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DAL vs UAL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Delta Air Lines (DAL) vs. United Airlines Holdings (UAL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both DAL and UAL are major U.S. network carriers that posted record quarterly revenue recently, but sharply higher fuel costs pressured profitability at both companies.
- UAL trades at a notably lower valuation multiple and carries a larger implied upside among sell-side analysts than DAL, reflecting a different risk-reward profile.
- DAL offers a dividend and a stronger reputation for premium execution and operational reliability, while UAL leans more heavily on international and long-haul growth.
- Recent momentum, trend positioning, and relative valuation currently tilt the balance toward UAL in this head-to-head comparison.
- Tickeron AI Verdict: Based on observable trend consistency, valuation, and recent catalysts, Tickeron's AI would currently favor UAL over DAL.
- For deeper coverage, explore DAL Major News and DAL Today's Price Move, as well as UAL Major News and UAL Today's Price Move.
- To see how AI-driven strategies are positioning across the market, explore Trending AI Robots.
Introduction
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines Holdings are two of the largest U.S. full-service carriers, competing across domestic and international networks while pursuing premium-focused strategies. This stock comparison is relevant for investors and traders evaluating how two industry leaders with similar exposure to fuel costs, travel demand, and macroeconomic cycles diverge in valuation, momentum, and market positioning. Both have faced the same headwinds in recent weeks — elevated jet-fuel prices, labor cost inflation, and shifting fare dynamics — yet their relative performance and financial profiles differ meaningfully. Understanding these contrasts can help readers assess which name offers the more compelling risk-reward setup in the current environment.
DAL Overview and Recent Performance
DAL, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the world's largest airlines, operating a hub-and-spoke network spanning more than 300 destinations with major hubs in Atlanta, New York, Detroit, and Seattle. The company has built a reputation for premium service, operational reliability, and a strong loyalty and co-brand ecosystem.
In recent weeks, Delta reported record quarterly revenue alongside adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.72, as premium, loyalty, cargo, and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) revenue all grew at double-digit rates. However, sharply higher fuel costs and rising non-fuel unit costs weighed on profitability, with net income declining year over year. Management reaffirmed its full-year EPS outlook while projecting continued free cash flow generation and debt repayment. Sentiment has been further shaped by insider selling and management commentary on airport cost pressures. Despite these headwinds, DAL remains up roughly 20% year to date, supported by resilient demand and its premium positioning.
UAL Overview and Recent Performance
UAL, based in Chicago, is a major U.S. network carrier with hubs in San Francisco, Houston, Denver, and Newark. Its network is comparatively more focused on international and long-haul travel, particularly across the Pacific, and its "United Next" strategy emphasizes premium cabins, loyalty growth, and fleet efficiency.
United recently reported record third-quarter operating revenue of roughly $17.9 billion, up about 17% year over year, with EPS of $3.14. Premium, business, loyalty, and cargo revenue all grew at strong rates, though adjusted EPS of $2.54 narrowly missed analyst expectations as fuel expenses rose sharply. Management guided to accelerated revenue growth of more than 20% in the following quarter. The stock has also benefited from falling crude oil prices and an accelerated rollout of in-flight Wi-Fi, which lifted shares in recent trading. While UAL has been more volatile year to date, it trades at a lower earnings multiple and offers no dividend, reflecting its growth-oriented capital allocation.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The two carriers diverge in several important ways. In terms of valuation, UAL trades at a lower price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple than DAL, giving it a cheaper starting point relative to earnings. On growth drivers, UAL leans on international and long-haul expansion and a larger fleet-upgrade program, while DAL emphasizes premium domestic service, loyalty monetization, and operational reliability. Risk factors also differ: both face fuel and labor cost inflation, but DAL carries a dividend commitment and a more conservative balance-sheet posture, whereas UAL has no dividend and is more sensitive to global geopolitical and fuel-price swings given its international mix. Market sentiment favors both, with analysts rating each a consensus "Strong Buy," though the implied upside is larger for UAL.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Weighing trend consistency, valuation, catalysts, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would currently lean toward UAL over DAL. United's lower earnings multiple, larger implied analyst upside, and recent momentum — supported by falling oil prices, strong premium and loyalty growth, and an accelerated connectivity rollout — present a comparatively favorable setup. Delta's stability, dividend, and premium execution remain strengths, but its higher valuation and recent margin compression introduce more near-term uncertainty. This assessment is probabilistic rather than definitive and reflects current observable conditions, which can shift as earnings, fuel costs, and demand evolve.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) are two of the largest commercial airline companies in the world. Delta is larger, with an enterprise value of about $45B, while UAL has an EV of about $34B. Needless to say, 2020 was an extremely difficult year for airlines. UAL along cut 57% of its scheduled flight capacity compared to 2019 in response to the pandemic. They received support from the government and attempted to generate liquidity and perserve it as much as possible. Delta has taken some efforts to reduce their exposure to the cyclical nature of the industry, through partnerships with American Express and by investing in their repairs segment, which generates revenue from repairs to aircraft engines. UAL has engaged in similar diversification efforts, including partnerships with JP Morgan Chase and maintenance and repairs activities. UAL raise approximately $2B in 2020 through the issuance of additional shares.
DAL's MACD Histogram crosses above signal line
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for DAL turned positive on October 27, 2026. Looking at past instances where DAL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 35 of 45 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 78%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 27, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on DAL as a result. In 55 of 72 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 76%.
DAL moved above its 50-day moving average on November 02, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for DAL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on November 04, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 12 of 17 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 71%.
Following a +5.73% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where DAL advanced for three days, in 224 of 306 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 73%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 220 of 322 cases where DAL Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 68%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator demonstrated that the stock has entered the overbought zone. This may point to a price pull-back soon.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 10 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where DAL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 69%.
DAL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 09, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 7 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 13 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. DAL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 26 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 71, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 46 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 56 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (2.629) is normal, around the industry mean (2.379). P/E Ratio (14.366) is within average values for comparable stocks, (6.762). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.193) is also within normal values, averaging (2.252). Dividend Yield (0.010) settles around the average of (0.025) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.749) is also within normal values, averaging (0.529).
UAL's RSI Indicator ascending out of oversold territory
The RSI Indicator for UAL moved out of oversold territory on October 20, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 28 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In 23 of the 28 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at 82%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 27, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on UAL as a result. In 68 of 86 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 79%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for UAL just turned positive on October 27, 2026. Looking at past instances where UAL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 33 of 44 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 75%.
UAL moved above its 50-day moving average on November 04, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for UAL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on November 06, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 11 of 15 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 73%.
Following a +6.94% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where UAL advanced for three days, in 232 of 310 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 75%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 9 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
The 50-day moving average for UAL moved below the 200-day moving average on October 28, 2026. This could be a long-term bearish signal for the stock as the stock shifts to an downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where UAL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 75%.
UAL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 09, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for UAL entered a downward trend on October 29, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 22 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 32 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 33 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 71, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 42 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. UAL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 42 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 66 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (2.192) is normal, around the industry mean (2.379). P/E Ratio (10.449) is within average values for comparable stocks, (6.762). UAL's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (6.503) is slightly higher than the industry average of (2.252). UAL's Dividend Yield (0.076) is considerably higher than the industry average of (0.025). P/S Ratio (0.552) is also within normal values, averaging (0.529).
DAL | UAL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 35 | 36 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 56 Fair valued | 66 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 26 | 33 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 46 | 42 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 13 | 42 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 32 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | n/a | 22 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
DAL's Valuation (56) in the Airlines industry is in the same range as UAL (66). This means that DAL’s stock grew similarly to UAL’s over the last 12 months.
DAL's Profit vs Risk Rating (26) in the Airlines industry is in the same range as UAL (33). This means that DAL’s stock grew similarly to UAL’s over the last 12 months.
UAL's SMR Rating (42) in the Airlines industry is in the same range as DAL (46). This means that UAL’s stock grew similarly to DAL’s over the last 12 months.
DAL's Price Growth Rating (13) in the Airlines industry is in the same range as UAL (42). This means that DAL’s stock grew similarly to UAL’s over the last 12 months.
DAL's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the Airlines industry is in the same range as UAL (32). This means that DAL’s stock grew similarly to UAL’s over the last 12 months.
| DAL | UAL | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 82% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 61% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 79% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 75% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 81% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 74% | 2 days ago 81% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 75% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 24 days ago 69% | 24 days ago 75% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 51% | 2 days ago 67% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 77% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
DAL’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green while UAL’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- DAL’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- UAL’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
DAL’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UAL’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- DAL’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- UAL’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
DAL (@Airlines) experienced а +10.71% price change this week, while UAL (@Airlines) price change was +12.45% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Airlines industry was +5.74%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +8.91%, and the average quarterly price growth was +8.25%.
Reported Earning Dates
DAL is expected to report earnings on Jan 08, 2027.
UAL is expected to report earnings on Jan 20, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Airlines (+5.74% weekly)Airlines industry comprises passenger air transportation, including scheduled and non-scheduled routes. This can include charter airlines, as well as regular commuter ones. Discount pricing and the rise of low-cost carriers over recent decades have expanded the industry by making its services accessible to a much larger global population, compared to the older days when airline travel was a relative luxury for many people in the world. Delta Air Lines Inc., Southwest Airlines Co and United Continental Holdings, Inc. are some of the airlines with the largest stock market capitalizations in the U.S.
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DAL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, DAL has been closely correlated with UAL. These tickers have moved in lockstep 90% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if DAL jumps, then UAL could also see price increases.
UAL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UAL has been closely correlated with AAL. These tickers have moved in lockstep 85% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if UAL jumps, then AAL could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To UAL | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAL | 100% | +0.15% | ||
| AAL - UAL | 85% Closely correlated | -0.35% | ||
| ALGT - UAL | 77% Closely correlated | -2.59% | ||
| SKYW - UAL | 74% Closely correlated | +0.29% | ||
| LUV - UAL | 73% Closely correlated | +0.04% | ||
| ULCC - UAL | 67% Closely correlated | -3.11% | ||
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