Delta's revenue from premium seats like business class rose 6% in the first half of the year to $10.6 billion, while main cabin economy ticket revenue dropped 4% to $11.7 billion. The carrier, the most profitable U.S. airline, has said for years that its share of sales from high-end seats and its lucrative loyalty program has been growing.

The airline’s upbeat outlook for the year has been dimmed by economic turbulence in the U.S. that made people hesitant to book flights.

After withdrawing its outlook in April, Delta is again forecasting a profit—though at a significantly lower level than originally projected.

Delta topped Wall Street expectations for the quarter and reinstated full-year guidance. The company is feeling much more upbeat about the quarters to come than it was three months ago, propelling the stock higher.

Stocks are off to a sluggish start on Wall Street, while Delta Air Lines led a rally in airline stocks after releasing a solid outlook for the rest of 2025.

Delta Air Lines reinstated a profit outlook for the year and said travelers are coming back, prompting its stock to surge amid a fresh sense of confidence in the beaten-down U.S. consumer.

Delta Air Lines (DAL) on Thursday issued a new profit forecast for 2025, which came in above Wall Street expectations as the carrier expects travel to stabilize in the latter half of the year after U.