United Airlines and Delta Shares Decline: Understanding the Struggles Facing Airlines.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 27 2026
0mins
Should l Buy LUV?
Source: Barron's
- Stock Performance: Shares of United Airlines Holdings and Delta Air Lines experienced a significant decline on Friday.
- Market Influences: The drop in airline stocks is attributed to escalating geopolitical tensions and increasing oil prices.
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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: 40.630
Low
34.00
Averages
44.21
High
60.00
Current: 40.630
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.
- Webcast Timing: Southwest Airlines is set to host a live webcast for its Q1 2026 financial results on April 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time, aimed at providing investors with the latest financial performance insights.
- Executive Participation: The earnings call will feature Bob Jordan, President and CEO, Andrew Watterson, COO, and Tom Doxey, CFO, ensuring that investors receive direct insights from the company's top management team.
- Access Method: Investors can access the live webcast through Southwest Airlines' investor relations website (http://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/) or find it via the “Investor Relations” link under the “About Southwest” menu on the main website, facilitating easy access.
- Registration Details: Registration for the webcast will open 20 minutes prior to the start of the call, ensuring participants can smoothly join the meeting and receive real-time financial data.
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- Market Rally: The S&P 500 rose 1.20% and the Nasdaq 100 increased by 1.29%, reaching all-time highs, reflecting investor optimism regarding US-Iran peace talks, which may enhance risk appetite in the markets.
- Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude prices fell over 11% to a five-week low after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, easing inflation concerns and causing the 10-year T-note yield to drop 7 basis points to 4.24%.
- Strong Earnings Season: The earnings season started robustly, with 81% of the 48 S&P 500 companies reporting Q1 earnings exceeding estimates, projecting a 12% year-over-year increase in earnings, providing strong support for the stock market.
- Airline Stocks Surge: Airline stocks surged as fuel costs decreased, with Alaska Air Group (ALK) rising over 10% and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) up more than 7%, indicating market confidence in the recovery of the airline industry.
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- Market Rebound: The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite reached all-time highs this week, with the S&P 500 surpassing 7,100 for the first time, reflecting strong investor confidence in economic recovery and suggesting further upward momentum for equities.
- Earnings Expectations: According to FactSet, the S&P 500 is projected to have a blended growth rate of 12.5% in Q1, with 78% of reporting companies exceeding expectations, providing a positive backdrop for the upcoming earnings season that could further bolster market confidence.
- Oil Price Volatility: While oil prices have fallen to around $80 per barrel, significantly below the $110 peak during the conflict, the market must remain vigilant regarding the potential impacts of U.S.-Iran tensions on global supply chains, particularly concerning the safety of transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Technical Fragility: Despite the market's strong short-term performance, analyst Craig Johnson warns that the rapid transition from oversold to overbought conditions masks underlying macroeconomic risks, urging investors to remain cautious and focus on high-quality investment opportunities.
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- Salesforce Options Volume: Salesforce Inc saw options trading volume of 61,385 contracts, equating to approximately 6.1 million shares, which represents about 45.2% of its average daily trading volume of 13.6 million shares over the past month, indicating strong market interest in its future performance.
- High Call Option Activity: Within Salesforce, the $185 strike call option has seen 5,234 contracts traded today, representing around 523,400 underlying shares, suggesting that investors have a strong bullish outlook for the stock ahead of its April 2026 expiration.
- Fortinet Options Trading Dynamics: Fortinet Inc's options trading volume reached 29,494 contracts, approximately 2.9 million shares, accounting for 44.7% of its average daily trading volume of 6.6 million shares over the past month, reflecting active market interest in its stock.
- Put Option Trading Volume: For Fortinet, the $76 strike put option has recorded a trading volume of 7,224 contracts today, representing about 722,400 shares, indicating investor concerns regarding potential declines in the stock before its April 2026 expiration.
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- Market Surge: The S&P 500 rose by 1.28% and the Nasdaq 100 reached an all-time high, reflecting investor optimism driven by peace talks between the US and Iran, which may enhance risk appetite and bolster overall market confidence.
- Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell over 13% to a five-week low after the Strait of Hormuz reopened, easing inflation concerns and causing the 10-year Treasury yield to drop by 8 basis points, further supporting the bond market.
- Earnings Growth Expectations: Q1 earnings for the S&P 500 are projected to increase by 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only 3%, indicating resilience in corporate performance amid economic recovery and providing market support.
- Airline Stocks Soar: With reduced fuel costs, Alaska Air Group and United Airlines surged by over 14% and 11%, respectively, demonstrating the positive impact of falling oil prices on the airline industry, which could enhance profitability for related companies.
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- Market Highs: The S&P 500 rose by 0.87% and the Nasdaq 100 reached an all-time high, reflecting growing investor optimism regarding a potential US-Iran peace deal, which may enhance risk appetite and further boost stock market momentum.
- Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude prices fell over 10% after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open for commercial shipping, easing inflation concerns and contributing to a 6 basis point drop in the 10-year Treasury yield, which invigorates the bond market.
- Earnings Optimism: Q1 earnings for the S&P 500 are projected to increase by 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, yet this overall positive outlook may attract more investor interest and bolster market confidence.
- Airline Stocks Surge: With reduced fuel costs, United Airlines (UAL) shares surged over 10%, while other airlines like Royal Caribbean (RCL) and Alaska Air (ALK) also saw significant gains, indicating strong market confidence in the recovery of the airline industry.
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