Delta Air Lines obtained a net profit of 2.070 billion dollars (1.846 billion euros) between January and September, which represents a drop of 45% compared to the same period of the previous year. This setback occurs alongside a cut in its forecasts for the entirety of 2026, motivated by an increase of 6.000 billion dollars (5.352 billion euros) in costs associated with high fuel prices compared to 2025.
In parallel, revenues advanced 18% year-on-year in the first nine months of the year, reaching 55.797 billion dollars (49.776 billion euros), driven by a historic third quarter, supported by strong demand and the growing preference for air travel.
However, the increase in expenses was even greater, at 21%, totaling 51.978 billion dollars (46.369 billion euros). This increase was conditioned by a fuel expenditure of 4.100 billion dollars (3.657 billion euros), 62% more than a year earlier, which includes over 500 million dollars (446 million euros) in overruns compared to the forecast communicated in July, as detailed by the company in a statement.
In light of this context, its CEO, Ed Bastian, emphasized that the airline's ability to react is reflected in the "structural strength" it has built over "many years," which "allows us to successfully face one of the highest fuel price environments in recent times."
Looking ahead to the last quarter of the fiscal year, the company expects the demand surge to continue, with a revenue growth forecast close to 20%.
Despite this, Delta now estimates an earnings per share of between 5.10 and 5.60 dollars for the entirety of 2026, clearly below the range of between 6.50 and 7.50 dollars communicated in July, after having avoided offering projections in previous months.
As the first major U.S. airline to announce its results up to September, Delta's accounts serve as a reference for the possible behavior of the rest of the companies in the country, in a context marked by the conflict in the Middle East, which has triggered a sharp rise in fuel prices for the entire aviation sector.