American Airlines Stock Is Down 6% This Year: Is It Time to Switch to Delta or United?

American Airlines is trading at $14.47 Monday afternoon and is down 6% year to date, making it the laggard among major U.S. carriers despite a record quarter. Delta is up 27% YTD and United up 10%, while JetBlue has gained 16%. The article attributes American’s underperformance to balance sheet and cost structure, and to a widening profit gap that predates the recent fuel shock. In Q2 2026, revenue rose 16.3% to a company record $16.7 billion, driven by pricing. Adjusted EPS came in at $0.15 versus $0.05 consensus. But fuel expense jumped 83% to $4.88 billion, erasing much of the revenue gain.