Issues

Next time you’re in Las Vegas, don’t bet on the number six. In the first four months of 2026, passenger traffic at the city's airport was down 6% versus the same four months last year.

A key IATA AGM takeaway? The engine makers are winning. Airlines are paying more, waiting longer, and flying fewer aircraft than planned — and there's not much they can do about it.

It wasn't all that long ago that Iberia was fighting for survival. Today, it boasts Ryanair-like profitability. The Spanish flag carrier has transformed itself from a loss-making legacy laggard into a margin machine. How did Iberia pull it off — and can the success continue? We explore a great comeback in this week's feature story.

U.S. airline consolidation chatter is deafening. But it might be much talk about nothing. At last week’s Bernstein investor conference, airline CEOs poured cold water on the speculation. United’s Scott Kirby called the economics of buying JetBlue “mathematically close to impossible,” while Southwest’s Bob Jordan also downplayed dealmaking — even as he hinted at a future involving lounges, long-haul flying, and possibly first class. We unpack what these candid remarks reveal about the rapidly shifting U.S. airline landscape in this week's feature story.

When Spirit Airlines collapsed, Fort Lauderdale looked destined for decline. Instead, a new battle for South Florida is erupting. JetBlue is aggressively expanding, Frontier is rapidly rebuilding, and Breeze and Allegiant are flooding the market with new routes of their own. We examine the airport’s next chapter in this week’s feature story.

Singapore Airlines has a bad habit: buying into troubled airlines. Virgin Australia, Ansett, Air New Zealand — the list of regrettable investments is long. Now, its 25% stake in Air India is turning into perhaps the most painful bet yet. The timing couldn’t be worse. Even as Singapore Airlines itself benefits from booming premium demand and travelers rerouting through Changi instead of the Gulf, Air India is hemorrhaging money. Can SIA turn the investment around? We take a closer look in this week’s feature story.

Don’t worry, be happy? Despite surging fuel prices, labor unrest, and Middle East disruptions, Lufthansa Group insists it can emerge from the current crisis stronger than before. But beneath the confidence lies a more complicated reality. Can Europe’s largest airline group navigate another industry shock without losing altitude? We take a closer look in this week’s feature story.

Spirit Airlines is no more. The pioneer of ultra-low-cost flying in the U.S. was ultimately undone by surging fuel prices, failed bailout talks, and a model that couldn’t keep pace with a changing market. Its collapse sees 14,000+ jobs lost, reshapes competition across key routes, and presents a curious question: Who, if anyone, will fill the gap? We unpack the immediate fallout and ask what comes next in this week's issue.

Drama, drama, in the air. Drama, drama everywhere. The U.S. airline industry is witnessing dramatic changes indeed. No, United isn’t merging with American. But Southwest is quietly achieving a heroic turnaround, posting Delta-like profit margins. But as Southwest soars, Alaska Airlines is flying in the opposite direction. We take a closer look in this week’s feature story.

There are fewer flights departing U.S. airports today than in 2019 — even as seat counts have edged higher on larger aircraft. Growth overall has been modest, but a handful of markets tell a very different story. Few shine brighter than Puerto Rico, where booming tourism and shifting airline strategies have resulted in a remarkable surge. Now, rising fuel costs and industry shakeups are testing that momentum. We take a closer look in this week’s feature story.