Record Airport Traffic in the US on Sunday Post-Thanksgiving: Are Airline Stocks Poised for Growth Through 2026?
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 02 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Record Airport Traffic: TSA set a new record by screening 3,133,924 passengers on November 30, 2025, surpassing the previous record of 3,096,797 set in June 2025, with all top 10 busiest days occurring in 2024 or 2025.
Impact on Airline Stocks: The surge in passenger traffic is seen as potentially beneficial for major U.S. airlines like American Airlines, Delta, United, and Southwest, especially following a recent government shutdown that affected operations.
Overall Passenger Screening: From November 25 to December 1, over 18 million passengers were screened, indicating a strong travel trend during the Thanksgiving holiday.
ETF Performance: The US Global Jets ETF, which includes major airline stocks, experienced a 1.71% increase, nearing a 52-week high, reflecting positive sentiment in the airline sector due to the record traffic.
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Analyst Views on LUV
Wall Street analysts forecast LUV stock price to fall
14 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 50.830
Low
34.00
Averages
44.21
High
60.00
Current: 50.830
Low
34.00
Averages
44.21
High
60.00
About LUV
Southwest Airlines Co. (Southwest) operates Southwest Airlines, a passenger airline that provides scheduled air transportation in the United States and near-international markets. The Company's fare products include four categories: Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, and Business Select to provide customers options when choosing a fare. It also offers ancillary services, such as EarlyBird Check-In, Upgraded Boarding, and transportation of pets and unaccompanied minors, in accordance with Southwest’s respective policies. Its Rapid Rewards loyalty program enables program members to earn points for every dollar spent on Southwest base fares, also including purchases paid with LUV Vouchers, gift cards, or flight credit, with no portion of the purchase price paid with Rapid Rewards points. It operates over 803 Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet and serves 117 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and ten near-international countries.
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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