Investopedia·2026-01-12 18:41Group 1 - Major airlines are beginning to report earnings, starting with Delta Air Lines on Tuesday, followed by United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Southwest Airlines later in the month [1][5] - Investors are expected to focus more on forecasts for 2026 rather than fourth-quarter results, which were affected by a U.S. government shutdown and severe winter weather [2][5] - Airlines may provide optimistic outlooks for 2026 due to lower fuel prices and a potential recovery in demand following the end of the shutdown [2][3] Group 2 - Analysts and investors are looking for signs of improving travel demand heading into 2026, especially after a resilient holiday season despite previous economic uncertainties [3][4] - Financial pressures on many Americans have impacted travel demand, although higher-income consumers continue to spend, leading to growth in premium airline products [4] - "K-shaped" spending trends may persist, with higher-income consumers driving sales as premium revenue outpaces basic cabin growth [4]