The airline is also cutting capacity.
A Delta Boeing 757-200 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Facing what CEO Ed Bastian calls “broad economic uncertainty,” Delta plans to retire some aircraft earlier than planned. The carrier also expects to limit capacity growth in the second half of 2025.
Previously, Delta anticipated 2025 to be its best year on record with 7% revenue growth. But bookings “really started to slow” in mid-February, Bastian told CNBC, noting that back-to-back high-profile aircraft accidents compounded this.
President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs have created even more uncertainty in the market. Bastian added that the White House is taking “the wrong approach.”
“The level of uncertainty that we’re facing coming out of the global trade discussions and skirmishes is a bit unprecedented,” Bastian told Yahoo Finance. “Our bookings are pretty good. They have a pretty good line of sight for the next 60 to 90 days, but beyond that, it’s a bit murky.”
Delta reported its first-quarter results on Wednesday, dropping its profit outlook for the year.
This year, the Atlanta-based airline expects moderated fleet growth alongside future capacity cuts.
Delta finance chief Dan Janki said on the carrier’s earnings call that some Boeing 757s, 767s, and older A320s will be retired early.
“On the fleet, we now expect our net aircraft additions this year to be less than 1%, with 10 or fewer incremental aircraft as we manage both retirement and deliveries,” Janki said. “Lower growth and accelerated aircraft retirements will drive incremental maintenance savings.”
In 2024, the airline retired around 20 aircraft. But Janki said 30 or more jets could be phased out this year.
A Delta Boeing 767-300ER at London Heathrow (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Accelerated aircraft retirements on older aircraft is one line of defense, in addition to capacity cuts to off-peak domestic main cabin, Delta President Glen Hauenstein shared.
Delta expects fewer than 10 net additions to its fleet this year and will defer any aircraft hit with a tariff. The airline is slated to only receive new jets from European manufacturer Airbus.
“ So when … we look at retirements, we’ve always talked about we’d operate in this range of 20 to 30 [aircraft]. I think we’ll be at 30, probably above, maybe as it relates to retirements,” Janki added.
United is also retiring some aircraft early amid capacity cuts, its CEO said last month.
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