Friday, May 15, 2026
Good Morning✈️☀️
200 Boeing jets were just places on order… and it’s not in the U.S.
🗞️Todays Headline: China Orders 200 jets from Boeing
President Donald Trump just announced yesterday that China has placed an order for 200 737’s after his meeting with China’s leader Xi Jinping.
Rumor was that the number was expected to be 500, so the market reacted with skepticism. Shares of Boeing (NYSE: BA) fell over 4% during market hours.
Incase you were wondering, that’s roughly over $20 billion dollars worth of jets.
Live look at Boeing (probably)
Airline Stocks📈
closing prices as of May 14, 2026
Ticker | Price | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|
Delta (DAL) | $71.55 | +0.69 |
United (UAL) | $96.02 | +0.32 |
American (AAL) | $12.70 | -0.01 |
Southwest (LUV) | $39.33 | -0.08 |
Delta posted a record adjusted Q1 revenue of $14.2 billion, though rising fuel costs continue to pressure margins.
🛩️ BUSINESS AVIATION
Jet-A Prices Stay Elevated as Fuel Market Remains Tight
The average price of a gallon of Jet-A fuel at U.S. FBOs reached $8.57 in May 2026 — up $2.09 compared to a year ago, though down slightly from April.
The Strait of Hormuz situation continues to drive global jet fuel costs well above pre-conflict levels.
Business aviation operators are feeling the squeeze most acutely on longer legs where fuel is the dominant variable cost. Smart operators are pricing this into their positioning strategy now rather than absorbing it on the back end.
🛫 GENERAL AVIATION
The FAA's 40-Year-Old NOTAM System Is Finally Gone
The FAA successfully retired the legacy US NOTAM System (USNS) and moved it into the cloud in April 2026 — completing Phase 1 of the overhaul a full year ahead of the originally projected late-2027 timeline.
The next phase will retire the legacy Federal NOTAM Service (FNS) later this year, after which the new NOTAM Management Service will become the single authoritative source for all NOTAMs.
The new cloud-based platform promises near-real-time data exchange and improved reliability — the kind of infrastructure upgrade that doesn't make headlines, but matters every single preflight.
✈️ COMMERCIAL AVIATION
Delta and United Post Record Q1 Traffic — American and Southwest Slip
While Delta and United reported strong year-over-year traffic growth and record Q1 highs, American Airlines and Southwest both posted declines for the quarter.
Delta's premium ticket revenue rose 14% to $5.4 billion, with corporate sales setting a quarterly record.
One thing is clear for the profits- carriers investing in premium cabin upgrades and corporate relationships are winning.
🛸Aviation and Aerospace stocks
Ticker | Price | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|
Joby (JOBY) | $10.64 | -0.42 |
Archer(ACHR) | $6.41 | -0.11 |
Garmin(GRMN) | $234.43 | +2.41 |
Boeing(BA) | $229.21 | -11.39 |
Lockheed Martin(LMT) | $520.41 | +0.47 |
Boeing took a massive hit after they were expected to get an order for 500 jets only came out to 200.
⛽ FUEL PRICES
National Averages — May 2026
Fuel | Avg. Price/Gal |
|---|---|
100LL | $7.25 |
Jet-A | $8.57 |
SAF | $10.30 |
The national average for 100LL sits at $7.25 per gallon, with SAF averaging $10.30 per gallon nationally. The steepest monthly increase was in the Western Pacific region, up 39 cents per gallon versus April.
🧠 DID YOU KNOW?
The Boeing 737 — the world's best-selling commercial jet — was originally designed in 1964 and first flew in 1967. The aircraft was so compact that its original design had the engines tucked beneath the wings in a distinctive "flat-bottom" pod shape because the landing gear was too short to hang them conventionally. Nearly six decades later, the 737 MAX family is still in production, still flying, and still at the center of international aviation deal-making — as today's China announcement proves.
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Flight Briefs is published for informational purposes only. Nothing herein constitutes financial, investment, or legal advice. Always conduct your own due diligence before making any investment decision.
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