US Airlines Could Cut Costs as Passengers Shed Pounds with GLP-1 Medications: Study Insights
Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
Airlines are poised to save a staggering $580 million annually as travelers shed pounds, thanks to the rising popularity of weight-loss drugs, according to a recent study. This financial relief is particularly significant for the top four U.S. airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, which will benefit from reduced fuel costs associated with lighter passengers.
Sheila Kahyaoglu, an equity analyst at Jefferies and the study’s author, emphasizes that airlines have historically been meticulous about managing aircraft weight, from the types of olives served on flights to the paper stock used for in-flight materials. However, passenger weight has largely been beyond their control. “It only makes sense that the weight of their passengers also impacts their costs,” Kahyaoglu remarked in an interview with The New York Times.
TARGET BEEFS UP PROTEIN, SUPPLEMENT OFFERINGS, CAPITALIZING ON WEIGHT LOSS DRUG TREND
United Airlines and American Airlines planes sit on the tarmac as snow begins to fall at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2022. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
This report emerges as weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy gain traction across the United States.
AMERICA’S OBESITY CRISIS MEETS THE OZEMPIC BOOM AS DATA REVEALS GLP-1 HOT SPOTS
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 43.12 | +0.02 | +0.05% |
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 113.49 | -2.53 | -2.18% |
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 70.43 | -0.91 | -1.28% |
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 15.37 | -0.34 | -2.16% |
Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind Wegovy, is also developing an oral version of the drug, allowing customers to avoid injections altogether.
A photo illustration shows phentermine and topiramate weight loss drugs. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Novo Nordisk executive Dave Moore shared with Fox Business that the FDA approved the oral GLP-1 drug in December 2025, and it launched in U.S. markets earlier this month. “There are so many patients that have been on the sidelines just waiting because they didn’t really see themselves treating with an injection,” Moore stated on “The Claman Countdown.” He added, “Now that the pill is available, we are seeing a lot of excitement and a lot of activity.”
Costco is partnering with Novo Nordisk to bring members weight-loss drugs at a lower price. (Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Getty Images; Benoit Tessier/Reuters / Fox News)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
For those paying cash, the pricing for the semaglutide pill is more affordable than its injectable counterpart. Insured customers can expect to pay around $25 a month, while uninsured individuals will pay approximately $149 monthly, as reported by FOX Business anchor Liz Claman.
Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
Airlines are poised to save a staggering $580 million annually as travelers shed pounds, thanks to the rising popularity of weight-loss drugs, according to a recent study. This financial relief is particularly significant for the top four U.S. airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, which will benefit from reduced fuel costs associated with lighter passengers.
Sheila Kahyaoglu, an equity analyst at Jefferies and the study’s author, emphasizes that airlines have historically been meticulous about managing aircraft weight, from the types of olives served on flights to the paper stock used for in-flight materials. However, passenger weight has largely been beyond their control. “It only makes sense that the weight of their passengers also impacts their costs,” Kahyaoglu remarked in an interview with The New York Times.
TARGET BEEFS UP PROTEIN, SUPPLEMENT OFFERINGS, CAPITALIZING ON WEIGHT LOSS DRUG TREND
United Airlines and American Airlines planes sit on the tarmac as snow begins to fall at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2022. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
This report emerges as weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy gain traction across the United States.
AMERICA’S OBESITY CRISIS MEETS THE OZEMPIC BOOM AS DATA REVEALS GLP-1 HOT SPOTS
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 43.12 | +0.02 | +0.05% |
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 113.49 | -2.53 | -2.18% |
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 70.43 | -0.91 | -1.28% |
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 15.37 | -0.34 | -2.16% |
Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind Wegovy, is also developing an oral version of the drug, allowing customers to avoid injections altogether.
A photo illustration shows phentermine and topiramate weight loss drugs. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Novo Nordisk executive Dave Moore shared with Fox Business that the FDA approved the oral GLP-1 drug in December 2025, and it launched in U.S. markets earlier this month. “There are so many patients that have been on the sidelines just waiting because they didn’t really see themselves treating with an injection,” Moore stated on “The Claman Countdown.” He added, “Now that the pill is available, we are seeing a lot of excitement and a lot of activity.”
Costco is partnering with Novo Nordisk to bring members weight-loss drugs at a lower price. (Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Getty Images; Benoit Tessier/Reuters / Fox News)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
For those paying cash, the pricing for the semaglutide pill is more affordable than its injectable counterpart. Insured customers can expect to pay around $25 a month, while uninsured individuals will pay approximately $149 monthly, as reported by FOX Business anchor Liz Claman.
