New York, January 15, 2026, 09:53 EST — Regular session
- American Airlines shares rose about 3% in early trading, reversing part of this week’s pullback.
- Oil fell more than 2% after President Donald Trump’s remarks eased fears of escalation in Iran, a plus for airline fuel costs.
- Investors are also tracking Washington’s debate over capping credit-card rates ahead of American’s Jan. 27 results call.
American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O) shares rose 3.4% to $15.66 by 9:39 a.m. EST on Thursday, with about 3.5 million shares traded.
The stock’s bounce matters because airlines have been swinging with crude and with policy headlines that could touch the rewards ecosystem that carriers and banks share. The next few weeks also bring a fresh read on demand and pricing power as the sector moves through earnings.
Oil prices fell more than 2% after Trump’s comments helped cool fears of a wider Iran conflict, while U.S. inventory data showed a larger-than-expected crude build, Reuters reported. Fuel is one of airlines’ biggest costs, and traders tend to treat lower crude as a near-term tailwind.
At the same time, banks have pushed back against Trump’s call for a one-year 10% cap on credit-card interest rates starting Jan. 20. JPMorgan finance chief Jeremy Barnum said the proposal would be “very bad for consumers, very bad for the economy,” warning it could reshape credit availability and pricing. (Reuters)
Airlines have been pulled into the debate because co-branded cards — bank-issued cards that earn airline miles — generate billions of dollars of revenue tied to loyalty programs. Raymond James analyst Ed Mills and Jefferies analyst John Hecht told Barron’s they saw low legislative risk, with Hecht calling the idea “dead on arrival” in Congress. (Barron’s)
Delta Air Lines helped set the tone for the group earlier this week when it forecast about 20% earnings growth in 2026 on stronger premium and corporate demand, while flagging softer appetite for the cheapest seats. Delta also placed its first order for Boeing 787-10 jets, a signal the big carriers are still building around higher-margin travel. (Reuters)
For American, investors are likely to press for specifics on how fares and bookings are tracking after the holiday rush, and how much room management sees to lift margins without losing share. Cost control will be in the spotlight too, especially labor and maintenance.
American said it will webcast its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 financial results conference call on Jan. 27 at 7:30 a.m. CT. (American Airlines Newsroom)
But the setup is not clean. Oil can turn fast on fresh Middle East headlines, and the credit-card cap debate could still shift sentiment even if it goes nowhere. Any broader slowdown would likely hit the lowest fares first and pressure yields across the network.
