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Delta CEO says AI could lift profits by as much as 50%
Delta said AI was influencing 3% of fares in 2025, with a target to reach 20% by year end.
Delta Air Lines is betting that artificial intelligence can materially improve its economics, with CEO Ed Bastian saying AI could eventually boost Delta profits by as much as 50% by enabling faster, smarter decision making and lower costs. Bastian also suggested the impact could move Delta's profit margin from roughly 10% to 15%, a shift he said could amount to billions of dollars.
In an interview discussed by Yahoo Finance, Bastian said AI could expand access to data and provide a clearer view of opportunities across daily airline decisions, including operations and maintenance. The company is also drawing on its existing revenue-management approach, where fares change based on factors like demand and seat availability.
Delta has been working with Fetcherr, an AI pricing company, to determine fares. The airline previously said in July 2025 that AI was influencing 3% of its fares and set a goal of reaching 20% by the end of that year.
Delta also outlined a longer-term concept it calls offer management, where traditional fare setting and inventory management could merge into a more dynamic approach that creates a price available for a specific flight, time, and customer. The airline described AI as a potential “super analyst” that can work around the clock to determine appropriate pricing.