# Airlines cut flights as jet fuel hits 20-year highs

> American, United, and Southwest are scrapping their least profitable routes to cope with fuel costs that have doubled in a year.
- Title: Airlines cut flights as jet fuel hits 20-year highs · Fortune
- Summary: American, United, and Southwest are scrapping their least profitable routes to cope with fuel costs that have doubled in a year. Fewer airline routes mean…
- Keywords: american airlines, united airlines, southwest airlines, jet fuel prices, airline routes, flight cuts, iran oil supply, airline costs, airfare increases, ryanair, budget airlines, Airlines
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/09/18/airlines-cut-least-profitable-flights-jet-fuel
- Author: Mia Osmonbekov
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: american airlines, united airlines, southwest airlines, jet fuel prices, airline routes, flight cuts, iran oil supply, airline costs, airfare increases, ryanair, budget airlines
## Fuel costs force airline cuts
American, United, and Southwest announced this week they're cutting their least profitable routes as jet fuel climbs to $4.71 per gallon, more than double the cost a year ago.

> You're just going to want to pull a little capacity out when we see a rise in fuel like we're seeing right now.
## American adds $1 billion in costs
American Airlines CFO Devon May said the fuel spike has added $1 billion to the company's projected fourth-quarter expenses, forcing it to cut some December flights and plan for less growth next year.
## Southwest and United follow suit
Southwest cut its capacity growth projection in half to 1-1.5% due to fuel costs. United's CFO said some routes near the bottom of its profitability curve no longer make financial sense in a higher fuel environment.

> There's some marginal routes that don't make sense in a higher fuel environment, so we cut them.
## Travelers face fewer options
Fewer routes mean fewer flight choices, less convenient times to fly, and more layovers instead of nonstop trips for American travelers already paying 23.4% more for airfare than a year ago.
## Iran oil shock hits global airlines
War in Iran has choked off global oil supply, hitting jet fuel particularly hard. United and American spent $8.2 billion and $7.8 billion on fuel in the first six months of 2026, up 49% from a year earlier.
## European budget airlines also squeezed
Ryanair, one of Europe's largest budget airlines, cut its full-year passenger forecast from 216 million to 214 million. CEO Michael O'Leary warned oil prices could hike up the airline's famously cheap European flights.
## Key takeaway

Fewer airline routes mean fewer flight options and higher fares for travelers already paying 23% more than last year.