Airline Stock Roundup: ALK's Bearish Q3 View, DAL,UAL in Focus

Alaska Air Group ALK unveiled disappointing third-quarter 2025 guidance, citing issues related to higher fuel expenses and operational issues. Delta Air Lines DAL also made headlines with its decision to launch flights from New York to Porto, Portugal. United Airlines UAL, meanwhile, received certification from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) for the first Starlink-equipped mainline aircraft.(Read the last Airline Roundup here).Recap of the Most Recent Important Stories1.  Alaska Air now projects its third-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share to be at the low end of its previously guided range of $1.00-$1.40. The downside has been attributed to higher fuel costs, coupled with operational challenges during the summer, which have weighed on unit costs.Notably, ALK has been witnessing high West Coast refining margins due to ongoing refinery disruptions. This has led to an increase in fuel cost expectations to the range of $2.50–$2.55 per gallon from the prior view of nearly $2.45 per gallon.Alaska Air currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.2. United Airlines announced that the FAA has certified its first mainline aircraft equipped with Starlink, with the inaugural commercial flight scheduled for Oct. 15. The certification comes less than five months after the Chicago-based carrier launched its first customer flight with Starlink on an Embraer 175 regional jet, and under a year since the airline signed the industry’s largest agreement of its kind with SpaceX. The partnership aims to provide MileagePlus members free access to Starlink’s high-speed, reliable Wi-Fi service across both mainline and regional fleets.3. Delta Air Lines will launch its first-ever daily nonstop service between New York-JFK and Porto, Portugal, starting May 21, 2026. The new route will provide customers direct access to one of Europe’s most vibrant coastal cities.This service marks part of Delta’s broader trans-Atlantic expansion, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to delivering more destinations, more flights and more elevated travel experiences for its customers.Airline Stocks' PerformanceThe following table shows the price movement of the major airline players over the past week and during the last six months.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchOver the past week, almost all airline stocks traded in the red, resulting in the NYSE ARCA Airline Index declining 3.7% Over the past six months, the NYSE ARCA Airline Index has risen by 7.5%.What’s Next in the Airline Space?Delta will begin the third-quarter 2025 earnings season for airlines on Oct. 9. With air travel demand stabilizing, passenger revenues are likely to have been impressive in the soon-to-be-reported quarter. High labor costs, however, are likely to have hurt the bottom line.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They includeStock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and ResilienceStock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the DipStock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the MarketStock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for GrowthStock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to SpringMost of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.Download Atomic Opportunity: Nuclear Energy's Comeback free today.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL): Free Stock Analysis Report Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks