American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) has seen its stock price fall by 30.5% over the past five years, with a market capitalization of just $9.2 billion, significantly lower than Delta Air Lines' $54.6 billion and United Airlines' $37.3 billion. The company's fuel costs for Q2 2026 surged by 83.3% year-over-year to $4.881 billion, causing its operating profit margin to compress from 7.9% to 2.7%. The company has adjusted its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings per share guidance to a range between a loss of $0.65 and a profit of $0.65. Furthermore, American Airlines rejected a merger offer from United Airlines in April 2026 on antitrust grounds, meaning its CEO, Robert Isom, will have to bridge the unit revenue gap independently through fleet upgrades and premium cabin expansion.