United Cuts December Flights as Fuel Costs Rise

United is cutting some December flights; Southwest halved planned 2026 capacity growth; and American expects slower 2027 growth if fuel prices remain elevated.

Strong demand is not enough to keep every flight on the schedule. American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are reassessing service as higher jet fuel costs make their least profitable departures harder to justify.

The immediate concern for travelers is straightforward: Some flights planned for the final months of 2026 will not operate, and further adjustments could extend into 2027. Executives discussed the changes on September 16, with United identifying December cuts and American warning of possible capacity adjustments, according to TravelPulse.

These are not blanket cuts across every airline network. United is removing some planned flights, while Southwest has reduced its planned capacity growth. The distinction matters. Slower expansion does not necessarily mean an airline will operate less service than last year, but it does mean less than previously planned.

Higher Jet Fuel Prices Change the Route Economics

CNN reported that the average price of jet fuel reached $4.56 a gallon on Thursday, September 17, citing Argus Research. That was the highest level since early May, although still below April’s peak. It is a price snapshot, not a fixed cost for the months ahead.

The pressure has already shown up in airline spending. United, Delta, American and Southwest together paid nearly 80% more for fuel from April through June than they did a year earlier, according to CNN. TravelPulse reported that American alone had added $1 billion to its fourth-quarter costs because of jet fuel.

Revenue is still growing. American CEO Robert Isom said he felt “really good” about the airline’s projected third-quarter revenue, which it expected to rise 16% to 19% from last year, according to TravelPulse. Yet higher sales do not automatically keep every departure profitable when fuel costs climb.

What American, United and Southwest Are Changing

United has been explicit about the near-term changes. It reported that it was cutting some December flights and might cut more in the first quarter of 2027, TravelPulse reported. Those possible additional cuts are not the same as a finalized schedule for next year.

Southwest had already reduced its planned 2026 capacity growth by half because of higher fuel prices, according to TravelPulse. Its chief financial officer, Tom Doxey, also indicated that persistently high fuel costs could prompt further trimming, according to CNN.

American’s longer-term outlook is conditional, too. Skift reported that Isom expected capacity “trade-offs” and slower growth in 2027 if fuel prices stayed elevated. His comments at the Morgan Stanley Laguna investor conference concerned future capacity planning.

The latest moves follow earlier responses to the fuel surge. CNN reported that airlines had already trimmed summer schedules and raised baggage fees. The cost pressure is now reaching the final months of the year rather than ending with summer.

Higher Fares Have Not Stopped Strong Demand

Travelers are already paying more. Airfares in June, July and August were about 25% higher than a year earlier, according to Consumer Price Index figures cited by CNN. That measures increases already recorded; it is not a forecast for the price of an individual holiday ticket.

United Chief Financial Officer Michael Leskinen said airlines were not seeing signs of weakening demand despite higher fares and fees, according to CNN. TravelPulse also quoted him describing United’s fourth-quarter bookings as “tremendously strong.”

The airline’s priority is profitability rather than growth for its own sake. “We are not flying to maximize market share. We're flying to maximize profitability and free cash generation,” Leskinen said, according to TravelPulse.

Which Flights Are Most Exposed?

United, American and Southwest had not identified the specific flights to be trimmed later this year, CNN reported. The announcements therefore do not establish which airports, routes or individual reservations will be affected.

Leskinen explained the economics this way: “There are some routes that were on the lower end (of profitability), they get pushed into not profitable when fuel spikes like this,” according to CNN.

Airline newsletter author Zach Griff told CNN that these tend to be flights favored by bargain hunters rather than business travelers. Examples include less-traveled departures on Tuesdays or Saturdays, and very late-night or early-morning flights. Those are expert assessments of likely targets, not confirmation that any particular departure will disappear.

Budget Travelers Face Fewer Low-Cost Options

The schedule changes come alongside other pressures on cheaper air travel. CNN reported that Spirit Airlines halted operations in May following the first fuel surge, while Frontier was among the budget carriers trying to shift toward premium offerings. Griff said those developments meant fewer options for budget travelers.

Smaller low-cost airlines also face limits on how much of the fuel bill they can recover through fares. Skift reported that ultra-low-cost carriers could not raise fares as much as their larger rivals. The Association of Value Airlines, representing Allegiant, Frontier, Avelo and Breeze, had approached congressional offices but had received no indication that Congress would consider relief measures.

For holiday travelers, the picture is narrower than an across-the-board retreat: Some planned flights are being removed, growth is being reduced, and further cuts depend partly on fuel prices. Strong bookings are not preventing airlines from reconsidering their lowest-return service.