Analysis of Oil Price Impact on Airlines
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 12 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Airline Resilience: Citi Research analyst John Godyn places Delta Air Lines (DAL) and SkyWest (SKYW) on a positive 30-day catalyst watch, indicating that these carriers are relatively insulated from the impacts of rising oil prices, although overall airline earnings are likely to be affected in the short term.
- Fuel Security for Delta: Delta Air Lines secures 75% of its fuel consumption through its Trainer Refinery in Pennsylvania, acquired for $180 million in 2012, aimed at stabilizing jet fuel costs and ensuring an uninterrupted supply for its northeastern U.S. hubs.
- Profitability Advantage: Delta boasts the highest pre-tax profit margin in the airline industry, which not only buffers its earnings per share but also generates a high-teens percentage of revenue from Atlantic routes, second only to United Airlines (UAL), showcasing its strong market position.
- SkyWest's Unique Business Model: SkyWest benefits from a regional airline contract flying model where fuel costs are nearly fully passed through to customers (approximately 90% of total capacity), and with no financing obligations on its fleet, it can effectively absorb necessary capacity reductions during economic shocks.
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Analyst Views on DAL
Wall Street analysts forecast DAL stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 82.490
Low
77.00
Averages
83.50
High
90.00
Current: 82.490
Low
77.00
Averages
83.50
High
90.00
About DAL
Delta Air Lines, Inc. provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and around the world. The Company has hubs and markets in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Bogota, Boston, Detroit, Lima, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Santiago (Chile), Sao Paulo, Seattle, Seoul-Incheon, and Tokyo. Its segments include Airline and Refinery. Its airline segment is managed as a single business unit that provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and around the world and includes its loyalty program, as well as other ancillary businesses. Its refinery segment operates for the benefit of the airline segment by providing jet fuel to the airline segment from its own production and through jet fuel obtained through agreements with third parties. The refinery's production consists of jet fuel as well as non-jet fuel products.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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