American Airlines (AAL) Q2 2026 earnings

American Airlines The US airline cut its 2026 earnings forecast, citing higher fuel costs, a sign that the jump in prices is not enough for the US airline that flies more to offset the full rise in fuel prices this year.

American said it could report an adjusted loss per share of 65 cents to earnings per share of 65 cents this year, below the range it estimated in April of a loss of 40 cents per share to earnings of $1.10 per share.

Fuel prices remained volatile even in the last few weeks of the U.S. airline earnings season that began in July, casting a cloud over the outlook for airlines this year. Carriers say strong demand and higher prices are helping to offset some of the rise. Fuel is airlines’ largest expense after labor.

For the current quarter, American said it may report an adjusted loss of between 70 cents a share and 10 cents a share, less than the 28 cents a share in earnings that Wall Street had expected, but it expects revenue to rise between 16% and 19%, above analysts’ expectations of 16.6%.

American said it will expand flying by up to 5% in the third quarter.

US CEO Robert Isom told CNBC in an interview last month that the carrier’s “long-term” plan is to close the widening margin gap with earnings leaders. Delta Airlines and United Airlines But he did not give a time frame for this goal. American plans to order new widebody planes this year and will add more premium, high-output seats to older planes, Isom said.

“While there is still work ahead of us, the progress we are making is real,” Isom said in a memo to staff Thursday.

Here’s what American reported in the second quarter compared to Wall Street estimates compiled by LSEG:

• EPS: 15 cents was revised versus 3 cents expected
• profit: $16.74 billion versus $16.71 billion expected

American’s profits in the three months ended June 30 fell 88% from a year earlier, to $71 million, or 11 cents per share, down from $599 million, or 91 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 16.3% to $16.74 billion. Passenger revenue per available seat mile, a measure of airline pricing power, rose 10% from a year ago.

After adjusting for one-time items, American reported earnings of 15 cents per share.