Delta Air Lines (DAL) bills itself as the "premium" U.S. airline. Passengers appear to be buying in.

With customers increasingly paying for seats at the front of the plane, leaving upgrades in short supply, Delta reported record fourth-quarter revenue and operating profit on Friday.

Delta hammered home the "premium" messaging in its report, using the word 11 times. But there is substance behind it: While main cabin ticket sales rose 2% year-over-year in Q4, "premium products" ticket revenue surged 8%. For the year, main cabin sales were essentially flat at a tick below $25 billion, while premium revenue was up 8% to $20.6 billion.

Consumers are "increasingly seeking the premium products and experiences that Delta provides," CEO Ed Bastian said.

Shares of Delta soared 10% in recent trading, among the biggest gainers in the S&P 500 on a day when the index is down 1.5%.

Delta 'Profit Sharing Day' Coming Next Month

All this newfound "premium" profit may lead to a lucrative Valentine's Day for Delta employees.

Delta said Friday that on its next "Profit Sharing Day"—Feb. 14, or Valentine's Day—eligible employees "will receive an estimated payout of 10% of their eligible earnings, representing an average five weeks in additional pay." That amounts to a cumulative $1.4 billion as their share of Delta's 2024 profits, it said.

The company has given out more than $1 billion in profit sharing over the past 10 years, Delta said.