American Airlines canceled more than 400 flights on Wednesday, representing roughly 15% of its schedule, as of 6 a.m. ET, making it the worst-hit carrier during Winter Storm Fern. The airline recorded over 9,000 total cancellations over the storm period, marking the largest weather-related disruption in its history. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport saw four inches of snow in 48 hours and six hours of ice pellets, straining ground crews and aircraft de-icing operations. In response to stranded cabin crews and broken work sequences, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants announced that flight attendants would receive double pay for all flights on Wednesday, a move designed to stabilize staffing levels and incentivize crews to return to service amidst widespread hotel shortages and logistical challenges.

In its Q4 earnings release, American Airlines reported record quarterly revenue of $14.0 billion, despite a $325 million negative impact from the U.S. government shutdown. Full-year 2025 revenue reached $54.6 billion, up from the prior year. GAAP net income for the quarter was $99 million, or $0.15 per share, while adjusted net income rose to $106 million, or $0.16 per share, after excluding special items. The carrier reduced total debt by $2.1 billion in 2025, finishing the year with $36.5 billion of debt and $9.2 billion of available liquidity. Premium cabin unit revenues outperformed main-cabin yields, and systemwide bookings in the first three weeks of January showed double-digit year-over-year growth, driven by corporate and high-yield leisure customers.

American Airlines projects 2026 adjusted earnings per share in a range of $1.70 to $2.70 and free cash flow exceeding $2 billion. First-quarter capacity is expected to be down 1.5 percentage points due to storm disruptions, resulting in a $150 million to $200 million revenue headwind and a 1.5 point increase in unit costs excluding fuel and profit sharing. The airline forecasts first-quarter revenue growth of 7% to 10% and system available seat-miles up 3% to 5% year over year. Investments include a shift to a 13-bank schedule at Dallas-Fort Worth to improve on-time performance, rollout of free high-speed satellite Wi-Fi for loyalty members, and continued premium cabin and lounge enhancements to capture high-spend segments and strengthen long-term loyalty program value.