Analysts bullish on US airlines as travelers prepare for ‘jailbreak’ Carriers eye breakeven operations amid rapid domestic reopening, but fewer flight options possible 1 781 8 minutes read U.S. airlines see light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but need to make many changes to their business model to grow again. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves) The U.S. domestic airline industry is moving toward recovery from the pandemic faster than previously estimated, although changes to route networks will make some destinations more difficult to reach for passengers and cargo shippers, according to analysts and executives. Consumer eagerness to travel has some carriers predicting they will soon break even from an operating standpoint and some market analysts saying consensus growth projections are too conservative.