Delta Reports Record $15.2B Q3 Revenue, Beats Forecasts

Delta Air Lines has reported record revenue of $15.2 billion and a profit of $1.4 billion for Q3 2025, reflecting an 11 percent jump compared to the same quarter last year.

This strong performance was announced as part of Delta’s Q3 earnings report, marking one of the most successful quarters in the airline’s history.

The Q3 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) were $1.71, beating analyst predictions by nearly 12 percent, while revenue of $15.2 billion also exceeded forecasts.

The company achieved an operating margin of 11.2 percent, primarily driven by strong demand for premium travel options, such as first class and Delta Premium Select, which saw revenues increase by approximately 9 percent.

The growing preference for premium seats is a clear major driver, and for the first time in the company's history, Delta projects that revenue from premium seats will surpass that of economy seats by 2027.

This shift is fueled by increased demand from high-paying leisure travelers and a recovery in corporate travel, which rose 8 percent during the quarter.

According to Delta president Glen Hauenstein, sales trends have accelerated over the last six weeks across all geographic regions and in every advance purchase window.

This positions Delta to finish 2025 strongly, with expectations for revenue growth in Q4 potentially reaching 4 percent.

On September 11, 2025, Delta shares dropped 4.4 percent in morning trading.

At the Morgan Stanley Conference the same day, Delta predicted its third-quarter revenue growth forecast to be 2-4 percent year over year. The company noted challenges filling economy-class seats, especially on domestic routes, while revealing that premium cabins generate over 50 percent of Delta’s revenue.

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