DAL vs. UAL
DAL (Delta Air Lines, Inc.) and UAL (United Airlines Holdings, Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Airlines industry within the Industrials sector. Over the past 10 years, DAL returned 10.68%/yr vs 11.20%/yr for UAL. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure.
Performance
DAL vs. UAL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DAL achieves a 24.47% return, which is significantly higher than UAL's 6.13% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with DAL having a 10.68% annualized return and UAL not far ahead at 11.20%.
DAL
- 1D
- 2.07%
- 1M
- 12.84%
- YTD
- 24.47%
- 6M
- 19.87%
- 1Y
- 84.21%
- 3Y*
- 27.48%
- 5Y*
- 14.42%
- 10Y*
- 10.68%
UAL
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- 18.73%
- YTD
- 6.13%
- 6M
- 2.29%
- 1Y
- 59.80%
- 3Y*
- 31.12%
- 5Y*
- 16.58%
- 10Y*
- 11.20%
DAL vs. UAL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DAL Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 24.47% | 16.09% | 52.00% | 23.03% | -15.92% | -2.81% | -30.77% | 20.38% | -8.66% | 16.23% |
UAL United Airlines Holdings, Inc. | 6.13% | 15.16% | 135.34% | 9.44% | -13.89% | 1.23% | -50.90% | 5.21% | 24.23% | -7.52% |
Correlation
The correlation between DAL and UAL is 0.88, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 3, 2007 | 0.81 |
The correlation between DAL and UAL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.
Fundamentals
DAL:
$56.02B
UAL:
$38.78B
DAL:
$6.85
UAL:
$11.21
DAL:
12.54
UAL:
10.59
DAL:
0.08
UAL:
0.21
DAL:
0.86
UAL:
0.64
DAL:
2.75
UAL:
2.44
DAL:
$65.18B
UAL:
$60.47B
DAL:
$17.07B
UAL:
$38.71B
DAL:
$9.66B
UAL:
$7.99B
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Return for Risk
DAL vs. UAL — Risk / Return Rank
DAL
UAL
DAL vs. UAL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| DAL | UAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.83 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.96 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.22 | +0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.70 | 2.19 | +1.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.81 | 5.17 | +6.64 |
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Drawdowns
DAL vs. UAL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DAL drawdown since its inception was -81.93%, smaller than the maximum UAL drawdown of -93.50%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DAL and UAL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DAL | UAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -81.93% | -93.50% | +11.57% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -22.90% | -27.50% | +4.60% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -47.92% | -49.19% | +1.27% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -47.92% | -49.19% | +1.27% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -69.18% | -79.40% | +10.22% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.08% | +1.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -29.09% | -37.19% | +8.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.16% | 11.60% | -4.44% |
Volatility
DAL vs. UAL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) is 12.24%, while United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) has a volatility of 16.57%. This indicates that DAL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UAL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DAL | UAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.24% | 16.57% | -4.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 30.06% | 37.96% | -7.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 41.43% | 49.58% | -8.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 41.00% | 48.91% | -7.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 42.25% | 51.87% | -9.62% |
Dividends
DAL vs. UAL - Dividend Comparison
DAL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.87%, while UAL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DAL Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 0.87% | 0.97% | 0.83% | 0.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.00% | 2.57% | 2.63% | 1.81% | 1.37% | 0.89% |
UAL United Airlines Holdings, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
DAL vs. UAL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Delta Air Lines, Inc. and United Airlines Holdings, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
DAL vs. UAL - Profitability Comparison
DAL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Delta Air Lines, Inc. reported a gross profit of 4.54B and revenue of 15.85B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 28.6%.
UAL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 9.11B and revenue of 14.61B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 62.4%.
DAL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Delta Air Lines, Inc. reported an operating income of 501.00M and revenue of 15.85B, resulting in an operating margin of 3.2%.
UAL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 997.00M and revenue of 14.61B, resulting in an operating margin of 6.8%.
DAL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Delta Air Lines, Inc. reported a net income of -289.00M and revenue of 15.85B, resulting in a net margin of -1.8%.
UAL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 699.00M and revenue of 14.61B, resulting in a net margin of 4.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions
DAL and UAL have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UAL has higher volatility (16.57%) compared to DAL (12.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DAL dropped -81.93% vs UAL's -93.50%.
DAL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.05 vs 1.21), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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