Delta Air Lines reported financial results for the December quarter and full year 2024 and provided its outlook for the March quarter and full year 2025.  Highlights of the December quarter and full year 2024, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are on page six and incorporated here.

"2024 was a great year for Delta with our results reflecting differentiation from the industry and increased durability.  Our people finished the year strong, delivering industry-leading operational and financial performance.  Sharing Delta's success is core to our culture, and I'm excited to recognize our people's outstanding efforts with $1.4 billion in profit sharing payments next month," said Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer. 

"As we move into 2025, we expect strong demand for travel to continue, with consumers increasingly seeking the premium products and experiences that Delta provides.  Our differentiated strategy and best-in-class operations, combined with demand strength and an increasingly constructive industry backdrop, position us to deliver the best financial year in Delta's 100-year history, with pre-tax income greater than $6 billion, earnings per share greater than $7.35 and free cash flow of more than $4 billion."

December Quarter 2024 GAAP Financial Results

• Operating revenue of $15.6 billion

• Operating income of $1.7 billion with an operating margin of 11.0 percent

• Pre-tax income of $1.2 billion with a pre-tax margin of 7.7 percent

• Earnings per share of $1.29

• Operating cash flow of $1.9 billion

• Payments on debt and finance lease obligations of $1.5 billion

• Total debt and finance lease obligations of $16.2 billion at quarter end

December Quarter 2024 Non-GAAP Financial Results

• Operating revenue of $14.4 billion

• Operating income of $1.7 billion with an operating margin of 12.0 percent

• Pre-tax income of $1.6 billion with a pre-tax margin of 10.8 percent

• Earnings per share of $1.85

• Operating cash flow of $1.8 billion

Full Year 2024 GAAP Financial Results

• Operating revenue of $61.6 billion

• Operating income of $6.0 billion with an operating margin of 9.7 percent

• Pre-tax income of $4.7 billion with a pre-tax margin of 7.6 percent

• Earnings per share of $5.33

• Operating cash flow of $8.0 billion

• Payments on debt and finance lease obligations of $4.0 billion

Full Year 2024 Adjusted Financial Results

• Operating revenue of $57.0 billion, 4.3 percent higher than the full year 2023

• Operating income of $6.0 billion with an operating margin of 10.6 percent

• Pre-tax income of $5.2 billion with a pre-tax margin of 9.1 percent

• Earnings per share of $6.16

• Operating cash flow of $8.0 billion

• Free cash flow of $3.4 billion

• Adjusted debt to EBITDAR of 2.6x, down from 3.0x at the end of 2023

• Return on invested capital of 12.9 percent

Financial Guidance¹

2025 guidance for earnings greater than $7.35 per share is more than 10 percent growth year-over-year compared to a normalized 2024 earnings per share baseline, excluding the 45-cent impact of the CrowdStrike-caused outage in the September quarter.  On a non-GAAP basis, 2025 earnings per share guidance represents greater than 19 percent growth year-over-year.