American Airlines Group Inc vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? American Airlines Group Inc trades at $15.32 (market cap $10.55B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.71 (market cap $21.97B). The key difference: Southwest Airlines Co is far larger — about 2.1× American Airlines Group Inc's market cap, and Southwest Airlines Co pays a 1.6% dividend while American Airlines Group Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AAL | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.55B | $21.97B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $18.15 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $10.18 | $29.67 |
Enterprise Value | $38.51B | $25.06B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.6% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AAL trades at $15.94, down 0.56% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company reported mixed quarterly earnings, beating in Q1 and Q2 2026 but missing in Q4 2025. Revenue growth is steady, reaching $54.63 billion in 2025, though net income margins are thin at 0.2%. Debt-to-asset ratios have improved to 47.25% in 2025, but negative shareholder equity remains a concern. Recent news highlights advancements in sustainable aviation fuel and premium revenue growth.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by analyst consensus favoring buy ratings (44.74%) and a $19.63 price target, implying 23% upside. Key opportunities include robust premium demand and cost management, while risks involve fuel cost volatility, high debt, and competitive pressures. Earnings execution and fuel price trends will be critical for sustained stock performance.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) trades at $47.05, up 0.23% today, with a bullish technical signal and consensus price target of $53.86. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with EPS of $0.94 versus $0.51 expected, driven by record revenue. The company maintains a solid liquidity position of $8.73B cash and has declared quarterly dividends of $0.18 per share, with new board appointments signaling strategic focus.
Outlook is positive with projected 2026 net income margin of 2.78% and revenue growth to $30.1B, but risks include fuel cost volatility and competitive pressures. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 42% buy ratings, offering potential upside of 14.5% to the consensus target, though institutional selling by firms like Elliott Management warrants monitoring.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Airlines is the world's largest airline by scheduled revenue passenger miles. The firm's major hubs are Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. After completing a major fleet renewal, the company has the youngest fleet of U.S. legacy carriers.
Read more on AAL →Southwest Airlines is the largest domestic carrier in the United States, as measured by the number of originating passengers boarded. Southwest operates over 700 aircraft in an all-Boeing 737 fleet. Despite expanding into longer routes and business travel, the airline still specializes in short-haul leisure flights, using a point-to-point network. Southwest operates a low-cost carrier business model.
Read more on LUV →