MONEY · BUSINESS
Southwest Cuts Profit Forecast on Fuel Costs
Southwest Airlines cut its 2026 profit forecast because jet fuel costs rose faster than its fares.
Transcript of the video edition
Southwest Airlines just cut its profit forecast for this year. The reason is simple: fuel got more expensive.
In the third quarter, jet fuel cost three dollars and ninety-two cents a gallon. Southwest had planned for less.
The company now expects adjusted earnings of two sixty to two eighty-five per share, down from its earlier range of three twenty-five to four twenty-five. Fuel is one of the biggest costs for any airline, so a jump like this hits profits fast. Airlines usually respond with higher fares or fewer flights.
Southwest’s own third-quarter profit beat expectations. Watch for fuel prices next. They’re the number to follow.
Sources
- CNBC, Oct 21, 2026: ‘Southwest Airlines cuts 2026 profit forecast on higher fuel’
- Reuters via Investing.com and US News & World Report, Oct 21, 2026
- Southwest SEC filing (8-K) for the quarter ended Sept 30, 2026
This video edition was scripted with automated tools from the sources listed, narrated by a synthetic voice and published by Daniel Varrone. Corrections: editor@monochromechronicles.com