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2026 Who Brands. All information is provided for educational purposes. Brand names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners.

  1. Home
  2. Brands
  3. Travel & Hospitality
  4. United Vacations
United Vacations logo
Travel & Hospitality

Who Owns United Vacations?

United Vacations is the leisure vacation-package brand of United Airlines, owned by United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: UAL) and operated under agreement by ALG Vacations, the largest vertically integrated seller of vacation packages in the United States. The brand sells packages combining United flights with hotels, resorts, and activities to more than 400 destinations, with MileagePlus members earning bonus miles on bookings. Deposits start at $250.

Parent Company

United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Founded

1988

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

Chicago, Illinois, USA

United Vacations Timeline

1926
United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Parent company established in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Founded
1988

United Vacations

Founded by United Airlines (internal development)

Founded
mid rangemass marketUnited StatesOfficial Website

Who Owns United Vacations?

  • Parent Company: United Airlines Holdings, Inc.
  • Ownership Type: Licensed
  • Company Type: Publicly Traded
  • Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: UAL
BrandParent CompanyOwnership Type
United VacationsUnited Airlines Holdings, Inc.Licensed

History of United Vacations

  • Founded: 1988
  • Founders: United Airlines (internal development)

United's vacation-package business predates the current brand name. The airline organized leisure packaging under UAL Vacations in the mid-1980s, and the United Vacations trademark was filed in November 1988, establishing the name under which the business has run since. For roughly two decades from the early 1990s, the program was managed by Mark Travel Corporation, the Milwaukee-area tour operator that specialized in running airline vacation brands.

The most unusual chapter in the brand's history ran from 2011 through 2013, when operations moved to MLT Vacations, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, putting United's vacation brand inside a direct competitor's business for nearly three years. MLT announced in early 2013 that it would exit the arrangement to concentrate on Delta Vacations, and management of United Vacations returned to Mark Travel in December of that year.

Mark Travel's later corporate evolution changed who operates the brand without changing the arrangement itself. Apple Leisure Group absorbed Mark Travel's vacation operations into ALG Vacations, and Hyatt's 2021 acquisition of Apple Leisure Group placed the operating partner inside a major hotel company, giving the brand a vertically integrated supply chain running from resort rooms through charter lift to the package product.

Recent years have focused on deepening the United tie rather than expanding destinations. ALG Vacations' 2025 program updates raised travel-advisor commissions, extended MileagePlus earning to as much as 11 times the airfare in miles on both bulk and published fares, and added cardholder perks for Chase United cardholders including free checked bags and two miles per dollar on packages.

About United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

What does United Airlines Holdings do?
United Airlines Holdings, Inc. is the publicly traded parent company of United Airlines, Inc. The company operates one of the world's largest airlines, serving 370-plus destinations across six continents with approximately 4,100 daily flights. United also provides aircraft maintenance services through United Technical, air freight through United Cargo, and operates the MileagePlus loyalty program with a co-branded credit card partnership with JPMorgan Chase.

Is United Airlines Holdings publicly traded?
Yes. United Airlines Holdings, Inc. trades on NASDAQ under ticker symbol UAL. The company has no controlling shareholder, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group and BlackRock. Insiders own less than 1 percent of the company's stock. The company has been publicly traded since emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2006.

What is United's annual revenue?
United Airlines Holdings reported total operating revenue of $59.1 billion for FY2025. Pre-tax earnings were $4.3 billion and net income was $3.4 billion. Diluted earnings per share were $10.20. The company generated $2.7 billion in free cash flow and ended the year with $15.2 billion in available liquidity. For FY2026, United guided EPS to $9.00 to $11.00.

Who founded United Airlines?
United Airlines traces its origins to 1926, when Varney Air Lines was founded in Boise, Idaho. The airline was formally created in 1931 by William E. Boeing, who merged four air mail carriers under United Air Lines. Frederick B. Rentschler was also a key figure in the founding, as a partner in United Aircraft and Transport Corporation. The 1934 Air Mail Act forced the separation of aircraft manufacturing from air transport, making United an independent company.

How many aircraft does United operate?
United Airlines operates the world's largest mainline fleet, with over 1,000 aircraft as of 2025. The fleet includes Boeing 737 family aircraft (including MAX 8 and MAX 9), Airbus A319, A320, and A321neo narrowbodies, and Boeing 757, 767, 777, and 787 widebodies. United operates more widebody aircraft than any other North American passenger airline. The fleet reached 1,050 mainline aircraft approximately 7 months after crossing 1,000.

What is the Star Alliance?
Star Alliance is the world's largest airline alliance by number of member airlines. United is a founding member, having partnered with Air Canada, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai International, and Varig to create the alliance in 1997. Star Alliance provides United passengers with reciprocal frequent flyer benefits and connections across more than 1,000 airports globally through approximately 25 member airlines. The Air Canada partnership is particularly important for transborder Canada-US routes.

What is the United Next strategy?
United Next is a multi-year fleet modernization and capacity expansion strategy launched under CEO Scott Kirby. The strategy focuses on upgauging to larger, more fuel-efficient aircraft with more premium seats, expanding international routes (especially to Asia and Europe), and increasing overall capacity. United added over 1.1 million seats in March 2025 compared to March 2024, a 7 percent year-over-year jump. The strategy aims to reduce per-seat operating costs and drive operating margin improvement over the next several years.

  • Founded: 1926
  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Company Type: Publicly Traded
  • Stock: NASDAQ: UAL
  • Revenue: $59.1 billion (FY2025)
  • Employees: Over 100,000

Visit United Airlines Holdings, Inc. website

View full company profile for United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Where Is United Vacations Made / Based?

  • Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, USA

United Vacations Categories & Tags

Vacation PackagesTravelAirlineLeisure TravelMileageplus

Brands Owned by United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

MileagePlusTravel Hospitality

MileagePlus

Owned by United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

United Airlines frequent-flyer loyalty program founded in 1981, operated as a subsidiary of United Airlines Holdings with more than 100 million members.

loyalty-programfrequent-flyerairline
United AirlinesTravel Hospitality

United Airlines

Owned by United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Major US airline and world's largest by fleet size, serving 370-plus destinations across six continents from eight hubs. Founding member of Star Alliance.

airlineus-airlinestar-alliance
United ExpressTravel Hospitality

United Express

Owned by United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Regional flight brand of United Airlines Holdings, operated by contract carriers feeding United hubs with a fleet of more than 400 regional aircraft.

regional-airlineairlinestar-alliance
View all brands owned by United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

United Vacations Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

  • +United retains the brand value and loyalty economics while an operating partner absorbs the cost of running a tour business.
  • +ALG Vacations' vertically integrated scale supplies inventory and charter lift the brand could not economically self-produce.
  • +MileagePlus earning creates a package-differentiation moat that pure online travel agencies cannot match.
  • +The brand monetizes leisure demand on United aircraft without diverting the airline's operating focus.

Considerations

  • -The customer experience is delivered by a third party, so brand quality depends on ALG Vacations' execution rather than United's.
  • -The licensed structure means United captures less package margin than it would from an owned tour operation.
  • -Dependence on a partner now owned by Hyatt introduces counterparty complexity if operating terms change.
  • -The brand competes against Delta Vacations, which benefits from Delta's fully owned tour-operator structure.

Frequently Asked Questions About United Vacations

Sources & Further Reading

  • United Vacations official site -
  • Travel Weekly: United Vacations returns to Mark Travel -
  • ALG Vacations 2025 program enhancements -
  • USPTO trademark records: United Vacations -
  • United Airlines Holdings investor relations -
  • Wikidata: United Airlines entity -

Competitors to United Vacations

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

BrandParent CompanyCountryFoundedMarket PositionPrimary MarketGender Target
Delta VacationsDelta Vacations
Delta Air Lines
USA
1969
Mass marketUnited statesAll Genders
Southwest VacationsSouthwest Vacations
Southwest Airlines
USA
2011
Mass marketUnited statesAll Genders
American EagleAmerican Eagle
American Airlines
USA
1984
Mass marketUnited statesAll Genders

Learn More About Competitors

Delta VacationsTravel Hospitality

Delta Vacations

Owned by Delta Air Lines

Official vacation package brand of Delta Air Lines, bundling Delta flights with hotels, resorts, and car rentals across leisure destinations worldwide.

vacation-packagestravelleisure-travel
Southwest VacationsTravel Hospitality

Southwest Vacations

Owned by Southwest Airlines

Vacation package brand of Southwest Airlines offering flight, hotel, and car bundles, operated by ALG Vacations under the Southwest name.

vacation-packagestravelsouthwest-airlines
American EagleTravel Hospitality

American Eagle

Owned by American Airlines Group Inc.

American Eagle is the regional flight brand of American Airlines, connecting smaller U.S. cities to American's hubs through subsidiary and contracted regional carriers.

airlineregional-airlineaviation

Competitive Analysis

Market Positioning: United Vacations competes with 3 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.

Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.

Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.

Independent Alternatives to United Vacations

Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by United Airlines Holdings, Inc., giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.

Harborside Resort at AtlantisTravel Hospitality

Harborside Resort at Atlantis

Owned by Kerzner International Holdings Limited

Villa-style accommodation complex at Atlantis Paradise Island featuring residential-style layouts, full kitchens, and family-friendly amenities across the marina from the main resort.

villa-resortfamily-accommodationmarina-location
Privately Owned

Harborside Resort at Atlantis is privately owned, unlike United Vacations which is under a publicly traded parent company.

The Beach TowerTravel Hospitality

The Beach Tower

Owned by Kerzner International Holdings Limited

Former hotel tower at Atlantis Paradise Island that was closed in 2021 and acquired by Pharrell Williams for redevelopment into Somewhere Else hotel.

hotel-towerresort-accommodationbahamas
Privately Owned

The Beach Tower is privately owned, unlike United Vacations which is under a publicly traded parent company.

The Royal TowersTravel Hospitality

The Royal Towers

Owned by Kerzner International Holdings Limited

Iconic hotel towers at Atlantis Paradise Island featuring 1,201 rooms and suites, the Bridge Suite, and direct access to Aquaventure water park and marine habitats. Renovated in 2024 as part of a $150 million resort-wide transformation.

luxury-hotelresort-accommodationbahamas
Privately Owned

The Royal Towers is privately owned, unlike United Vacations which is under a publicly traded parent company.

Porter AirlinesTravel Hospitality

Porter Airlines

Owned by Porter Aviation Holdings Inc.

Canadian regional airline operating Embraer E195-E2 jets and De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprops across Eastern Canada, the US, and leisure destinations with complimentary service.

airlinecanadian-airlineregional-airline
Privately Owned

Porter Airlines is privately owned, unlike United Vacations which is under a publicly traded parent company.

Trafalgar ToursTravel Hospitality

Trafalgar Tours

Owned by The Travel Corporation

Guided tour company offering escorted coach tours, small group tours, and river cruises across 80-plus countries.

guided-tourscoach-toursescorted-tours
Privately Owned

Trafalgar Tours is privately owned, unlike United Vacations which is under a publicly traded parent company.

WestJetTravel Hospitality

WestJet

Owned by Onex Corporation

Canada's second-largest airline, operating scheduled and charter service across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia with a fleet of Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft.

airlinecanadian-airlinelow-cost-carrier
Privately Owned

WestJet is privately owned, unlike United Vacations which is under a publicly traded parent company.

United Airlines Holdings, Inc. Stock Information

Jobs at United Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Latest News About United Vacations

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Last reviewed: September 25, 2026 · Reviewed by Who Brands Editorial Team