The U.S. airline business has had a rough 2026. Jet fuel prices have jumped roughly 130% year-over-year (YOY), squeezed by geopolitics and supply cuts, and that’s hit profit margins and pushed the U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) and most airline stocks lower since March.
In the middle of that stress, United Airlines (UAL) CEO Scott Kirby reportedly suggested a potential megamerger with American Airlines (AAL) in talks with U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., causing AAL to jump 8.9% in one day on the headline.
