** Shares of U.S. airlines with major international operations are set to finish 2025 at a comfortable altitude, propelled by premium air travel demand

** Strong demand from affluent travelers is helping airlines offset a pullback in spending by price-sensitive customers

** United Airlines UAL.O up about 14.3%, Southwest Airlines LUV.N up 23.6% and Delta Air Lines DAL.N shares up 14.3% in 2025, YTD

** However, the 43-days government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history affected flight operations nationwide

** American Airlines AAL.O down about 11.8% YTD

** YTD, smaller rivals JetBlue Airways JBLU.O and Alaska Air Group ALK.N shares down 41.5% and 22.5%, respectively

** Winter Storm Ezra disrupted holiday travel across the U.S. Northeast, Midwest and Great Lakes, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and delays

** U.S. carrier Alaska Airlines reported technology outage that grounded flights across the country and forced it to cancel more than 400 flights

(Reporting by Parth Chandna)

((Parth.Chandna@thomsonreuters.com;))