Delta Air Lines Ranks 2nd on Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers 2025” List and Reports Record Profit
Delta Air Lines made a strong mark on the third quarter of 2025 with both financial and corporate achievements. The airline ranked second on Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers 2025” list while also reporting one of the strongest financial results in its history.
In the ninth annual edition of Forbes’ list—evaluating 900 global companies—Delta rose four places compared to last year to secure the No. 2 spot. Forbes praised Delta for its employee-focused culture, highlighting how the company listens to its staff, responds swiftly to their needs, and fosters a positive workplace environment. Thanks to its “open-door policy,” employees can communicate directly with management. Additionally, senior executives regularly visit regional teams to share updates and engage with employees in person.
This culture of transparent communication allows Delta to turn employee feedback into tangible improvements. More than 40,000 employees have joined the “Emergency Savings Program” launched in 2023. The company also updated its flight privileges policy to grant employees an additional companion pass.
On the financial side, Delta delivered a robust performance, reporting $1.4 billion in profit for Q3 2025, bringing total profits for the first nine months of the year to $3.78 billion. For the December quarter, the airline expects an operating margin of between 10.5% and 12%, and adjusted earnings per share ranging from $1.60 to $1.90.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian commented on the results, stating:
“Delta’s competitive advantages and differentiation have never been more evident. Thanks to the dedication of our people, we continue to enhance the customer experience and strengthen our industry leadership. With strong execution discipline and improving fundamentals, we delivered a performance at the upper end of our expectations for the September quarter.”
Delta also topped Forbes’ August list of “America’s Best Employers,” ranking first in the states of Georgia, Michigan, and Utah.
