United Airlines Rolls Out Recyclable Paper Cups, Aiming to Eliminate 250 Million Plastic Cups Annually

United Airlines has begun replacing its signature transparent blue plastic cups with a new recyclable paper "universal cup" as part of its efforts to reduce single-use plastics across its onboard operations. The rollout started on August 1, 2026, on international flights and United Express services and will expand to all mainline domestic flights beginning October 1, 2026.

The new paper cup is designed to serve both hot and cold beverages, replacing the airline's previous system that used separate paper cups for hot drinks and plastic cups for cold beverages. United said the initiative is expected to eliminate approximately 250 million single-use plastic cups annually, equivalent to around 1,260 metric tons of plastic.

According to the airline, the universal cup is constructed from two layers of paper with a water-based interior coating. It is certified as both recyclable and compostable and is designed to be compatible with United's existing mixed-material recycling streams on domestic routes.

United said the reduction in plastic is roughly equivalent to the weight of 13.5 Airbus A321neo aircraft.

The new cup also complies with single-use plastic regulations in several markets, including Canada, the European Union, Hong Kong and India, enabling the airline to standardize beverage service across multiple jurisdictions.

The airline said development of the universal cup began through a cross-functional initiative aimed at identifying a single beverage container capable of safely serving hot drinks, cold beverages and alcoholic drinks without compromising customer experience or operational requirements.

In addition to introducing the new cups, United is rolling out updated onboard recycling bags that identify recyclable items for passengers and cabin crew. The initiative follows the airline becoming the first carrier to receive approval from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to recycle waste from international flights arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

United also noted that the new paper cup has a larger capacity than the plastic cup it replaces.

Beyond reducing plastic waste, the airline said using a single cup for all beverage types simplifies onboard catering and inventory management by eliminating the need to stock separate cups for hot and cold drinks. The standardized design is expected to streamline galley operations, reduce the number of onboard service items and improve efficiency across United's flight network.

The company said the initiative forms part of its broader sustainability strategy to reduce single-use plastics while expanding onboard recycling capabilities.