A look back at U.S. airlines' wild 2024: From door plugs to bankruptcy, an IT meltdown and a merger

A door panel blew off a nearly new Boeing 737 Max 9.5 just five days into the year .

The drama-filled year also included an activist campaign in Southwest , an IT meltdown that stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers during the height of summer travel, and the first major U.S. airline merger since 2011 .

Holiday demand broke records and airline executives say bookings are strong into 2025 .

Spirit filed for bankruptcy protection, the first major U.S. carrier to do since American Airlines in 2011 .

Allegiant Airlines is turning a profit again and is trying to go upscale, planning to outfit its planes with first -class domestic seats.

JetBlue , Alaska and Allegiant have enjoyed solid profits and enjoyed a surge in its stock price of more than 70% this year .

The carrier updated its fourth-quarter guidance that came in ahead of analyst estimates.

Analyst: "Sun Country's revenue diversity provides the company with an economic moat that has allowed the carrier to maintain profitability during even the most volatile and intensely competitive quarters since the pandemic".