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Delta, boosted by premium ticket sales, says customers who go Comfort+ don’t go back

Delta’s third-quarter revenue beat Wall Street estimates on Thursday, led by 9% growth in its premium ticket category.

10/9/25 3:58PM

The lines for boarding zones 1 through 3 are about to get even longer, if Delta Air Lines is to be believed.

In its earnings call Thursday following the release of its better-than-expected third-quarter results, Delta executives highlighted the carrier’s strength in premium ticket sales. The category, which includes first class and business seats, grew 9% in the third quarter, compared to a 4% drop in economy ticket sales.

Delta sang the category’s praises, with CEO Ed Bastian saying that he thinks premium could overtake main cabin sales in a few quarters next year. The company has previously said it expects premium to eclipse economy by 2027.

According to Delta President Glen Hauenstein, premium has been boosted by repeat customers.

“I’ve equated it to: the car that you drive today, is it better than the first car you had? The answer is probably yes, and you don’t see many people going back to cars that are worse,” Hauenstein said. “I think once people get used to traveling in a certain product, whether it’s Comfort+, Delta Premium Select, or Delta One, they tend not to go back. Their retention rates are in the mid-80s.”

In the past decade, premium products like Comfort+ — which, according to Nerdwallet, offers about three extra inches of legroom — have grown from loss leaders to become the carrier’s highest-margin products, Hauenstein said.

Delta shares rose as much as 9% Thursday from Wednesday’s close, though gains pared down to about 4% by the late afternoon.

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American Airlines joins the flock, hiking bag fees amid higher jet fuel prices

American Airlines on Thursday announced that it, too, will be hiking the fees it charges customers to check luggage.

With the move, all four of the major US airlines, which together control about 80% of the US market, have now hiked their baggage fees in recent days amid surging jet fuel prices.

The change will go into effect on tickets bought on or after Thursday, the same day Southwest’s hike begins.

Since late March, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Canada’s WestJet, and Southwest have hiked their fees. Experts expect more major carriers to follow, and to potentially tweak the pricing of other ancillary revenue sources like seat assignments and carry-on luggage.

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The change will go into effect on tickets bought on or after Thursday, the same day Southwest’s hike begins.

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Less than a year after implementing them, Southwest is also hiking its bag fees

Southwest Airlines has joined the growing list of airlines opting to hike their bag fees amid sustained higher jet fuel costs.

Starting today, the first checked bag at the carrier — which implemented bag fees less than a year ago — will jump from $35 to $45, and the second from $45 to $55. Southwest quietly disclosed the change Tuesday.

Southwest assigned the decision to “part of an ongoing analysis of the business and against the evolving global backdrop.”

As of Wednesday, jet fuel prices dropped to $4.16 a gallon, per the Argus US Jet Fuel Index, down from $4.81 on Tuesday following President Trump’s ceasefire announcement, which sent travel stocks soaring. Major airlines have shed some of those gains in premarket trading Thursday.

With the move to hike bag fees, Southwest joins JetBlue, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Canada’s WestJet, all of which also boosted fees this month. Experts expect more major carriers to follow, and to potentially tweak the pricing of other ancillary revenue sources like seat assignments and carry-on luggage.

Three US airlines have already hiked baggage fees. More are likely on the way.