Delta Air Lines believes it can achieve the best financial results in the airline’s history in 2025, after it capped a “great” 2024 with record fourth-quarter revenues.
The US major had earlier flagged its expectation that the October-December quarter would be its strongest ever, as it enjoyed buoyant demand in 2024, particularly for its premium products, in a trend that has seen it join United Airlines in powering ahead of compatriot carriers in its earnings.
“Our differentiated strategy and best-in-class operations, combined with demand strength and an increasingly constructive industry backdrop, position us to deliver the best financial year in Delta’s 100-year history, with pre-tax income greater than $6 billion, earnings per share greater than $7.35 and free cash flow of more than $4 billion,” Delta chief executive Ed Bastian said of 2025 on 10 January, as he outlined the “momentum” the carrier built up in its 2024 performance.
The airline saw four of the top 10 revenue days in the company’s history during November and December, it says, “driven by both leisure and corporate travellers” and high demand for its transatlantic services in particular. Amid that demand momentum, Delta expects its first-quarter 2025 revenue to be 7-9% higher on an adjusted basis, alongside rising capacity and unit revenue.
The carrier benefited from lower fuel costs in its full-year 2024 results, and particularly during the fourth quarter, when its overall expense was down 18%.
Delta’s consolidated fourth-quarter 2024 revenue of $15.6 billion was up 9% year on year, as it boosted its operating profit by 30% at $1.7 billion. Its net profit for the period was, however, down 59% at $843 million, largely driven by it swinging to a loss on investments.
For the full year, the carrier’s revenue of $61.6 billion was up 6% from 2023, with its operating profit of $6 billion up 9% and its net profit down by 25% at $3.5 billion.
Bastian says the business will be making $1.4 billion in profit-sharing payments to its employees in light of its 2024 performance.
