The carrier flew 9.61 billion revenue passenger miles in October, down 0.6 percent from the 9.67 billion flown in the same month of 2006. A revenue passenger mile is an industry unit measuring one paying passenger flown one mile.

Traffic slipped 3.6 percent on North American routes to 5.67 billion revenue passenger miles. Atlantic routes posted the largest growth, expanding 12.3 percent to 1.5 billion revenue passenger miles.

Capacity slipped 1.1 percent, to 11.85 billion available seat miles from 12 billion in October 2006. Occupancy, or load factor, improved to 81.1 percent from 80.6 percent.

For the year to date, traffic increased 0.4 percent to 99.1 billion revenue passenger miles, as capacity sank 0.7 percent to 118.75 billion available seat miles. Occupancy rose to 83.5 percent from 82.6 percent.

Shares of United Airlines parent UAL Corp. slipped 20 cents to $45.33 in regular trading. In aftermarket activity, the stock rebounded 60 cents to $45.93.