Delta Captures 60% of Airline Industry Profits on Just 20% Market Share

Delta Air Lines posted $1.4 billion in second-quarter profit despite record fuel costs, signaling a split in the industry. Premium carriers with strong customer loyalty networks are weathering fuel shocks while low-cost rivals, squeezed by pilot wages and fuel bills, see margins compress. United and American's July results will reveal whether profit concentration among elite carriers persists industry-wide.