Airline mega-merger story is all about Trump

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby floated the idea of a merger with American Airlines while meeting with President Trump last month, according to https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-13/united-ceo-has-pitched-possible-combination-with-rival-american?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc3NjEzMzk3NywiZXhwIjoxNzc2NzM4Nzc3LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUQ1BXVUxLSzNOWTgwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiI2RDkzQzFFQjk4MDM0OTNDODhBNzFFMDUxMTQ0NzVDRCJ9.nosHlLiegLgrDOwaiVSbxB7HC6xhrZuQAfA2xeMu5go&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top" target="_blank">multiple https://link.axios.com/click/45200735.15374/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV1dGVycy5jb20vYnVzaW5lc3MvdW5pdGVkLWFpcmxpbmVzLWNlby1waXRjaGVkLXBvc3NpYmxlLWNvbWJpbmF0aW9uLXdpdGgtcml2YWwtYW1lcmljYW4tYmxvb21iZXJnLTIwMjYtMDQtMTMvP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXdzbGV0dGVyX2F4aW9zcHJvcmF0YSZzdHJlYW09dG9w/584972a1ade9c26e668b4588Be1d6af29" target="_blank">reports.

Why it matters: Corporate America has concluded that federal antitrust approval now comes from the top.

The big picture: Airline mergers must be approved by both the Justice Department and Transportation Department.

• Many of DOJ's top antitrust officials and prosecutors have been forced out and/or resigned this year, after balking at proposed settlements in cases like Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary.
• The https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/lobbyists-antitrust-trump-davis-f6a02e04" target="_blank">new model for lobbyists has been to go directly to senior DOJ leadership or, if possible, to Trump himself.
• It's a sea change for how big business is done, including from Trump's first term, and may be contributing to this year's 53% increase in U.S. merger and acquisition activity.

Zoom in: United and American already are among America's largest airlines.

A merger would give them more than a 34% market share, easily topping current leader Delta (17.8%).

• Neither United nor American has commented on Kirby's comments to Trump, nor are there indications of active deal talks.
• Shares of both companies rose significantly on Tuesday.

Catch up quick: DOJ under President Biden blocked JetBlue from acquiring Spirit Airlines in 2023, successfully arguing it would lead to higher prices and reduced choice — and their combined market share is only 8%.

JetBlue now reportedly is seeking out a new merger partner.

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last week https://link.axios.com/click/45109191.218554/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25iYy5jb20vdmlkZW8vMjAyNi8wNC8wNy90cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbi1zZWMtZHVmZnktdGhlcmVzLXJvb20tZm9yLWFpcmxpbmUtbWVyZ2Vycy1pbi10aGUtdS1zLmh0bWw_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXJfYXhpb3Nwcm9yYXRhJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/692c8bf758c372ab0a09f79dB747a74db" target="_blank">said that he thinks there's "room" for some airline tie-ups, without getting into specific names.

The bottom line: It's unclear how serious United is about buying American, or how Trump reacted to the idea.

What is clear, however, is that United knew where to make its pitch.