Head to head · SEC data as of July 10, 2026
Delta
80
Quality score · out of 100
United Airlines
77
Quality score · out of 100
On paper this one is nearly a draw: Delta scores 80 and United Airlines scores 77 out of 100 in our fundamental quality model. Delta wins on earnings growth (90.9% vs 64.3%) and less debt (0.99× vs 1.66×).
| Metric | Delta | United Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Quality score (0-100) | 80 | 77 |
| Net margin | 6.9% | 6.1% |
| Gross margin | — | — |
| ROE | 22% | 23.1% |
| Net debt/EBITDA | 0.99× | 1.66× |
| FCF margin | 6% | 5.3% |
| Revenue growth (annualized) | 29.1% | 29.9% |
| Earnings growth (annualized) | 90.9% | 64.3% |
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?
They're practically tied: Delta and United Airlines score 80 and 77 out of 100 in the StockSemáforo model (profitability, growth and financial strength, built on official SEC data). 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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