SkyWest NASDAQ: SKYW reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $101 million, or $2.54 per diluted share, as stronger flying demand helped offset higher fuel costs in its prorate business, executives said on the company’s earnings call.
President and Chief Executive Officer Chip Childs said the quarter reflected increased block hours and “very strong demand both in our contract and pro-rate flying despite a higher fuel cost.” He said demand allowed the company to offset about 60% of the fuel impact in the fare portion of its prorate business.
During the quarter, SkyWest operated nearly 228,000 flights and delivered a 99.9% adjusted completion rate, Childs said. Executives also emphasized the company’s fleet growth plans, including a new agreement with American Airlines for 11 Embraer E175 aircraft, and a $250 million increase to SkyWest’s existing stock repurchase authorization.
Revenue rises as block hours increase
Chief Financial Officer Robert Simmons said SkyWest generated second-quarter GAAP pre-tax income of $139 million, up 29% from the first quarter. Total revenue was $1.1 billion, up 9% from the first quarter of 2026 and up 7% from the second quarter of 2025.
Second-quarter revenue included $864 million of contract revenue, $201 million of prorate and charter revenue, and $38 million of leasing and other revenue. Simmons said the results included $27 million of previously deferred revenue recognized during the quarter. SkyWest ended the quarter with $214 million of cumulative deferred revenue to be recognized in future periods.
Fuel costs were a major headwind for the prorate business. Simmons said prorate fuel expense was $61 million in the second quarter, compared with $28 million in the year-earlier period. The $33 million increase reflected both higher fuel prices and increased prorate production. SkyWest’s prorate fuel price was $4.45 per gallon in the second quarter, up from $2.88 in the second quarter of 2025 and $3.40 in the first quarter of 2026.
For the full year, Simmons said SkyWest expects block hour production to rise approximately 5% from 2025. The company anticipates GAAP earnings per share “in the $11 area” for 2026, subject to continued prorate fuel volatility. That outlook assumes an average jet fuel price of $3.65 per gallon for the second half of 2026 and 28 million gallons needed for the prorate business during that period.
American deal adds to E175 growth plan
SkyWest announced an agreement with American Airlines for 11 new E175s, with deliveries scheduled in 2026 and 2027. Wade Steel, president and chief operating officer of SkyWest Airlines, said the aircraft are expected to replace 11 CRJ700s currently flown under contract with American.
Steel said SkyWest expects to place those CRJ700s with one of its major partners through prorate agreements, capacity purchase agreements or traditional leases. He added that some could potentially be converted to CRJ550s for partners.
SkyWest is scheduled to purchase the 11 E175s from Embraer. Four of the American aircraft are expected near the end of the fourth quarter of 2026, while the remaining seven are heavily weighted toward the first half of 2027, Steel said during the question-and-answer session.
The company currently has 67 future E175s on firm order with Embraer, including 16 for Delta, 11 for American and seven for United. Steel said 34 of those aircraft are allocated to major partners, while 33 are not yet assigned. He said the order locks in delivery slots from 2027 through 2032, but includes flexibility to defer or terminate aircraft if SkyWest does not arrange for a partner to take them.
With the American agreement, SkyWest’s E175 fleet is scheduled to reach 300 aircraft by the end of 2027, continuing its position as the largest E175 operator in the world, Steel said.
CRJ conversions and prorate flying remain priorities
Executives highlighted ongoing efforts to transition toward an all dual-class fleet. Steel said SkyWest is preparing to deploy the CRJ450 for United later this year and expects to convert four to six aircraft per month beginning this fall. The company expects to have 40 CRJ450s under contract with United and sees the opportunity potentially reaching 100 aircraft.
SkyWest also continues to convert CRJ700s into CRJ550s. Steel said 36 CRJ550s were in service as of June 30, with the remaining 14 under a 50-aircraft United agreement expected to enter service this year.
In prorate flying, Steel said demand remains “extremely strong,” supported by community engagement. SkyWest added 10 aircraft to prorate agreements during the quarter and is continuing to evaluate opportunities to restore service to underserved communities. The company is also operating eight aircraft under a reinitiated prorate agreement with American, with up to nine expected by year-end.
Childs said the company continues to see strong demand even as seasonal trends point to some fall moderation. He also said the shift toward an all dual-class fleet should support the company’s long-term prorate strategy.
Balance sheet, buybacks and capital spending
SkyWest ended the quarter with $601 million in cash, down slightly from $627 million in the prior quarter. Simmons said the ending cash balance reflected $122 million of debt repayments, $24 million of new debt financing for fleet deliveries, $139 million in capital expenditures, and $75 million of share repurchases.
The company repurchased 833,000 shares during the second quarter and had $63 million remaining under its existing authorization as of June 30. Simmons said the board approved an additional $250 million for share repurchases.
Simmons said SkyWest generated more than $460 million of EBITDA in the first half of 2026, despite the fuel cost headwind. Since the end of 2025, the company reduced total debt by approximately $100 million, invested more than $240 million in fleet-related capital expenditures and repurchased $150 million of shares.
For 2026, SkyWest expects approximately $700 million of capital expenditures. Simmons said about half of that amount relates to new E175 deliveries. The company expects to finance 11 new E175s this year, but still expects debt to trend lower over the next several years.
Executives said the company plans to continue allocating free cash flow across fleet investment, debt reduction and opportunistic share repurchases. Simmons said SkyWest expects to have more than 100 unencumbered E175s by the end of 2029.
Analysts focus on fuel, fleet placement and 2027 growth
During the question-and-answer portion of the call, analysts asked about the impact of fuel volatility on the prorate business. Childs said the company is in a “more stable position” than earlier in the year and continues to have constructive conversations with partners.
Analysts also pressed for details on the placement of aircraft returning from American and from third-party leases. Steel said SkyWest is in discussions with major partners about placing the aircraft in contract, prorate or leasing arrangements. He described contract economics as consistent with existing agreements, while leasing can have higher margin attributes and prorate margins remain more variable.
Asked about 2027 block hour growth, Steel said the company is still finalizing its plans and expects to provide more detail next quarter.
About SkyWest (NASDAQ:SKYW)
SkyWest, Inc NASDAQ: SKYW is a regional airline holding company that provides air transportation services through its primary subsidiary, SkyWest Airlines. The company operates flights under capacity purchase agreements with major carriers such as United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. By specializing in regional connectivity, SkyWest links smaller communities to larger hubs using a fleet of regional jets and turboprop aircraft.
Headquartered in St. George, Utah, SkyWest oversees all aspects of its airline operations, including flight scheduling, crew training and aircraft maintenance.
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