Head to head · SEC data as of September 11, 2026
Delta
77
Quality score · out of 100
United Airlines
73
Quality score · out of 100
Delta comes in ahead: a quality score of 77 versus 73 for United Airlines. Delta wins on earnings growth (79% vs 56.5%) and less debt (1.02× vs 2.32×). United Airlines doesn't take a single major metric today.
| Metric | Delta | United Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Quality score (0-100) | 77 | 73 |
| Net margin | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| Gross margin | — | — |
| ROE | 18.1% | 20.9% |
| Net debt/EBITDA | 1.02× | 2.32× |
| FCF margin | 5.4% | 4% |
| Revenue growth (annualized) | 28.7% | 29.3% |
| Earnings growth (annualized) | 79% | 56.5% |
TTM metrics with official SEC data, refreshed daily. Bold green marks the winner of each metric. A dash means the metric doesn't apply or isn't reliable.
Delta. Delta Air Lines is America's best-run airline: a global network from Atlanta, a premium fleet and a loyalty program (SkyMiles) whose American Express partnership generates billions apart from flying. Selling seats is only half its story.
United Airlines. United Airlines is one of America's three global airlines, strong on international routes and its Chicago, Newark and San Francisco hubs. Its bet of the decade: growing in aircraft and premium seats while rivals shrink.
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What this comparison doesn't tell you
The score measures business quality, not whether the stock is cheap or expensive: the better company can be the worse investment if you overpay. For the valuation verdict, enter each one's current price in the analyzer:
Who has the stronger fundamentals today, Delta or United Airlines?
By the StockSemáforo model (profitability, growth and financial strength, built on official SEC data), Delta scores higher: 77 versus 73 out of 100. The score is recomputed nightly with the latest filings.
Does that make Delta the better investment?
No. The score measures business quality, not valuation: an excellent company can trade at an excessive price and be a poor investment at that price. To find out whether it's cheap or expensive, enter its current quote in the StockSemáforo analyzer.
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Who's behind the methodology and model · how the score is computed
Data: official SEC filings (EDGAR) · Recomputed on September 11, 2026
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