Transportation Secretary says US airlines have 'room for some mergers'
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- Sean Duffy said there is "room for some mergers in the aviation industry."
- He said any deals will be reviewed on a "case-by-case basis," and he doesn't want to see a monopoly form.
- The US aviation industry is dominated by four major airlines, each with about 17% market share.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he wouldn't mind seeing some US airlines merge.
In an interview with CNBC released on Tuesday, Duffy was asked if he would like to see bigger US airlines buying smaller ones.
"There's always chatter," Duffy replied. "But is there room for some mergers in the aviation industry? Yeah, I think there is."
He said President Donald Trump "loves to see big deals happen," and that the Trump administration and the Department of Transportation would have to review any deals on a "case-by-case basis."
Duffy added that if there were to be a merger between larger airlines, "they're going to have to peel off some of their assets," because he doesn't want "this massive infrastructure with one airline in America."
The US aviation industry consolidated into four major players: Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. According to 2025 statistics from the Bureau of Transportation, their market share ranges from 17.8% to 16.6% each.
Other airlines with smaller market shares include JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Spirit Airlines.
The four major airlines emerged from several high-profile mergers over the last two decades, including Southwest and ATA Airlines in 2008, Delta and Northwest Airlines in the same year, and United and Continental in 2010.
Some of the smaller airlines have attempted deals in recent years that have not come to fruition. JetBlue has tried to buy Spirit, while Spirit and Frontier have held on-and-off merger talks.
The Justice Department has stopped some mergers in recent years over antitrust concerns. In 2024, it blocked JetBlue’s $3.8 billion bid to buy Spirit — a budget carrier — saying the deal would raise fares for passengers.
The country's aviation industry has suffered multiple blows in recent months. It was thrown into chaos by a partial government shutdown that began in February, leading to unpaid TSA officers calling out of shifts and out-of-control crowds at TSA security checkpoints across the country.
Fuel prices have spiked because of the Iran war, and airlines such as United have responded by canceling some of their future flights. Others, like Southwest and Delta, are increasing checked bag fees.