United Airlines software engineer candidates describe resume-driven technical conversations, SQL and OOP questions, and behavioral rounds. Formats vary by team, from video screens to on-campus days.
$122K
Avg. Base Comp
$137K
Avg. Total Comp
3-4 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
The most repeated theme in candidate reports is the resume. Several software engineer candidates say the live rounds centered on their own projects and listed skills, with follow-ups on design decisions, architecture and APIs. Be ready to defend every project on your resume in detail.
Technical content varies by team. Reported topics include OOP concepts such as polymorphism, reversing a linked list, SDLC and testing frameworks, and SQL, including window functions and a second-highest-salary query. Other topics include .NET, dependency injection, the Singleton pattern and microservices. One on-campus candidate described a recursive perfect-square check, a three-ants puzzle, Fibonacci and ACID properties. Another candidate, who got an offer, said a SQL technical assessment tested how they reasoned through different approaches, not just correct answers. Others called the technical bar fairly light.
Behavioral questions appear in many reports, sometimes through a recorded video format. Candidates describe questions about weaknesses, owning projects from start to finish and facing challenges at work. One candidate who received an offer said the hiring manager probed interest in aviation and United's mission. Outcomes are mixed, and one candidate described repeated rescheduling that slowed the process, so confirm next steps in writing.
Synthesized from 13 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the United Airlines process.
I applied for a Software Engineer role at United Airlines and went through three rounds total—two technical rounds conducted by an offsite US team and one HR round. The whole process dragged on for about a month and a half, and I found myself constantly reaching out week after week just to get status updates. It was emotionally draining not knowing where things stood.
The two technical rounds focused heavily on hands-on Java experience and real-world system design challenges. The interviewers really zeroed in on scenario-based questions about microservices architecture—things like the SAGA pattern, CAP theorem, and how to handle concurrent processing problems in distributed systems. They asked deep questions about Core Java fundamentals, multi-threading, Spring Boot, and how to optimize database performance and transaction management across microservices. I also got questions on design patterns and JPA with Hibernate implementation. The emphasis wasn't on leetcode-style algorithms but rather on how you'd actually architect and troubleshoot systems at scale. The HR round involved behavioral questions using the STAR method, delivered through a recorded video format where a question would appear on screen, I'd have a moment to collect my thoughts, then the recording would start and I'd answer on camera before moving to the next question.
It's a process that tests both your technical depth and your ability to think through complex distributed systems problems. Go in with concrete examples of microservices challenges you've solved and be ready to discuss trade-offs in system design decisions.
Prep tip from this candidate
Focus heavily on microservices design patterns (especially SAGA), transaction management across distributed systems, and multi-threading in Java. Be prepared to explain real performance optimization work you've done and common pitfalls in concurrent processing—these scenario-based questions are where they differentiate candidates.
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Topics based on recent interview experiences.
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Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report starting with a recruiter call or a recorded video screen. These covered background, the role and interest in United and aviation. Formats differ by candidate, so a call, a HireVue-style video or both may come first. Prepare a concise story of your experience and why you want this role.
Several candidates describe a live technical round driven by their resume. Interviewers asked about projects, technologies and design decisions, with OOP concepts like polymorphism and a simple task such as reversing a linked list. Expect to explain what you built and why. Depth on listed skills typically matters more than obscure algorithms.
Some candidates report a separate assessment: an online skills test, a coding challenge or a SQL technical assessment. SQL came up repeatedly, including window functions and second-highest-salary queries. Candidates say interviewers wanted reasoning explained, not just answers. This step may not apply to every team.
One candidate described a wider online round covering .NET, dependency injection, Singleton, microservices and API design. Others met hiring managers or team members for a mix of behavioral and light technical discussion. Scope likely depends on the team and stack.
Candidates report behavioral questions, sometimes in recorded video form, about ownership, challenges at work and weaknesses. One candidate reported an on-site interview at an airport, and another an on-campus interview. Prepare concrete examples, and be ready to explain your interest in aviation.
