This Airline ETF is Surging: A Guide to Trading It with Charts
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 11 2025
0mins
Should l Buy LUV?
Source: CNBC
Current Performance of the Airline Sector: The US Global Jets ETF (JETS) is gaining attention as the airline sector shows strong performance, with major airlines like Southwest, Delta, and United reaching new highs, indicating a potential turnaround for investors.
Investment Strategy: The JETS ETF offers a way to invest in the airline sector without the risks associated with individual stocks, making it an attractive option for those looking to diversify their portfolios.
Market Analysis and Projections: A breakout above the $27 resistance level is seen as critical, with potential upside targets of $33 and possibly low $40s in the long term, supported by a favorable long-term chart setup.
Risk Management: Investors are advised to set stop-loss orders near the rising 50-day moving average to manage downside risk, as this level has historically provided support during upward trends.
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Analyst Views on LUV
Wall Street analysts forecast LUV stock price to rise
14 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 41.500
Low
34.00
Averages
44.21
High
60.00
Current: 41.500
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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- Dividend Payment Date: The dividend will be paid on July 2, 2026, ensuring timely returns for shareholders, which may enhance investor confidence and attract potential investors to the stock.
- Shareholder Return Strategy: By implementing regular dividends, Southwest Airlines not only strengthens its relationship with shareholders but also demonstrates its solid cash flow and profitability, indicating confidence in future growth prospects.
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- Dividend Payment Date: The dividend will be paid on July 2, 2026, ensuring timely returns for shareholders, which may enhance investor confidence and attract potential investors to the stock.
- Shareholder Return Strategy: By implementing regular dividends, Southwest Airlines not only strengthens its relationship with shareholders but also demonstrates its solid cash flow and profitability, indicating confidence in future growth prospects.
- Market Reaction Expectations: This dividend announcement is likely to have a positive impact on Southwest Airlines' stock price, attracting income-seeking investors and thereby enhancing the company's competitive position in the airline industry.
See More
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- Oil Price Surge Impact: The Iran war has led to a sharp increase in crude oil prices, creating significant cost pressures for the airline industry, exemplified by Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy, which highlights the sector's fragility.
- Delta Airlines' Strong Performance: Despite challenges from high inflation and declining international travel demand, Delta Airlines reported a 45% increase in Q4 2025 earnings, driven by a 9% rise in premium ticket sales, indicating its advantage in the 'K-shaped economy'.
- Southwest Airlines' Market Opportunity: With Spirit Airlines ceasing operations, Southwest Airlines stands to gain market share and aims for over 300% earnings growth, although high fuel prices introduce uncertainty, management has not revised their full-year outlook, reflecting confidence in future performance.
- Future Outlook and Challenges: While Delta's earnings are expected to decline by 5.3% in 2026, its premiumization trend could yield better-than-expected results, and Southwest must navigate high fuel costs and macroeconomic uncertainty, but a resolution to the conflict could lead to a rebound.
See More
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- Tech Stocks Rally: The Nasdaq 100 surged 2.08% to reach an all-time high on Wednesday, driven by stellar earnings from chipmakers and AI infrastructure firms, particularly Advanced Micro Devices, which rose over 17% as it raised its full-year sales forecast, reflecting strong investor optimism about ongoing AI investments.
- Crude Oil Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell more than 7% to a two-week low as market expectations for a US-Iran peace agreement increased, easing inflation fears and contributing to stock market gains, with the 10-year Treasury yield dropping to a one-week low of 4.33%.
- Employment Data Impact: The April ADP employment report indicated that US companies added 109,000 jobs, below the expected 120,000, yet the market remains optimistic about the Fed's monetary policy, believing it will help maintain a low interest rate environment.
- International Market Surge: Overseas stock markets closed sharply higher, with the Euro Stoxx 50 rising 2.68% and China's Shanghai Composite gaining 1.17%, indicating a positive global market response to the US economic recovery, further boosting investor confidence.
See More
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- Surge in Fuel Spending: U.S. airlines spent $5.06 billion on jet fuel in March 2026, a 56.4% increase from February and a 30% year-on-year rise, significantly impacting profitability amid rising operational costs.
- Flight Plan Adjustments: Major carriers like Delta Airlines have scaled back flight plans and lowered or scrapped 2026 forecasts due to uncertainty in crude oil prices, indicating serious concerns over future expenses.
- Increased Fuel Usage: According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, airlines consumed 1.615 billion gallons of fuel in March 2026, a 19.5% increase from February, with the cost per gallon rising to $3.13, up 31% from the previous month.
- Ticket Sales Growth: Despite soaring fuel costs, airline ticket sales in March rose 12% year-on-year to $10.4 billion, reflecting strong consumer demand with domestic trips up 5% and international trips up 1%.
See More
US Stocks Surge to New Highs Led by Tech Earnings
- Tech Stock Rally: The Nasdaq 100 index surged over 1.44% to reach an all-time high, driven by strong earnings from chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks, reflecting market optimism about sustained investment growth in artificial intelligence.
- Crude Oil Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell more than 6% to a two-week low as the US nears a peace agreement with Iran, which is expected to lift restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, thereby reducing energy costs and enhancing profitability prospects for airlines and cruise lines.
- Employment Data Impact: The April ADP employment change report indicated that US companies added 109,000 jobs, below the expected 120,000, yet the market remains optimistic about the Fed's monetary policy, suggesting a lower likelihood of interest rate hikes.
- Earnings Optimism: So far, 84% of the 375 S&P 500 companies that reported earnings have exceeded expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year, indicating strong corporate profitability that further supports the stock market's upward trend.
See More
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- Market Performance: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.76% and the Nasdaq 100 index increased by 1.19%, reaching all-time highs, reflecting strong market optimism regarding ongoing investments in artificial intelligence, which are expected to continue driving stock prices higher.
- Chipmakers' Strong Earnings: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw its stock price surge over 16% after raising its full-year sales forecast significantly due to robust data center spending, indicating a strong growth trajectory and reinforcing its competitive position in the semiconductor market.
- Crude Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell more than 5% to a two-week low as the US nears a peace agreement with Iran, which may help lower inflation expectations and improve profitability prospects for airlines and cruise operators amid declining fuel costs.
- Employment Data Impact: The April ADP employment change report indicated that US companies added 109,000 jobs, below the expected 120,000, yet the market remains optimistic about the Fed's monetary policy, which is likely to continue supporting stock market gains.
See More
