Delta Air Lines Shares Concerning Update About 2025 Travel

This year has been a mixed bag for airlines. Heading into 2025, the International Air Transport Association predicted "record profits for the global airline industry, with total net profits increasing $5.1 billion compared to 2024, with the North American industry accounting for about 40 percent of that increase," notes ALPA.

But, that didn't happen. The government shutdown and tariffs impacted travel, and as ALPA adds, "the pace of global economic growth is being shaped by trade developments," but that "after raising tariffs to unprecedented levels, the United States has partly reversed course" in the second half of the year.

So, it's been a wild ride for the airline industry, and now, airlines are sharing their numbers from the year. They're also explaining the reasoning behind their numbers.

Delta Air Lines Gives Earnings Update

On Wednesday, Dec. 3, Delta Air Lines shared the concerning news that the airline cost them an estimated $200 million, according to CEO Ed Bastian. It was the airline's first announcement about the financial impact of the shutdown.

According to Bastian, refunds "grew significantly" and booking slowed down due to the uncertainty resulting from the 43-day shutdown, making Delta lose roughly 25 cents per share." The shutdown resulted in long delays at airports and many flight cancelations. In the second months of the event, the Federal Aviation Administration gave out an emergency order forcing commercial airlines to cancel up to 6 percent of their domestic flights to ensure safe air travel.

"When you’ve got the secretary of transportation telling people we don’t have controllers, questioning the safety at some level of travel, which has never before happened,” Bastian said at the time.

A Silver Lining for the Travel Industry

The good news is that Bastian said that he thinks the shutdowns are behind them. He added that Delta Air Lines had a healthy and busy Thanksgiving week.

"I think we’re through it and it was transitory,” Bastian said. “We’re looking forward to a strong December, a strong close to the year.”

According to research from AAA, Thanksgiving travel in 2025 broke records, with an estimated 81.8 to 82 million Americans traveling at least 50 miles, marking a brand new record.