30, 2021, United held these major investments:
Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. ("Fulcrum"). United owns approximately 7% of the preferred shares (representing approximately 6% of the total capital stock) of Fulcrum, a company that is developing a process for transforming municipal solid waste into transportation fuels, including jet fuel and diesel. As of June 30, 2021, the carrying value of United's investment was $51 million.
Boom Technology, Inc. ("Boom"). United holds vested warrants for the purchase of 568,857 shares of common stock of Boom, a company that is developing aircraft that will fly at supersonic speeds. As of June 30, 2021, the carrying value of the warrants was $17 million. United also holds a $120 million note receivable from Boom which we recorded at its inception date fair value of $41 million. The values of the warrants and the note are recorded as deferred credits that will be recognized as a reduction to the cost of the aircraft received in future periods.