UPDATE 2-US Airways to postpone some plane deliveries

* Delivery of Airbus planes delayed

* Completed sale of 10 Embraer 190 aircraft

* Shares close more than 6 pct higher

(Adds fuel cost update from filing, background, updates shares)

ATLANTA, Nov 24 (Reuters) - US Airways Group Inc (LCC.N) said on Tuesday that it has taken steps to improve its cash position and decrease capital spending that include delaying some airplane deliveries.

The carrier also lowered its fuel-cost projections for the fourth quarter and full-year 2009 in a regulatory filing after markets closed.

The U.S. carrier said its plans to extend certain debt maturities and eliminate the need to access aircraft finance markets would enhance liquidity by about $150 million by the end of this year and generate about $450 million of projected liquidity improvements by the end of 2010.

"The airlines want to preserve what liquidity they have," said Michael Derchin, an analyst with FTN Equity Capital Markets. "When the economy does rebound, they want to be in a position to start to generate some profits and generate some operating cash flow."

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Airways said it now expects to pay between $2.01 and $2.06 per gallon for jet fuel in the fourth quarter, including hedges and taxes. In October, the airline projected fuel to cost between $2.08 and $2.13 per gallon for the quarter.

For the full year, U.S. Airways now projects fuel to cost between $2.08 to $2.13 per gallon, down from a previous range of $2.10 to $2.15.

US Airways shares closed up 20 cents, or 6.5 percent, to $3.30 in trading Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange.

DEFERING PLANE DELIVERIES

The company said it will defer delivery of 54 Airbus (EAD.PA) planes that had been previously set for between 2010 and 2012 to 2013 and beyond, a move that will cut its aircraft spending by about $2.5 billion over the next three years.

It also said that the beginning of its Airbus A350 XWB operations, under which plane deliveries were to start in 2015, is now postponed until 2017. The company said it will keep airplanes it had previously scheduled to replace until the deferred aircraft are delivered.

But the airline also said that it still plans to take delivery of two A320 and two A330 planes next year and an added 24 A320 aircraft in 2011 and 2012.

In its regulatory filing, the airline said it completed the sale of 10 Embraer 190 aircraft to Republic Airline, a subsidiary of Republic Airways (RJET.O).

The company also said it has agreed with Barclays to lower the unrestricted cash condition tied to the advance purchase of frequent flyer miles.

US Airways has taken a number of moves this year to position itself for an eventual recovery in air travel. Last month, it said it would cut its staff by 3 percent, or 1,000 jobs, and shift operations to focus on four key cities and its shuttle service.

In August, US Airways and Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) agreed to swap take-off and landing rights at New York LaGuardia and Washington Reagan National airports.

Like other airlines, U.S. Airways also completed a share sale in recent months. The net proceeds from that sale, after costs, was about $137 million.

The carrier projects total mainline capacity will be down between 4 percent and 6 percent in 2009. Domestic mainline capacity is expected to drop between 8 percent and 10 percent. US Airways also said it expects revenue from cargo, baggage fees and other streams to come to more than $400 million this year.

(Reporting by Karen Jacobs, with additional reporting by Deepa Seetharaman in New York; Editing by Dave Zimmerman, Bernard Orr) ((karen.jacobs@thomsonreuters.com + 1 404 493 3656; Reuters Messaging: karen.jacobs.reuters.com@reuters.net))