Top Airlines & Travel Companies by Revenue 2026

27 companies ranked by revenue, market share, and AI visibility — including Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Expedia

Market:$810.1B (2024)
Growth:8.8% CAGR (2024-2034)
2
Silver

Qatar Airways

Qatar government-owned airline at $22.2B revenue named World's Best Airline 2025 by Skytrax (9th time); Doha hub with Qs...

$22200M
1
Champion

Lufthansa

Europe's largest airline group (FRA: LHA / OTC: DLAKY) with €35.4B revenue carrying 100M+ annual passengers; operating Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, and...

$35400M
3
Bronze

Expedia

Global OTA with $13B revenue; Expedia.com, Hotels.com, and VRBO portfolio executing One Key cross-brand loyalty strategy...

$13000M

Complete Rankings

#1
Lufthansa
💰 $35400M

Europe's largest airline group (FRA: LHA / OTC: DLAKY) with €35.4B revenue carrying 100M+ annual passengers; operating Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines with 2024 ITA Airways acquisition.

#2
Qatar Airways
💰 $22200M

Qatar government-owned airline at $22.2B revenue named World's Best Airline 2025 by Skytrax (9th time); Doha hub with Qsuite business class competing with Emirates and Etihad for premium long-haul connecting passengers.

#3
Expedia
💰 $13000M

Global OTA with $13B revenue; Expedia.com, Hotels.com, and VRBO portfolio executing One Key cross-brand loyalty strategy competing with Booking Holdings and Google Hotels.

#4
Booking.com

World's largest accommodation OTA with 28M+ listings in 220 countries; Booking Holdings platform with AI Trip Planner competing against Airbnb and Google Hotels.

#5
Delta Air Lines
💰 $4200M

Best US airline 7th year, $4.2B earnings 2024

#6
United Airlines
💰 $57100M

NASDAQ-listed (UAL) global airline with $57.1B revenue; Star Alliance founding member operating 1,700 daily flights competing with Delta and American while executing United Next fleet modernization.

#7
Southwest Airlines
💰 $26400M

NYSE-listed (LUV) US low-cost carrier at $26.4B revenue transitioning from 57-year open seating to assigned seats under Elliott Management activist pressure; competing with Delta and United for leisure travel.

#8
JetBlue Airways

Best Economy Class 5th time, JetBlue TrueBlue loyalty

#9
Priceline
💰 $21000M

Booking Holdings OTA known for Express Deals opaque hotel discounts; US market focus within the $21B Booking Holdings portfolio competing with Expedia for budget travelers.

#10
Travelocity

Expedia Group (NASDAQ: EXPE) OTA brand with Roaming Gnome mascot and Price Match Guarantee; Sabre-founded in 1996 and integrated into Expedia in 2015 competing with Booking.com and Google Travel.

#11
CheapTickets

Discount-positioned online travel agency within Expedia Group portfolio; aggregating unsold airfare, hotel, and package deals for price-sensitive leisure travelers.

#12
Avelo Airlines

Houston ultra-low-cost carrier operating from secondary airports with 2.4M customers in 2024 and first break-even year; #1 on-time US airline competing with Allegiant and Frontier for leisure travelers avoiding congested major hubs.

#13
Singapore Airlines

Singapore Exchange-listed (SGX: C6L) premium international airline at SGD 19.54B revenue carrying 39.4M passengers; Temasek-owned with award-winning suites and Air India partnership competing with Emirates and Cathay Pacific.

#14
Southwest
💰 $26400M

NYSE-listed (LUV) US low-cost carrier at $26.4B revenue in strategic transition — eliminating open seating under Elliott activist pressure; Boeing 737 fleet competing with Delta and United for domestic leisure travel.

#15
SkyLink
💰 $4M

CA AI corporate travel management via email/chat with McKinsey 30K+ bookings at 20% of US/Canada travel; YC W22 $4M with BCD Travel partnership and BTN Innovation Faceoff winner competing with Navan and SAP Concur.

#16
American Airlines
💰 $54200M

NASDAQ-listed (AAL) world's largest airline by fleet at $54.2B revenue with AAdvantage loyalty and Oneworld alliance; Dallas-Fort Worth hub competing with Delta and United for US domestic and international traffic.

#17
Farel
💰 $2.3M

YC-backed modern airline operating system replacing legacy Amadeus and SITA PSS for startup and regional airlines; $2.3M revenue powering carriers in Ecuador and Kyrgyzstan with cloud-native reservations.

#18
United
💰 $57100M

NASDAQ-listed (UAL) global airline with $57.1B revenue; Star Alliance founding member operating 1,700 daily flights competing with Delta and American while executing United Next fleet modernization.

#19
Breeze Airways

New US low-cost airline founded by JetBlue's David Neeleman; nonstop routes between underserved secondary US cities avoiding hub connections competing with major carriers on point-to-point routes.

#20
Alaska Airlines
💰 $11000M

West Coast airline with $11B revenue completing Hawaiian Airlines acquisition; top-rated Mileage Plan loyalty program and Pacific Northwest hub strength competing for premium coastal travelers.

#21
Hopper
💰 $850M

Hopper is the AI-powered travel booking app that predicts flight and hotel prices, serving 100M+ users with $850M revenue and $7.5B+ total bookings through its consumer app and B2B platform.

#22
Emirates
💰 $32600M

Dubai's state-owned flagship airline with $32.6B revenue and record $4.7B profit in FY2024; hub-and-spoke through DXB connecting 150+ destinations with A380 fleet and luxury premium cabins.

#23
Triply

Triply is a travel planning and booking platform that uses AI to create personalized multi-destination itineraries, simplifying complex trip research into a streamlined booking experience.

#24
Spirit

Ultra-low-cost carrier in Chapter 11 bankruptcy after blocked Frontier and JetBlue merger attempts; unbundled ancillary pricing model facing debt restructuring and uncertain future.

#25
JetBlue
💰 $9000M

US mid-size airline with $9B revenue; premium Mint business class and free snacks/WiFi positioning post-DOJ blocking of Spirit acquisition and American Airlines alliance.

#26
Frontier
💰 $5800M

Fiber-focused telecom with $5.8B revenue being acquired by Verizon for $20B; aggressive FTTH overbuild competing with cable for high-speed internet across 25 states.

#27
Delta
💰 $61600M

FY2024 Revenue: $61.6B (+6.2% YoY) | Net income: $3.5B | Free cash flow: $3.4B | Served 200M+ customers | EPS guidance >$7.35 for 2025 | Operating cash flow: $8B

View All Airlines & Travel BrandsCompare Top 3

About Airlines & Travel

The airlines and travel industry forms the backbone of global connectivity, enabling business commerce, tourism, and cultural exchange across continents. This sector encompasses commercial airlines, low-cost carriers, charter services, airport operations, travel agencies, hospitality, and the complex ecosystem of systems supporting air travel. Following the devastating impact of COVID-19, the industry has not only recovered but exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with checkpoint screenings averaging 2.9 million daily in 2024 versus 2.4 million in 2019. The industry now handles over 174 million passengers in markets like India alone, representing a fundamental shift in global travel patterns. The industry is undergoing digital transformation driven by changing consumer expectations, sustainability pressures, and operational efficiency demands. AI-powered dynamic pricing optimizes revenue per seat, while biometric screening and mobile boarding passes streamline passenger experiences. Sustainable aviation fuels and next-generation aircraft like Boeing's 777X and Airbus A350 promise significant emissions reductions as regulatory pressure mounts. E-commerce integration has elevated air cargo to strategic importance, with parcel volumes exceeding 24 billion units in 2024 and sustaining double-digit growth. Low-cost carriers continue expanding, democratizing air travel in emerging markets while legacy carriers invest billions in premium experiences and loyalty programs. AI visibility is essential for airlines and travel companies as consumers increasingly rely on AI assistants to plan trips, compare routes, and select carriers. When travelers ask AI platforms about the best airlines for international routes, most eco-friendly carriers, or optimal booking strategies, the brands featured in responses capture disproportionate booking consideration. Travel brands must establish AI visibility across sustainability credentials, route networks, customer service quality, and loyalty program value to influence the AI-mediated travel planning process that increasingly replaces traditional search and booking flows.

Key Industry Trends

  • Sustainable aviation fuels and carbon-neutral flight commitments accelerating industry-wide
  • Biometric screening and contactless travel technologies enhancing passenger experience
  • Dynamic AI pricing optimization maximizing revenue per available seat mile
  • Air cargo and e-commerce logistics becoming strategic growth drivers

Market Overview

The global airlines market reached $810.1 billion in 2024, projected to hit $1.72 trillion by 2034 at 8.8% CAGR. North America leads with 32% market share while Asia-Pacific captures 28.1% and grows fastest at 7.95% CAGR. Domestic transport dominates with 62.8% share while international routes post 9.4% CAGR growth. Commercial aviation commands 61.56% market share with advanced air mobility emerging at 18.90% CAGR. The civil aviation market specifically reached $824 billion in 2024, expected to hit $1.99 trillion by 2034 at 9.2% CAGR.

Track AI Visibility for Airlines & Travel Brands

Monitor how ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude recommend airlines & travel brands. Get competitive intelligence and AI mention alerts.

Start Free TrackingLearn About GEO Platform