Yes its a higher revenue source, but its a very small percentage of revenue, less than 4% of total revenue. You can just look at the financial statements. They are all out there to see.

Also you are literally proving United is profitable without it because on the other 96% of flights we made $6 per ticketed segment. Multiply that by the number of ticketed segments and you get $4B+ in profit.

If United didn't have to carry those passengers, the costs associated would disappear as well. Its not just an ongoing referral fee for getting someone to sign up for a credit card.

It also proves its not just a cash handout and there are operating costs associated with it. So its $1.9B in "other revenue", but probably carries $1.3B in costs, so only $600M of profit against $4B in net profit.

When your total credit card revenue is under $2B and you have over $4B in profit then some nimrod with a point to prove writes some childish analysis about how the airlines all lose money that's obviously false. Its like saying the only reason airlines are profitable are because of the 1st 3 rows of First Class, because if you took out that revenue those airlines would be lowing money. Well those are all part of the entire business. Without that revenue, the airlines would just adjust their model to maintain profit.