Market Check: How have travel stocks performed this year?
If you needed proof that the travel industry is roaring back after the pandemic, the stock market couldn’t show it better.
This year has seen a strong resurgence of many travel companies; so much so that it has the Travel Weekly team regretting not putting some money into these companies (well, some more so than others). But while many have thrived over the past year, others have struggled to make the same comeback – as you’ll see below.
The following analysis and table compare the stock price of each company at the start of the year (technically 3 January, which is when the respective markets opened for each stock) and the closing price this past Friday.
To say it’s been a turbulent year for Qantas would be the understatement of the century. A record profit and soaring demand for travel weren’t enough to deter the national carrier’s tarnished reputation impact on its share price and saw it finish nearly nine per cent below its price at the start of the year.
Qantas stock remained relatively consistent until late August when former CEO Alan Joyce was called to front a senate inquiry. His abrupt resignation soon followed, alongside announcements of ACCC investigations and a ruling that the airline illegally sacked almost 1700 ground workers, leading Qantas’ share price to drop approximately 25 per cent in two months.
But Qantas wasn’t the only poor performer in Aussie aviation this year. Not by a long shot.
Rex‘s share price nearly halved this year as the carrier struggled to compete in the cut-throat aviation industry. A series of route cuts announced during the year – a result of Qantas Group’s “pillaging” of its pilots, according to the regional carrier – hindered the carrier’s post-COVID return to form.
Air New Zealand also experienced a lacklustre performance, dropping almost 15 per cent, while American Airlines bucked the trend in the USA, jumping over five per cent this past year.
Agency side it was all looking up! Helloworld saw the largest increase this year, rising nearly 80 per cent and posting a $44m profit at the end of FY23.
Flight Centre Travel Group shot up over 35 per cent and saw similar results to its blue competitor, posting an underlying profit of $106m for FY23, while Corporate Travel Management‘s share price rose 28.92 per cent to complement its $92.5m profit.
Meanwhile, the above agencies’ online competitor Webjet jumped 14.12 per cent since the start of January which was heavily attributable to the stellar performance of WebBeds that outshone its pre-pandemic self.
Coming out as this year’s worst performer amongst these companies was the Star Entertainment Group. Star’s current share price sits at a third of what it was at the beginning of the year after investigations found a series of illegal activities taking place within the company at the end of 2022. This, and a series of executive changes, have put the group in a tough spot.
Everyone’s favourite plane manufacturer (or second favourite, it’s one or the other really) Boeing rose 35 per cent since January.
Hilton has continued its rise with a 41.75 per cent jump this year, putting the group at its highest-ever stock price of USD $177.23.
And it was looking incredibly good for the cruise industry this year as Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCLH respectively rose 140, 151 and 71 per cent. An enormous return for arguably the hardest hit sector of travel by the pandemic. Check out all the figures below!
| Company | Price at the start of the year | Friday’s closing price | Change (%) |
| Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) | $5.94 | $5.41 | – 8.92 |
| Flight Centre Travel Group (ASX: FLT) | $14.39 | $19.49 | + 35.44 |
| Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO) | $1.33 | $2.38 | + 78.95 |
| Webjet Ltd (ASX: WEB) | $6.16 | $7.03 | + 14.12 |
| Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) | $14.73 | $18.99 | + 28.92 |
| Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) | $1.55 | $0.52 | – 66.45 |
| Regional Express Holdings Ltd (ASX: REX) | $1.45 | $0.76 | – 47.59 |
| Air New Zealand Ltd (ASX: AIZ) | $0.68 | $0.58 | – 14.71 |
| Auckland International Airport Ltd (ASX: AIA) | $7.32 | $7.77 | + 6.15 |
| American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ: AAL) (USD) | $13.86 | $14.59 | + 5.27 |
| Boeing Co (NYSE: BA) (USD) | $195.39 | $264.27 | + 35.25 |
| Carnival PLC (NYSE: CUK) (USD | $7.06 | $16.96 | + 140.23 |
| Hilton Grand Vacations Inc (NYSE: HLT) (USD) | $125.03 | $177.23 | + 41.75 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NYSE: NCLH) (USD) | $11.86 | $20.36 | + 71.67 |
| Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE: RCL) (USD) | $48.71 | $122.52 | + 151.53 |
(Featured Image: iStock/HAKINMHAN)
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