Delta posts double-digit profits for 2018 despite higher fuel costs

Published January 15, 2019 2:03pm ET



Increases in premium ticket sales and higher cargo revenue underpinned double-digit profit growth at Delta Air Lines last year despite a nearly $2.3 billion jump in fuel costs.

Overall, revenue grew 8 percent for the year to $44.1 billion, while net income rose 23 percent to $3.9 billion or $5.67 per share. Cargo revenue increased 16 percent to $865 million and sales of premium products, like business and first-class seating, grew 14 percent to nearly $14 million, helping to offset the 34 percent rise in fuel costs.

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