Berkshire Hathaway discloses a new stake in Delta Air Lines, indicating a return to airlines after Buffett-era exits

Berkshire Hathaway’s new bet on Delta Air Lines marks a notable pivot for an investor that exited major airline holdings during the early phase of the COVID-19 downturn. In a regulatory filing made public in mid-May, Berkshire Hathaway reported beneficial ownership of 39,809,456 shares of Delta, representing 6.1% of the airline’s common stock class. The disclosure was accompanied by market coverage that characterized the stake as a roughly $2.65 billion position established during the quarter ended March 31, 2026.

The disclosure arrives shortly after Berkshire’s leadership transition from Warren Buffett to Greg Abel. Reuters, citing the company’s regulatory filing, described the portfolio changes as part of a first-quarter reshuffling following Abel’s promotion to succeed Buffett as Berkshire’s chief executive. In that same period, Berkshire sold many smaller positions, including stakes tied to payments networks and managed care, while adding to its exposure to other public equities.

On the buy side, Reuters said Berkshire disclosed the Delta investment alongside a smaller stake in Macy’s, and it described a significant increase in its stake in Alphabet, the parent of Google. On the sell side, Reuters reported that Berkshire exited or trimmed several well-known holdings, including, UnitedHealth Group, Visa, and Mastercard. S&P Global similarly described the first-quarter moves as a broad cleanup under Abel, with complete exits from managed care and payments names.

Berkshire’s exit from airlines came in April 2020, when the company sold Delta and similar percentage stakes in other carriers shortly after the pandemic spread. Reuters said the new Delta stake followed a post-pandemic rebound in air travel, but also noted that airlines have been dealing with cost pressure, including rising fuel expenses tied to conflict and geopolitical uncertainty. The same Reuters report said Delta was viewed favorably by investors when the stake became public, with Delta shares rising in after-hours trading.

While the Delta disclosure confirms Berkshire’s sizeable ownership, it does not, by itself, clarify the internal allocation of responsibility for the stake or the specific investment account that managed the purchase. Reuters reported that Berkshire’s filing did not say which investments were overseen by Abel or Ted Weschler, and the Schedule 13G document identifies Berkshire Hathaway and related reporting persons without providing an explicit breakdown of which executive or sub-adviser handled the Delta buy.

For Delta, Berkshire’s ownership stake matters mostly as a announcement. Delta operates in a highly cyclical, capital-intensive industry where consumer demand, labor costs, and fuel prices can swing earnings. External large investors often influence market narratives about balance-sheet durability and long-term operating discipline, even though any single stake should not be treated as a guarantee of future outcomes. In this case, the combination of Berkshire’s return to airlines and its broader rotation away from sectors that dominated recent years is likely to draw investor scrutiny to Delta’s operating performance and cost control.

What remains uncertain is the extent to which Berkshire intends to hold, add to, or reduce the position over time. The company does not provide a buy-and-hold thesis in the Schedule 13G filing, and the regulatory disclosures tied to the period end March 31 are unlikely to reveal detailed internal valuation work. Delta also did not comment immediately on the stake disclosure in the Reuters report.

Investors and company watchers will likely look next for any follow-on moves in Berkshire’s subsequent quarter filings and for indicates from Delta’s own results and guidance on margins, unit revenue trends, and fuel-related risks. The immediate test will be whether Delta can translate a favorable demand backdrop into sustained profitability as costs remain volatile and competition for corporate and premium travel continues to evolve.