CHICAGO — The parent of United Airlines said yesterday that it expects its unrestricted cash to drop to $2 billion by the end of the quarter, and that it is taking steps to raise more money.

UAL Corp. ended September with about $2.93 billion in unrestricted cash.

It has been raising money by selling airplanes as it cuts capacity, and by advance sales of frequent-flier miles to its credit card partner.

But it lost money in the third quarter on high fuel prices, and it's likely to be hurt in the fourth quarter by the recession and fuel hedges that stand to lose money. United did not predict its fourth-quarter profit or loss yesterday, which it will report on Jan. 21.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect the carrier to lose $3.27 per share.

The company did not detail its cash-raising plans, which it said are expected to close in the first few months of 2009.