Delta Air Lines Reverses Guidance, Citing Economic Uncertainty and Tariffs

Delta Air Lines is making headlines over its decision to delay — in effect, walking back — its earlier 2025 guidance in which the airline suggested record profits for the year, according to CNN.

CNBC shared that Delta CEO Ed Bastian had, earlier in the year, stated that Delta was expecting the “best financial year in our history.” However, the outlet noted that the airline is now expecting Q2 revenue growth/loss of between -2% and 2% for the quarter versus last year, with only the most optimistic projection meeting Wall Street expectations of 1.9% growth.

Delta Scales Back Growth Plans Amid Economic Uncertainty

In more recent moves, the airline has signaled a pullback on expanding flights during the second half of 2025 due to weakened bookings and turbulent U.S. trade policies, with Bastian referring to the former as taking “the wrong approach.”

“In the last six weeks, we’ve seen a corresponding reduction in broad consumer confidence and corporate confidence,” Bastian told CNBC. He said that demand was generally “quite good” in January — but also that business “really started to slow” in the middle of February.

Bastian gestured toward main cabin bookings trending downward as of late, and that travel demand growth of 10% at the beginning of the year had since waned, largely due to headwinds such as companies reconsidering their business trips, the slashing of the federal workforce by President Donald Trump and the Elon Musk-helmed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and the troubled state of investment markets.

LSEG estimates for the company’s most recent quarter were somewhat sunny, however. Delta posted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.46 versus 38 cents expected and net revenue of $12.98 billion, the exact figure anticipated by Wall Street.

However, in remarks attached to the April 9 earnings release, Bastian signaled a rocky road ahead for the carrier.

“With broad economic uncertainty around global trade, growth has largely stalled,” Bastian said.

“In this slower-growth environment, we are protecting margins and cash flow by focusing on what we can control,” he added.