NEW YORK, Feb 8, 2026, 06:52 EST — Market closed
American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O) shares jumped 7.6% to finish at $15.24 on Friday, lifted by a sweeping rebound across airline stocks. Delta Air Lines climbed 7.9%. United Airlines surged 9.2%, while Southwest Airlines tacked on 3.3%.
Labor issues are back on the table for the stock as Monday approaches. CEO Robert Isom has agreed to sit down with the Allied Pilots Association, following a push by the union for board-level discussions after a recent storm and what it called subpar performance. In a letter seen by Reuters, Isom told the board and management that both sides were “aligned” in their goal to make American “the strongest airline possible.” 1
No question about Friday’s risk appetite—Dow smashed through 50,000, a record, and that milestone sent cash chasing transport stocks along with other cyclical plays. 2
Oil is still in play. Brent closed out Friday at $68.05 a barrel, with U.S. crude ending the session at $63.55. Traders remain alert to the possibility of renewed tensions near Iran—those talks in Oman went nowhere, with major sticking points unresolved. The risk of a supply jolt lingers. 3
American has flagged the fallout from January’s winter storm, saying it scrapped more than 9,000 flights and now expects to take a $150 million to $200 million hit to first-quarter revenue. Still, demand for premium seats — those higher-priced cabins with wider margins — remains central to its 2026 guidance. The storm disruption, CFO Devon May said, was “greater than any storm in the history of our company.” 4
Scrutiny from regulators is growing around U.S. aviation safety. House leaders announced plans for new legislation that would follow National Transportation Safety Board recommendations after the deadly January 2025 mid-air crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter that left 67 dead. Over in the Senate, Commerce Chair Ted Cruz called the incident’s recordings “make you sick to your stomach.” 5
Still, the rebound looks shaky. Should pilot negotiations break down, storms linger, or crude oil jumps, investors may quickly revert to seeing American’s recovery as fragile—and prone to setbacks.
Traders eyeing this week’s U.S. data lineup will get clarity soon: January’s jobs numbers land Feb. 11 and CPI hits two days later, both releases dropping at 8:30 a.m. ET, the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms. For AAL, Monday’s open sets the tone. 6
