Delta sees improved travel demand, revenue in third quarter
Travel demand and revenue continued to improve for Delta Air Lines in the third quarter of 2025 after a slump earlier this year, according to the company’s financial results released Thursday.
CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview that the results lay the groundwork for a fourth quarter he expects “to be at or better than” any fourth quarter financial performance in company history.
He said it was too soon to tell whether the company will break any annual profit records in 2026 — as he had originally predicted for 2025 — “but I’m hoping it will be a significant improvement over this year.”
The Atlanta-based airline on Thursday said it expected its full-year profit to be about $6 earnings per share.
That is in the middle of the range it had predicted last quarter, but still well below its original 2025 forecast of $7.35.
Those plans were disrupted by what Bastian calls “the ‘spring swoon,’ where geopolitical challenges and tariff announcements had a pretty negative impact on consumer confidence.”
“Glad to say we’re through that and on the rise,” he said.
The company, which had previously instituted a hiring freeze, is hiring about 1,000 new flight attendants again, Bastian said.
Next year it will likely add 2,000–3,000 new employees, except in its corporate ranks.
The company is not letting any of those employees go, he noted, but will “be a little tight on hiring” as it assesses how technology will affect its resource needs.
In the third quarter, the company’s cash sales were up compared with last quarter, and its main cabin domestic revenue has also improved over the second quarter, he pointed out.
Its other revenue streams, including loyalty programs, premium ticket sales and its American Express partnership, are also continuing to drive growth and represent about 60% of the company’s total revenue, it stated in a news release.
The airline had third quarter operating revenue of nearly $16.7 billion, up 6%, and net income of $1.4 billion, up 11%.
Delta confirmed corporate airline ticket sales are continuing to rebound after tariffs and economic uncertainty caused a major drop earlier this year. Corporate sales this quarter have increased about 8% over the same time last year.
According to a survey of Delta’s corporate customers, about 90% of companies expect their travel to increase or stay flat next year, the airline said.
About the Author
As a business reporter, Emma Hurt leads coverage of the Atlanta airport, Delta Air Lines, UPS, Norfolk Southern and other travel and logistics companies. Prior to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution she worked as an editor and Atlanta reporter for Axios, a politics reporter for WABE News and a business reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
