American Airlines Group (AAL) vs Frontier Group (ULCC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Frontier Group (ULCC) has outperformed American Airlines Group (AAL) over the past year, gaining 38.0% versus a gain of 10.2%. Over five years, AAL leads with a -35.7% price change compared with -62.7% for ULCC. American Airlines Group is the larger company by market cap ($8.51 billion vs $1.40 billion), about 6.1 times the size.
On valuation, American Airlines Group trades at a lower forward P/E (8.6x vs 20.1x for Frontier Group).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | AAL | ULCC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $12.85 | $6.07 |
| Market cap | $8.51B | $1.40B |
| 1-day change | -1.15% | -2.88% |
| YTD return | -16.18% | +28.87% |
| 1-year return | +10.21% | +37.95% |
| 5-year return | -35.69% | -62.67% |
| Forward P/E | 8.61 | 20.13 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.48 | $-1.63 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $54.63B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +0.78% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $111.00M | — |
| Operating margin | 2.69% | — |
| Net margin | 0.20% | — |
| 52-week high | $18.79 | $8.41 |
| 52-week low | $10.09 | $3.02 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -31.61% | -27.78% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | — |
| Avg. price target upside | +25.60% | — |
| Average volume | 77.00M | 3.14M |
| Shares outstanding | 661.97M | 230.22M |
| Employees | 143,400 | — |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Air Freight/Delivery Services | Air Freight/Delivery Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- American Airlines Group is about 6.1 times larger than Frontier Group by market value ($8.51B vs $1.40B).
- ULCC has outperformed AAL by 27.7 percentage points over the past year.
About American Airlines Group
AAL stock →American Airlines Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a network air carrier in the United States, Latin America, Atlantic, and Pacific. The company provides scheduled air transportation services for passengers and cargo through its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C., as well as through partner gateways in London, Doha, Madrid, Seattle/Tacoma, Sydney, and Tokyo.
Consumer Discretionary · Air Freight/Delivery Services · 143,400 employees
AAL vs ULCC FAQ
Which is bigger, American Airlines Group or Frontier Group?
American Airlines Group (AAL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $8.51B compared with $1.40B for Frontier Group (ULCC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, AAL or ULCC?
ULCC returned +37.95% over the past 12 months, compared with +10.21% for AAL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are American Airlines Group and Frontier Group in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Air Freight/Delivery Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.