Defined Benefit (Pension) · DOL Form 5500 · 2023

United Airlines, Inc. Pension Plan

Data updated 2026-08-25

$231M
Total assets Near avg plan size
1,289
Participants Near avg headcount
95th
Percentile by assets National rank
$179,582
Avg per participant Above avg balance/head
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Official DOL plan name: The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan · Sponsored by United Airlines, Inc. · Texas · Transportation & Warehousing

$231M in assets, 1,289 participants

United Airlines, Inc.'s The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan reported $231M in total assets and 1,289 participants in its 2023 DOL Form 5500 filing, ranking in the 95th percentile by assets among filed plans. Figures are as reported by the plan sponsor to the Department of Labor, not audited or endorsed by PlainRetire.

  • #3,143 in Transportation & Warehousing (3,362 peers)

Where The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan sits by assets

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan sits in the top 5% of all filed plans by assets, $231M for 1,289 participants (~$179,582/participant), down 4.6% in 2023.

#3,143
in Transportation & Warehousing (3,362 peers)
-4.6%
assets change YoY
2.3×
vs typical plan assets (national mean)

The plan reported a net loss of $11M for the year, a single-year figure driven by markets and benefit payments, not a measure of plan health.

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan's outsized position by total assets

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan vs every filed plan by assets

End-of-year total assets · plan year 2023 · DOL Form 5500

$231,480,997 Top 5% higher than 95% of 127,068 filed plans

This plan $0 $2,050,000,000 every filed plan with reported assets, bucketed by value

Dashed line + filled bar = this entry, among filed plans.

Source U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 filings (EBSA) · plan year 2023

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan's large-plan peer group by participant headcount

Plan-year 2023 Form 5500 filings with a reported participant count, partitioned by headcount band, not by assets. The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan lands in the large band (1,289 participants).

What changed between DOL Form 5500 filings

plan year 2022 → plan year 2023

  • The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan reported net income rose from -$31M in the plan year 2022 filing to -$11M in the plan year 2023 filing.
  • The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan reported participants fell from 1,439 in the plan year 2022 filing to 1,289 in the plan year 2023 filing.
  • The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan end-of-year assets fell from $243M in the plan year 2022 filing to $231M in the plan year 2023 filing.

See the national 2022→2023 release diff →

Form 5500 schedule snapshot

Filing strip 742099724 · United Airlines, Inc. PY 2023 · Defined Benefit (Pension)

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan · $231M · 1,289 · 95th

  • EOY $231M
  • EOY 1,289
  • EOY 95th
  • EOY Defined Benefit (Pension)
  • EOY near Indiana Farm Bureau Retirement Plan
  • EOY ind #3143

Stamps derive from this plan's Form 5500 line items (assets, participants, type, EIN, cohort placement) - not a quality rating of the sponsor. Read with Transportation & Warehousing retirement plans → · Plans in Texas →

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan in the asset neighbourhood

First Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Inc. Pension PlanFirst Citizens Bank & Trust …$232MThe Continental Pilots Retirement PlanThe Continental Pilots Retir…$231MIndiana Farm Bureau Retirement PlanIndiana Farm Bureau Retireme…$231MPark National Corporation Defined Benefit Pension PlanPark National Corporation De…$231MRetirement Plan for Employees of MatsonRetirement Plan for Employee…$231M
End-of-year total assets ($M) among The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan and nearest nationwide Defined Benefit (Pension) peers. Source: DOL Form 5500 plan year 2023.

Scale-class filing particulars (2023)

Total Assets (Beginning of Year)$243M
Net Assets (End of Year)$231M
Net Income-$11M
Employer EIN742099724
Plan Effective Date2005-04-30
Filing StatusFILING RECEIVED

Sponsor Plan History (United Airlines, Inc.)

Sponsor-wide plan assets over time

All United Airlines, Inc. plans reported in each filing year

Latest sponsor-wide plan assets
$32.6B 22.353597613920844% vs 2022
2024 filing year
$26B$28B$30B$32B$34B 202220232024 $26.7B $32.6B ▲ +22.3%
Year Plans Participants Total Assets
2022 6 110,304 $26.7B
2023 6 114,586 $31.8B
2024 4 102,481 $32.6B

Nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) Plans in Texas

Peer Defined Benefit (Pension) plans, same state, same plan type, ranked by total assets.

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Texas, assets vs. participants Scatter plot of 6 data points. -50000050000100000150000 -10010203040 Total assets ($B) Participants The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan, Total assets ($B): 0.231480997 · Participants: 1289The Continental Pilots Retirement PlanAT&T Pension Benefit Plan, Total assets ($B): 30.018512 · Participants: 107859AT&T Pension Benefit PlanShell Pension Plan, Total assets ($B): 15.133347097 · Participants: 12215Shell Pension PlanExxonmobil Pension Plan, Total assets ($B): 12.015 · Participants: 22551Exxonmobil Pension PlanCaterpillar Inc. Retirement Income Plan, Total assets ($B): 9.803014695 · Participants: 12138Caterpillar Inc. Retirement Income PlanBp Retirement Accumulation Plan, Total assets ($B): 5.493677099 · Participants: 9360Bp Retirement Accumulation Plan
The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Texas, assets vs. participants

The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan's out-of-state Defined Benefit (Pension) peers by assets and headcount

Outside Texas, the nearest Defined Benefit (Pension) by assets is Indiana Farm Bureau Retirement Plan in IN ($231M); by covered participants it is Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Unions 502 & 633 Pens in MI (1,287 participants). Same-state nearby plans are listed separately above.

Similar participant headcount

Nearest other-state filings by covered participants (1,289 participants); asset peers above are excluded.

DOL Form 5500 plan year 2023. Asset totals can differ widely at the same headcount; neither axis is a quality rating.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan assets move in 2023?
The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan edged down modestly - down 4.6% during 2023, from $243M to $231M. Reported net income was -$11M.
How have United Airlines, Inc. plan assets changed over time?
Across 3 plan years on file (2022-2024), United Airlines, Inc.'s sponsor-wide assets grew 22.4%, from $26.7B to $32.6B.
Where does The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan rank by assets among Form 5500 filers?
The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan ranks in the 95th percentile by end-of-year assets among 127,072 plans that reported assets for plan year 2023 (in the top 5% of all filed plans by assets).
Which Defined Benefit (Pension) plans are similar in size to The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan?
Among Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in other states, the closest by assets is Indiana Farm Bureau Retirement Plan in IN ($231M, 364 participants).
Which Defined Benefit (Pension) plans cover a similar participant headcount to The Continental Pilots Retirement Plan?
Among Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in other states, the closest by covered participants is Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Unions 502 & 633 Pens in MI (1,287 participants, $555M in assets).