NEW YORK, Jan 13, 2026, 04:46 EST — Premarket
JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O) dropped 5.78% on Monday, closing at $4.89, underperforming bigger U.S. carriers even as Wall Street inched up. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines fell in the 1.5% to 1.8% range. Trading volume for JetBlue surged to 23.9 million shares, surpassing its 50-day average, with the stock sitting over 41% below its 52-week high. (MarketWatch)
This shift is crucial as investors scramble to factor in new policy risks tied to credit cards — a sector airlines depend on heavily. Co-branded cards, issued by banks under airline brands, bankroll loyalty programs that generate consistent cash flow when banks purchase points for rewards.
That question comes just hours ahead of a crucial macro report and the kickoff of airline earnings season. The Labor Department will publish December’s consumer price index at 8:30 a.m. ET, a release that often sways interest-rate expectations and sets the tone for the broader market. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
On the policy side, President Donald Trump has proposed a 10% limit on credit-card interest rates beginning Jan. 20, though he didn’t specify how companies would be forced to follow it. UBS Global analysts noted that implementing such caps would require “an Act of Congress” and warned of probable legal hurdles if attempted through an executive order.
JetBlue’s connections to that ecosystem run deep. A recent filing for its TrueBlue loyalty program mentions a “Barclays Co-Branded Agreement,” highlighting how the airline depends on bank partnerships that drive its points and card-based economics.
Economists surveyed by Reuters predict the CPI climbed 0.3% in December, with the “core” index — stripping out food and energy — also rising 0.3%. Oscar Munoz, TD Securities’ lead U.S. macro strategist, anticipates a “meaningful payback” following November’s report, which was skewed by price-collection problems linked to the government shutdown. (Reuters)
Delta will webcast its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results at 10:00 a.m. ET Tuesday. This call frequently influences early discussions on fares, costs, and demand within the airline industry.
United plans to report its results after the market closes on Tuesday, Jan. 20, with a conference call scheduled for the following morning. Southwest has set its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call for Jan. 29.
JetBlue investors are eyeing the upcoming update on the JetForward turnaround. The airline’s third-quarter report confirmed JetForward is set to generate $290 million in incremental EBIT by year-end. Full-year results are expected in January 2026. (JetBlue Investor Relations)
That said, the setup works both ways. If inflation runs hotter than forecast, rate sensitivity often jolts back into focus, hitting highly leveraged or operationally fragile carriers harder. Credit card policy headlines could shift fast too—from mere “noise” to a genuine threat to loyalty economics renegotiations.
JetBlue faces key moments Tuesday with the 8:30 a.m. CPI release and Delta’s webcast at 10 a.m. Traders will be digging for any new insights on the credit-card cap push. Closer to JetBlue’s own business, all eyes are on a firm timeline for its upcoming earnings report and the JetForward scorecard.
