Delta says government shutdown cost it $200 million, but forecasts strong travel demand into 2026

Delta Air Lines said the government shutdown that ended last month cost it approximately $200 million in pretax profit as bookings softened during the longest such impasse in U.S. history.

The airline said the earnings impact would be approximately 25 cents a share for the current quarter. In October, Delta forecast adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of $1.60 to $1.90 a share.

Travel demand, however, is still healthy, and bookings are strong going into 2026, Delta reiterated in a securities filing on Wednesday ahead of an industry conference.

Air traffic controller shortages worsened during the shutdown, and the Trump administration forced airlines to trim their schedules to relieve pressure on controllers. But even with that move, delays and cancellations ended up being higher than expected in the days before the shutdown ended.

Air traffic controllers, already stretched thin before the shutdown, were required to work without their regular paychecks during that period.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian and other airline executives have repeatedly pressed lawmakers and officials in Washington to ensure that air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration officers and other workers tied to air travel are paid in the event of another shutdown.