United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said merging with a smaller carrier is too costly in effort and energy.
Kirby reaffirmed interest in a combination with American Airlines, citing capacity expansion, job creation and traveler value.
A proposed United‑American merger was rejected by American CEO Robert Isom after industry opposition; Kirby earlier pitched it to President Trump.
Speculation about a United‑JetBlue deal persists, but Kirby declined comment; JetBlue carries about $9 billion debt and faces another loss this year.