United Airlines February traffic flat; 1Q fuel price should drop $1 per gallon from last year

Traffic on United Airlines was flat in February, as small gains on international routes were offset by slightly less flying within the U.S.

The airline said Monday that passengers flew 13.69 billion miles last month, unchanged from February 2014. Because of a slight reduction in passenger-carrying capacity, the average flight was 79.5 percent full, up from 79.2 percent a year earlier.

The results include regional flights under the United Express brand.

Parent United Continental Holdings Inc. does not disclose monthly revenue trends. The company said that it still expects to pay an average of $2.10 to $2.15 per gallon for fuel in the first quarter. It paid $3.18 per gallon in the same quarter last year, before oil prices plummeted.