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American Airlines Warns of Deeper 2026 Loss, Pitches 2027 Profit on Premium Push
American Airlines expects to close 2026 with a larger loss as jet fuel prices climb, but CEO Robert Isom told analysts the carrier can return to profitability in 2027 on the back of its premium cabin investments.
The Fort Worth-based carrier said Thursday that it now anticipates a deeper loss for the year, projecting it will pay as much as $4.70 a gallon for fuel in the fourth quarter.
Speaking on a call with analysts, chief executive Robert Isom said he expects the airline to be back in the black in 2027. "We think we can be profitable next year," he said, describing the outlook as grounded in the carrier's performance over the past twelve months.
Fuel has been the dominant drag. Isom said American's fuel bill has grown by $7 billion over the course of the year, and that absent that increase the airline would have been "solidly profitable."
American has been spending on upgrades to its passenger experience in an effort to win more premium travelers, a segment that has accounted for the bulk of industry profits. Isom said he is confident those investments will pay off next year.
The carrier's fourth-quarter fuel forecast of up to $4.70 a gallon underpins the wider expected loss for 2026, setting up the 2027 target as the company's central financial ambition.