Better Buy: Delta Air Lines vs. Southwest Airlines

Before the pandemic, many investors considered Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) to be two of the best companies in the sector. Operationally, it's been hard to beat Delta's strong performance over the past few years, whereas Southwest has long been cited as having the best balance sheet in the industry. Last week, Delta and Southwest declined 9.5% and 6.7%, respectively, presenting a potential buying opportunity for long-term investors looking to play a possible rebound in the sector.