Delta May Lead Airlines’ Profit With More Fliers, Fewer Seats

Delta Air Lines Inc. and UAL Corp.’s United Airlines may lead U.S. carriers to the first quarterly profit in two and a half years as the industry benefits from cutting seats during the recession.

A revival in business travel is filling planes to record levels and helping boost average fares collected by airlines. The recovery is occurring amid the busiest time of the year for air travel, allowing carriers to build cash and mend their balance sheets.