American Airlines forecasts $1.60 loss on fuel spike — SkimNews
Get the Finance newsletter
Daily finance — markets, central banks, M&A, the prints that move money. Free.
- American Airlines forecast an adjusted loss of $1 to $1.60 per share for 2026, reversing its earlier projection of breakeven to a 65-cent loss, due to a 67.5% year-over-year increase in fuel costs.
- American Airlines reported a third-quarter adjusted loss of 28 cents per share, better than the 35 cents expected, on record revenue of $16.34 billion, up 19.3% from last year.
- American Airlines plans to slow its capacity growth in 2025 as a direct response to the surge in jet fuel prices, which added $4.64 billion in third-quarter fuel expenses.
- Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines, stated that premium demand and commercial strategy investments are driving record revenue, with expectations for another record quarter in Q4.
- Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines have also cut their 2026 financial outlooks this month, citing the same spike in jet fuel prices linked to the Iran war.
Why it matters: Airlines face billions in added fuel costs as jet prices surge over 60% year-on-year, forcing American to slow growth despite record revenue—undermining profitability even as rivals like Delta and United outperform. This widens the performance gap among carriers in a high-cost environment.
Ask SkimNews
