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American Airlines cuts 2026 outlook as jet fuel costs surge
The airline now expects 2026 results to range from a 65 cents per share loss to a 65 cents per share gain, after fuel costs jumped 83% in the second quarter and ticket prices covered only about half the increase.
American Airlines Group cut its 2026 profit outlook after jet fuel costs rose sharply again, according to Yahoo Finance. For all of 2026, the company now expects earnings to swing between a loss of 65 cents per share and a profit of 65 cents per share, with breakeven in the middle of that range.
The update marks a further deterioration versus its prior guidance issued in April, when American projected a wider range from a 40 cents per share loss to a profit of $1.10 per share. Yahoo Finance also reports that the company had already reduced expectations from earlier in the year.
Fuel expenses drove the change, with American Airlines’ fuel costs up 83% in the second quarter. The outlet said that increase was almost exactly matched by the extra revenue it generated, and higher ticket prices covered only about half of the additional fuel bill.
Looking ahead, the company expects to lose between 10 cents and 70 cents per share in the current quarter, which is far below Wall Street’s prior expectation of 26 cents to 28 cents per share. Yahoo Finance added that every one-cent rise in fuel prices costs American about $46 million per year, and the stock fell about 8% on the news, even though the second-quarter results beat expectations.