United Airlines will give each employee a $1,000 bonus for their hard work over the last 18 months. All active employees will be awarded the highest honor at United – United 100. Usually, 100 employees who stand out get this award each year.

Scott Kirby, CEO at United, said that the bonus represents a “thank you” for the perseverance of employees during a difficult period. United will grant the $1,000 bonuses to its employees next month. With over 80,000 employees on the books, United is likely to be paying out over $80 million in bonuses.

The initiative was introduced in 2013 and gave employees special rewards to recognize their high performance. Past rewards include 100,000 MileagePlus miles and round-trip tickets anywhere on the airline’s network.