J. Scott Kirby is the CEO of United Airlines Holdings, Inc., a position he has held since May 2020 after serving as the company's President for several years. With a background in aviation, Kirby has extensive experience in the airline industry, having previously worked as President of American Airlines and US Airways. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the United States Air Force Academy and also holds a master's degree from George Washington University. Under his leadership, United Airlines has seen a significant focus on key performance metrics, like customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. In 2023, Kirby earned a total compensation of $18.57 million, which included a salary of $1.1 million and a substantial portion in vested stocks, reflecting his alignment with the company's performance. Interestingly, Kirby has demonstrated a strong commitment to the company during tough times, waiving his salary during the COVID-19 pandemic to inspire others. His insider trading activities also show he has a stake in the company, with fluctuations in his stock value indicating a keen interest in United’s success.

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J. Scott Kirby

CEO of United Airlines Holdings

Education

Bachelor's degree from the United States Air Force Academy

Field of Expertise

Transportation & Logistics - Aviation

Sector of Economy

Industrials

Born

November 1, 1967 - 57 years ago

CEO of United Airlines Holdings for

4 years 10 months (May 2020 - Present)

Previous Experience

President of American Airlines Group Inc. and American Airlines, Inc.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of J. Scott Kirby

Ed Bastian

CEO of Delta Air Lines

2023 Compensation

Stock

$19.03M

Salary

$950.00K

Bonus

$9.60M

Other

$371.18K

Total Holdings

$31.31M

Robert E. Jordan

CEO of Southwest Airlines

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$700.00K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$405.79K

Total Holdings

$18.09M

Gary C. Kelly

CEO of Southwest Airlines

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$475.00K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$446.28K

Total Holdings

$32.85M

Robin Hayes

CEO of JetBlue Airways

2023 Compensation

Stock

$655.73K

Salary

$725.00K

Bonus

$3.06M

Other

$16.50K

Total Holdings

$5.37M

Russell A. "Chip" Childs

CEO of SkyWest

2023 Compensation

Stock

$444.95K

Salary

$546.88K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$467.21K

Total Holdings

$48.27M

Holdings

See how much did J. Scott Kirby make over time.

J. Scott Kirby has shown a keen interest in United Airlines, with significant stock holdings that have varied in value over the years. From late 2019 to early 2020, his stock value peaked at approximately $35 million before declining during the early months of the pandemic, hitting as low as $12 million. However, as the airline industry recovered, his holdings rebounded sharply, reaching around $39 million by mid-2024. This reflects both his confidence in United Airlines and the company's recovery post-COVID. Kirby's trading activity indicates a proactive approach to managing his shareholdings, as he navigated fluctuations in stock value during uncertain market conditions.

Total Stock Sold

$34.04M

UAL

$2.01M

50,306 UAL shares

AAL

$32.03M

813,626 AAL shares

What if they kept their stock?

If J. Scott Kirby didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra UAL50,306 shares worth $1.38M and AAL813,626 shares worth $9.22M.
This is -68.85% and $23.44M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

AAL

3,150 shares

AAL

Recent Charitable Transactions

AAL

1,250 shares

AAL

Dec 4, 2015

Charity

AAL

1,900 shares

AAL

Mar 11, 2014

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of J. Scott Kirby.

CVS

$167.50K

CVS at $57.52/share

May 16, 2024

Received

CVS

$167.43K

CVS at $69.13/share

Nov 15, 2023

Received

CVS

$20.88K

CVS at $69.82/share

Oct 2, 2023

Received

UAL

48,456 shares

UAL

Feb 2, 2023

Received

UAL

158,453 shares

UAL

Feb 9, 2022

Received

UAL

$2.02M

UAL at $40.15/share

Nov 20, 2020

Sale

UAL

13,297 shares

UAL

Aug 29, 2016

Received

AAL

112,336 shares

AAL

Apr 20, 2016

Received

AAL

$28.58K

AAL at $41.30/share

Apr 15, 2016

Sale

AAL

1,250 shares

AAL

Dec 4, 2015

Charity

Compensation History

See how much did J. Scott Kirby make over time.

In 2023, J. Scott Kirby received a total compensation package worth $18,573,299, making him one of the highest-paid executives in the airline industry. His compensation includes a base salary of $1.1 million and approximately $10.7 million in vested stock, which reflects both performance-based incentives and time-based rewards from previous years. Unlike traditional bonuses, Kirby's package emphasizes long-term incentives to align his interests with those of shareholders. In 2022, his total compensation was significantly lower at around $9.8 million, indicating a strong recovery in company performance and stock value. This increase showcases not just Kirby's leadership role but also the airline's return to profitability as travel demand surged.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$11.96M

Salary

$1.10M

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy is designed to align executive pay with performance metrics that drive long-term value for stockholders, focusing on both short-term and long-term incentives.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No bonus was reported for 2023 as the focus was on long-term incentives and performance-based awards.

Other

$155.74K

Board Justification

Other compensation includes contributions to the 401(k) plan, insurance premiums, and other perquisites.

Restricted Stock

$10.71M(10.71M RSU)

Board Justification

The vested stock includes Performance-Based RSUs and Time-Based RSUs that were granted in previous years and vested in 2023 based on performance metrics achieved.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for 2023 included relative adjusted EBITDA margin, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and operational excellence metrics.

Other United Airlines Holdings CEOs

Here are other CEOs of United Airlines Holdings

Oscar Munoz

Ex-CEO of United Airlines Holdings

September 2015 - May 2020