2026 Annual Vacation Election

Central Schedule Committee

Between September 25, 2025, and December 5, 2025, several steps must be completed as part of the Annual Vacation Process. This can be broken down into three steps: Choose, Bid, and Trade.

The first step is to “Choose” with the Annual Vacation Election period, which will be covered here. 

The Annual Vacation Election period will start on September 25, 2025 and will remain open until October 15, 2025, providing at least twenty full calendar days (20) days as required under the Contract during which we make elections for our 2026 vacation.

All vacation elections are made through CCS.

When starting the Vacation Election process, begin by selecting the “Proceed to Vacation Election” button. You may also choose not to make any selections in the Vacation Election process and skip this step of the 2026 annual vacation process.

Once you know the number of days that you have accrued, the Vacation Election screen will appear, and you will be able to make the following selections:

1. Buy Back Vacation Days. Partially accrued vacation days are not eligible.
2. Defer vacation days to your 401(k) or UK Stakeholder Plan.
3. Take Flex Vacation Days (paid or unpaid).

Vacation Buy Back:

We have negotiated in Section 12.D. of our Contract a vacation buy-back option, which provides Flight Attendants with the opportunity to take pay in place of accrued vacation. Flight Attendants who elect to participate must opt to “sell” at least six (6) full days of accrued vacation, where partial days are not eligible for inclusion in buy-back. For the 2026 vacation year, the incentive offered will be applied when the payment is made during the first quarter of the scheduled vacation year. The incentive amount to be offered will be published in CCS when the Annual Vacation Election opens.

It is important to note, Section 12.D.6. of the Contract provides that those participating in the Buy Back program may not participate in the Flex program during the same Scheduled Vacation year.

Annual Vacation Buy Back Overview:

Vacation days are “sold” back at a rate of three hours and fifteen minutes (3:15) per day multiplied by your hourly rate of pay, plus an incentive payment, which shall be determined and announced before the annual vacation bid. The rate of pay for Vacation buy back is based on your individual rate of pay as of 12/31/25. International Purser and Purser overrides are not included in your hourly rate of pay and are not applicable as part of your Vacation Buy Back payments.

Monthly Vacation Buy Back:

The Company may offer vacation buy-back on a month-to-month or base-by-base basis. Vacation days are sold back at a rate of three hours and fifteen minutes (3:15) per day multiplied by your hourly rate of pay and the Company will determine whether to offer an incentive payment for month-to-month or base-by-base vacation buy back. In these instances, vacation buy-back will be awarded in base seniority order.

Deferred 401(k) Contribution:

Flight Attendants may elect to contribute a minimum of seven (7) days and a maximum of fourteen (14) days of paid vacation accrued for use in 2026 into their 401(k) Savings plan account or UK Stakeholder Group Plan.

Flex Vacation Program:

Flight Attendants may elect to take an additional seven days of Flex vacation. Flight Attendants taking Flex vacation will either take the additional seven days as unpaid vacation or elect to have one hour and fifty-four minutes (1:54) pay deducted from their earnings each month to pay for the Flex vacation week.

•  Flight Attendants who opt for paid Flex vacation will have their last seven days of their last awarded vacation period designated as Flex.
• Flight Attendants who opt for unpaid Flex vacation will have the first seven days of the first vacation period designated as Flex.

Once you have finished making your choices, select ‘Submit.’ A confirmation page will be displayed detailing your 2026 elections. It is recommended that you keep a copy of this confirmation page for your records.

At any time while the vacation election period is open, you can return to the vacation election page and change/update your selections. Once the election period is closed, changes can no longer be submitted, and the last page submitted will determine your elections.

Flight Attendants may contact the Vacation Team through (800) FLT-LINE, (options, 1, 9, 1) or by emailing FAVacationTeam@united.com.

Vacation 2026 – Contractual Process Begins with Vacation Accrual Letters

Vacation Accrual Letters are being prepared and will be available via the Vacation tab on the CCS home page. Flight Attendant 2025 Vacation Accrual Letters will be viewable on or before September 25th by logging into CCS > Vacation-> My Vacation. From there, select the 2026 drop down and then “To view optional election, click here.”

  The following information will be displayed: 

Your vacation accrual seniority date as of August 29, 2025. Your 2026 base vacation accrual is determined by your vacation accrual seniority date. If your date falls on or before the 15th of the month you receive credit for the full month.

Your paid activity, by each quarter in the 2024-2025 Vacation Accrual Year, to be used in determining your vacation accrual for the 2026 Vacation year. (1) Flight Attendants receive full accrual if there is one hundred twenty (120) hours or more of paid activity in each quarter. (2) Flight Attendants receive fifty percent (50%) accrual if they have fewer than one hundred twenty (120) but at least sixty (60) hours of paid activity in each quarter

Accrual Quarters are:

• Sep/Oct/Nov 2024
• Dec 2024/Jan and Feb 2025
• Mar/Apr/May 2025
• Jun/July/Aug 2025

New Hires receive Vacation at a rate of one day per calendar month through the first year. Leave of Absences, including DATV (Day at a time Vacation) Days taken in the prior year (2024), reduce the accrual by one-twelfth for each 30-day period. Your 2026 vacation accrual is shown in days and hours