TickerHumSide-by-side comparison
Southwest Airlines vs United Airlines
As of Nov 11, 2026, P/E is 22.7x for Southwest Airlines vs 10.9x for United Airlines; P/S is 0.7x for Southwest Airlines vs 0.6x for United Airlines; revenue growth is 14.5% for Southwest Airlines vs 12.3% for United Airlines; operating margin is 4.4% for Southwest Airlines vs 7.5% for United Airlines.
What stands out
- United Airlines Holdings is cheaper on earnings: 10.9x P/E vs 22.7x for Southwest Airlines.
- Southwest Airlines carries less debt relative to equity: 0.51 vs 1.38 for United Airlines Holdings.
- Southwest Airlines's shares did better over the past year: +39.8% vs +18.9% for United Airlines Holdings.
Key metrics
| Metric | LUV | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $46.61 | $118.90 |
| Market cap | $22.82B | $38.63B |
| P/E | 22.7x (#2) | 10.9x (#1) |
| P/S | 0.7x (#2) | 0.6x (#1) |
| Revenue growth | 14.5% (#1) | 12.3% (#2) |
| Operating margin | 4.4% (#2) | 7.5% (#1) |
| Net margin | 3.3% (#2) | 5.5% (#1) |
| Debt / equity | 0.51 (#1) | 1.38 (#2) |
| 1-year return | +39.8% (#1) | +18.9% (#2) |
| Research score | 58/100 (#1) | 53/100 (#2) |
Higher is better for growth, margins, one-year return and overall score; lower is better for valuation and debt ratios. Ties share a rank and missing values are excluded.
Company research
- Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) — Airlines
- United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) — Airlines