Delta CSO: Why I’m optimistic about 2024 and our path to net zero

Delta’s mission to better connect the world has never been more important on our path to net-zero emissions by 2050 and a more sustainable future of travel. That’s why a year ago, we introduced a strategic roadmap for achieving our climate and sustainability ambitions. At Delta, we believe that what gets measured gets done, so our public strategy embraces short-, medium-, and long-term milestones to guide what we fly, how we fly and the fuel we use – all while supporting the elevated experiences Delta customers have come to expect.  

With over 90% of our carbon footprint coming from jet fuel, we are focused each day on reducing emissions in our own operation while working with industry stakeholders for longer-term decarbonization solutions. In 2024, we expect this work to further reduce fuel consumption by spurring policies and coalition building in support of decarbonization while driving cost efficiencies in our business.  

As our decarbonization work continues, we are also implementing sustainability measures across Delta in ways within our control today – like reducing single-use plastics on board. In fact, we’re currently testing a completely new paper cup design that, once implemented throughout our network, we expect will eliminate 7 million pounds of single use plastics (SUPs) on board annually – that’s the weight of 1,300 pickup trucks. 2024 will be a year that we continue building momentum for optimizing our provisioning on board (less weight on the aircraft burns less fuel) and across the ground experience while reducing waste.  

While we have a clear path for our work in 2024, Delta’s overarching environmental sustainability strategy is designed to be durable for the long term – here are some ways we’re already seeing that plan in action:  

1. Sustainability is a core consideration for business decisions.

Our sustainability road map entails influencing business decisions ranging from what we fly and how we fly, to the fuel we use to get there. 

What We Fly 

Delta has invested heavily in state-of-the-art aircraft that ensure safe, reliable and premium customer experiences while delivering superior fuel efficiency, including: 

• The A321neo, that Delta started taking delivery of in 2022, is 20% more fuel efficient than aircraft we retired in its class. Delta is currently operating 48, with a total of 155 scheduled to be flying in our colors by the end of 2028; 

• The A220, of which Delta is the North American launch customer, delivers over 25% more fuel efficiency than retiring small narrowbody aircraft. Delta will add 77 additional aircraft to the 68 already in service; and 

• Our recently announced orders for 20 next-gen A350-1000s that we’ll start taking delivery of in 2026 for our international operations. This fleet will be 20% more fuel efficient than retiring widebody aircraft, building on the existing fleet of A350-900s that will grow to 44 aircraft. 

We’re also installing enhanced winglets on existing fleets like the 737-900ER and 737-800 to improve fuel efficiency while outfitting these aircraft with lighter-weight, high-performing landing gear tires.  

As we keep an eye on guiding future technologies to decarbonize our industry, we set a goal in 2023 to secure five partnerships with revolutionary tech players by 2025, and we’re well on our way. In 2024, we’ll continue building our partnerships with Airbus and Boeing to spur the development of more fuel-efficient airframes with the ambition to have fully sustainable aircraft powered by revolutionary technology in play by 2050. 

How We Fly 

Smarter, more-efficient flying reduces fuel consumption and corresponding emissions. In 2023, Delta saved a cumulative 21 million gallons of fuel via operational improvements driven by Delta’s cross-divisional Carbon Council. These fuel savings come from Delta-initiated innovations like weight reduction, improved routing, and enhanced landing procedures. We have an aggressive goal of saving our operation 45 million gallons by 2025, and as a result, we’ll continue to identify areas where we can create fuel efficiencies in the coming year. 

We’re also working across our operation to optimize weight onboard our aircraft while reducing waste. By testing solutions onboard such as more sustainable cups, more efficient potable water levels, and efficient catering provisioning, we are working to deliver a more sustainable, yet elevated travel experience while reducing waste and emissions. 

The Fuel We Use To Get There 

Over 90% of our airline’s carbon footprint comes from jet fuel. What if we could scale a new fuel source while bringing about a more sustainable future? 

Enter Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF as it’s commonly referred. SAF is the greatest near-term lever the industry has to achieve our decarbonization aspirations. The biggest challenges: there’s not enough being produced annually to fuel the world’s commercial airlines for a single day, and SAF is two to four times as expensive as conventional jet fuel.  

Delta has set an ambitious goal to use 10% SAF on our flights by the end of 2030. But we can’t do this alone – we need federal, state, and local governments to level the playing field by advancing and sustaining the same kind of incentive policies that spurred the electrification of the auto industry. The federal government has already taken an important first step by advancing the world’s first SAF incentives and several states (including Illinois, Washington, and Minnesota) have followed suit while others are weighing new policies. 

Delta is also taking action by driving coalitions and partnerships across our industry and beyond. Last year we launched the first of its kind Minnesota SAF Hub as an anchor member in coordination with Greater MSP to collaborate across the SAF value chain to drive investment and production. We are also a founding member of Americans for Clean Aviation Fuels, the first national SAF coalition focused on promoting the economic benefits of a robust domestic SAF market with a goal of spurring supportive SAF policies. In 2024, you’ll see Delta driving this work forward with the goal of ultimately creating a global market where the majority of our fuel will come from SAF by 2050. 

2. Every role touches sustainability.  

Delta’s team of 100,000 are known for doing hard things well. It’s the power of Delta people that allows us to run the most reliable operation in the business while creating opportunities to turn small, personal ideas into large, collective impact. This is why Delta’s Waste and Carbon Councils were set up to include representatives from departments across the business. Our Carbon Council has already saved 21 million gallons of fuel through operational improvements, while our Waste Council has begun piloting projects to better understand the state of recycling onboard. 

Our employee-led BRGs have also played a key role in integrating business-wide thinking into our strategic planning. We’re thankful for the passion and expertise that permeates teams across Delta by our 4,500-strong Green Up members, in particular – it was their idea to pilot having our check-in kiosks enter into power-saving mode at night, which is now rolled out across the operation. We also host yearly innovation challenges where employees across the organization team up to create and present ideas to the leadership team that help make Delta more sustainable, some of which ultimately get rolled out into the operation. Many small actions like this together add up to meaningful impact.   

3. Collaboration is key.

Decarbonizing our business and our industry is tough. That’s why time and time again, I come back to this: Solving for climate change is not something one person, organization, government or community can do alone.  

It takes all of us working together to not only do our part now, but to continue innovating for the future. It’s also about turning commitments into action - through partnerships and coalitions, tech innovation, and creative ways to scale proven concepts.  

That’s why I’m so energized by the collaborative work we're doing within academia like our work with MIT to research contrails and the Zero Impact Aviation Alliance to reimagine air transportation with reduced environmental impact. We’re also collaborating within the private sector with partners big and small, like SAF start-up Gevo who are innovating around the creation of jet fuel from corn and other feedstocks.  

I’m also inspired by the work that my colleagues at other airlines are doing to solve for the difficulties of decarbonizing our business. While we’re fierce competitors on the commercial front, I believe that the rising tides of sustainability lifts all boats. It’s important that we’re all trailblazing and innovating in different directions, sharing our learnings along the way, and figuring out together which paths will help our industry achieve net zero ambitions the most effectively.  

I’m inspired by the foundations we’ve been laying for years and even more excited about the building we’re doing now to shape the more sustainable future of travel. Keep Climbing.