In 1991, United Airlines partnered with fast-food chain McDonald's to distribute a Friendly Skies Happy Meal on selected United Airlines flights, which included a United Airlines-themed toy. From the 1990s to the 2000s, McDonald's and United Airlines collaborated to offer a variation of the McDonald's Happy Meal served on flights. The Friendly Skies Happy Meal was initially available on flights to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, but was expanded to all nationwide flights by 1993. The food offered with the meal ranged from a cheeseburger, macaroni and cheese, to a breakfast biscuit. One of the toys included in this Happy Meal was a toy airplane and hanger set that children could play with and pretend to be a United Airlines pilot.

United Airlines is a major American airline based in Chicago, Illinois, with headquarters located inside the Willis Tower. The company traces its roots back to 1916 when aviation pioneer William Boeing started the Boeing Airplane Company and achieved the first international postal delivery in 1919. In 1929, he established United Aircraft and Transportation Corporation (UATC) until the Air Mail Act of 1934 forced UATC to be broken up into three businesses: United Technologies, Boeing Airplane Company, and United Airlines. Today, United Airlines operates a domestic and international route network spanning cities across the U.S. and six continents. The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry's Take Flight exhibit, supported by Boeing and United Airlines, offers visitors a glimpse into the mechanical, electronic, and hydraulic workings of a Boeing 727.