Purpose

In this latest installment of a recurring series, she reflects on her time sitting down with two Delta people and exploring how they have been able to “Keep Climbing” on their respective career journeys. 

Delta has achieved a big milestone laid out in its strategic sustainability roadmap: Achieving one percent fuel burn savings, or 45 million gallons* of jet fuel, from operational improvements. 

From Airbus’ fello’fly technique which takes inspiration from migrating geese to MicroTau’s ‘shark skin’ addition to planes – the airline industry continues to look to nature for innovation inspiration.  

Delta and Junior Achievement Africa hosted nearly 60 young African future female leaders in Accra, Ghana for the Delta Air Lines Girls LEAD! Camp, a professional and personal development event.  

With approximately 90% of Delta’s carbon emissions coming from jet fuel, the global airline is focusing efforts on “What We Fly, How We Fly, and The Fuel We Use,” each of which is defined by key milestones along the way. 

Delta is proud to continue its Normandy Legacy Flight, supporting the program that flies World War II veterans and students back to Normandy, France to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day.

Delta’s leading sustainability actions landed the airline on Fast Company’s 2025 list of Most Innovative Companies.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian sat down with Great Place to Work CEO Michael Bush for the final episode of Gaining Altitude season 2 to discuss how great companies across the globe cultivate and sustain culture, trust and a sense of belonging.

Delta Air Lines is partnering with JetZero on a revolutionary, more sustainable aircraft that looks and feels like nothing flying today’s commercial skies. 

As part of Delta’s mission to connect the world, we continue to invest in technology, training and process improvements that make air travel more accessible. 

In anticipation of Delta's annual Girls LEAD! Camp in partnership with Junior Achievement Africa, 12 young female leaders received the opportunity to grow in their professional and personal leadership skills. 

Delta's E.V.P. and Chief People Officer Allison Ausband sits down with a flight attendant with nearly 40 years of experience in the skies, highlighting the reverberating connection between people and places with care. 

During the week of Jan. 20, Delta teams nationwide honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy by participating in intentional service projects from Jan. 20 to 24, known as the MLK Days of Service. 

This contribution is in addition to the $1 million grant to the American Red Cross as an Annual Disaster Giving Program partner from The Delta Air Lines Foundation.

Announced during Delta’s CES 2025 keynote, Delta will be a key partner with Airbus’ UpNext innovation lab; Airbus to also invest in scaling the production of sustainable aviation fuel through Minnesota SAF Hub.

On Nov. 22, students from Younghwa International Tourism High School visited Incheon Airport for a day of hands-on career development and a peek behind the curtain of running a global airline. 

On Saturday, Dec. 7, over 100 Delta and City of Bell volunteers came together with national partner KABOOM!  to build Delta’s 42nd playground. 

Giving back has been core to Delta's culture for nearly 100 years. Here are some of the ways Delta and its people gave back to communities across the world in 2024.

Delta is committed to connecting the world to a more sustainable future of travel. Read about the progress made in 2024 toward its decarbonization and sustainability goals.

Delta TechOps presented a record 1,700 bikes, over 1,300 new toys and a check for $50,000 from Delta to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation Atlanta affiliate at a festive, fun-filled event at the TechOps Hangar in Atlanta on December 4^th.

Delta is proud to support KABOOM! in its goal to end play space inequality by uniting with communities to build intentional play spaces that spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for children who are often denied opportunities to thrive.

Workforce development initiatives like the Delta Career Readiness Program (DCRP) is proving to be a life-changing benefit of Delta and Covenant House’s 12-year collaboration. Starting with a few dedicated Delta people in Atlanta, the program is now available to youth in New York City.

Delta and Atlanta Habitat for Humanity teamed up to make homeowner dreams come true for four deserving families. 

Hear about JFK-based Flight Attendant's Eric Adu's serendipitous encounter with Delta and how his experience fuels his loyalty to the airline.

Learn more about how Delta celebrates and supports veterans all year round.

For the tenth year, Delta will match donations up to an aggregate total of 10 million miles donated to these two organizations through SkyWish, the charitable arm of the SkyMiles Program. 

Chief Sustainability Officer Amelia Deluca showcased Delta’s decarbonization efforts when she took to the stage at New York Climate Week to discuss the work Delta is doing with employees to reach our sustainability goals.

Launched in 2000, Delta’s DREAM Flight – a special charter flight that transports Black students to an aviation-themed destination – remains a testament to the airline's commitment to exposing students from underrepresented groups to the world of aviation.

For the first time in both Minnesota’s and Michigan's aviation history, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has arrived via pipeline to two Delta hub airports, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW). 

Learn more about how Delta is enriching & sustaining lives in Ghana with Breast Care International. 

Now in its 18th year, the Breast Cancer One flight celebrates the spirit and strength of employees and highlights Delta's 19-year partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  

Delta made a contribution of $1 million to the American Red Cross to help in the effort to aid the hundreds of thousands of people affected by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

Learn more about how you can support BCRF this October in flight and beyond. 

Delta partnered with Best Defense Foundation to fly a group of six veterans from the U.S. to the Netherlands to honor the sacrifices made by their comrades and to reflect on the impact of their efforts on liberating Europe.

The first-of-its kind Minnesota SAF Hub launched in August 2023 with a commitment to implement an ambitious shared strategy for aggressively decarbonizing the airline industry by scaling SAF production and replacing conventional jet fuel.

Delta is accepting flight attendant applications for its upcoming 2025 hiring classes, with openings for English-speaking and bilingual roles.

With almost 20 years spent with Delta, Operations Service Manager Sarah Djabaki Annan favorably recounts her time with the airline and its profound impact on her community.

Julian Anugom, Director of the In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) Platform at Delta Air Lines, details his serendipitous career journey and shines light on his work in in-flight innovation.

Delta is committed to closing the existing equity gap in aviation by spearheading programs and initiatives that introduce and encourage more girls and women to pursue careers in aviation. 

The Sustainable Skies Challenge aims to formulate innovative sustainable aviation solutions among Europe's brightest young minds. 

Delta Air Lines, along with partners KLM and Virgin Atlantic, took to the canals and the streets during recent Pride celebrations in The Netherlands and the UK expressing the airlines’ individual and collective commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion and their continued support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Delta connects with multigenerational, premium Black women travelers through a weekend of elevated customer experience touchpoints. 

Delta people and the community donated a record 15,585 units of blood in fiscal year 2024 (year-end June 30), making Delta the No. 1 corporate blood drive sponsor with American Red Cross for the seventh year.

Tom Brady joins Delta CEO Ed Bastian in the newest episode of Gaining Altitude to discuss teamwork, consistency and the importance of culture.

On Saturday, June 1, more than 150 Delta and local community volunteers came together to build Delta’s 39th KABOOM! playground and the second in the Salt Lake City (SLC) area. 

The partners are exploring airport infrastructure and operational requirements to stand up hydrogen operations at the world’s busiest airport.

Delta’s work to support active military members, veterans and their families dates back decades and includes travel benefits, key partnerships, community support and more.

Delta First Officer Amanda Vogt’s family history is deeply rooted in farming, crop dusting and aviation, so it's only fitting that the Seattle-based A220 pilot joined Delta in August 2023, nearly 100 years after the airline’s own humble start as a crop-dusting operation.

Learn about Delta’s tangible example of paying it forward through the eyes of a Delta veteran during the D-Day Celebration charter to Normandy, France.

Delta shares their 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance report, which shows how the global, values-led airline is creating a safer, more equitable workplace that reflects the communities that it serves while advancing a more sustainable future of travel.

Delta is proud to support KABOOM! in its goal to end play space inequality by uniting with communities to build kid-designed play spaces that can spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for the children who are often denied opportunities to thrive.

Delta provided service to Casa Alianza México, a refuge for at-risk youth. This tangible commitment propels the airline to be a strong partner to the communities in which its employees live, work and serve.

On Feb. 7, Delta hosted two celebrations at the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) and in select Delta Sky Clubs® at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to commemorate 40 years of partnership and progress toward ending hunger in metro Atlanta and north Georgia.

Chief Sustainability Officer Amelia DeLuca shares some ways in which Delta is already working toward achieving an overarching environmental sustainability strategy that is designed to be durable for the long term.

In February 2022, two strangers checked into the Salt Lake City Delta Sky Club. What happened next? The ultimate Delta meet cute.

Delta, LATAM and Junior Achievement partnered with New World School of the Arts to give students hands-on experience, as well as a real-world introduction to the aviation industry. Delta partners with more than 30 Junior Achievement (JA) chapters across five continents to teach students financial literacy and work readiness.

Tickets are now on sale for Hops in the Hangar, Delta Flight Museum's annual fundraising event that celebrates the best craft brews from Georgia and across the country.

In partnership with Best Defense Foundation and the support of Michelin North America, Inc., Delta will provide a special charter flight directly to Deauville, Normandy Airport from Atlanta on June 2 to support the veterans as they are recognized and celebrated with parades, school visits, ceremonies, the official D-Day Commemoration and more.

As part of Delta's journey to build a diverse talent pipeline, the airline has partnered with the U.S. Army as part of their Army Partnership for Your Success program, as well as HBCUs and Delta-sponsored professional basketball teams for the new Delta Business Class program.

Over the course of 2023, Delta activated hundreds of events through our community partnerships that positively impacted people, increased Delta’s brand power and inspired others to keep climbing.

As part of the Delta’s ongoing efforts to support emerging talent, the airline commissioned pieces from these six up-and-coming artists to elevate their work to new audiences and showcase their talents during one of the art world’s biggest weekends.

From welcoming back Amelia DeLuca to Delta’s Global Sustainability leadership team as CSO to continued initiatives to reduce emissions while spurring SAF production and reducing single-use-plastics on board, Delta continues to be a leader in sustainability in the aviation sector.

An Atlanta-based mother and daughter duo with nearly 30 years of combined experience at Delta started their own version of a holiday tradition, finding ways to spend holidays together while working.

Hundreds of Delta people gathered on Dec. 6 at TechOps’ annual holiday event to celebrate the airline’s 19th year in partnership with Marine Toys for Tots and join Delta as they presented bikes, toys and a check to Toys for Tots.

Delta’s Team USA athlete ambassadors include U.S. Olympians and Paralympians, an Olympic hopeful and gold-medal winning legends, who will support the Games next year as spectators – some for the first time.

Now in its 23rd year, Delta’s Dream Flight – a special charter flight that transports Black students to an aviation-themed destination – remains a testament to the airline's commitment to exposing students from underrepresented groups to the world of aviation.

Delta will begin its final testing of new paper cups on board transcontinental flights starting in December 2023. This latest sustainability milestone underscores the airline’s commitment to innovation and progress. Pending testing, the new paper cups will be rolled out throughout Delta’s network.

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and over 1,100 Delta volunteers broke ground on the four new homes alongside the homeowners in Browns Mill Village in August, and dedications for all four homes were held in October.

As an extension of our Faces of Travel initiative, Delta invited employees and members of the Los Angeles community to share accounts of memorable travel experiences, which were brought to life in real-time via digital sketch by seven commissioned emerging artists with diverse backgrounds.

A transformative initiative has taken flight with the formation of Americans for Clean Aviation Fuels, of which Delta is a founding member.

Former Chairman and CEO of IBM and author of “Good Power” Ginni Rometty joined Ed for the third conversation of Gaining Altitude season two at Delta’s headquarters in Atlanta to discuss equity, growth, transformation, utilizing your experiences to inspire ‘good power’ and being a woman in a male dominated field.

Delta's TechOps team and Veterans Business Resource Group came together once again for a two-day celebration to honor U.S. military veterans. Delta’s work to support veterans and their families dates back decades and currently includes a number of efforts.

Todd O., Delta’s most frequent flyer, was invited to the airline’s Atlanta headquarters to connect with Delta people and supply rich insight to senior leaders.

For the ninth year, Delta will match donations up to an aggregate total of 10 million miles donated to Fisher House Foundation's Hero Miles program and Luke's Wings through SkyWish, the charitable arm of the SkyMiles Program.

Like EJI, Delta shares a commitment to creating equitable outcomes for all. Nearly 1,000 Delta people have traveled to the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama, creating an opportunity for employees to understand history and the need for individuals and corporations to be part of finding solutions.

Delta’s Close the Gap strategy tracks the gap between the diversity of hourly wage earners, or frontline talent, and leadership within the company, a prescriptive approach to increase equitable access to career growth at every level of Delta’s workforce.

Delta's annual Breast Cancer One charter flight not only celebrates the more than 150 Delta people on board who are battling or have battled breast cancer, but also affords opportunities to connect with their colleagues about their triumphs and challenges.

Delta has partnered with the BCI since 2016 and has funded vital work to provide breast cancer awareness and screening program in rural areas of Ghana.

Delta shortlisted for ‘Best Innovation’ and ‘Lowest CO2 Emissions Ground Ops’ awards, and the airline won two categories: “Lowest CO2 Ground Emissions Home Base” for its ground support equipment and “Best Innovation Wildcard” for overall high performance in innovation in 2023 SkyTeam Alliance Sustainable Flight Challenge.

This is the second year Delta’s D.C.-based Government Affairs team has led important conversations at the CBCF conference, the leading policy event on issues impacting the global Black community. Participating in and contributing to the conference reflect Delta’s ongoing commitment to a journey to build a more inclusive and equitable workforce.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Delta is once again going pink to support the cause. Delta customers can support the airline's BCRF fundraising efforts through on-board purchases and donations as well as online donations.

Through the GREATER MSP Partnership, Bank of America, Delta Air Lines, Ecolab and Xcel Energy have established the first large-scale SAF Hub in the U.S. with unparalleled collaboration among key players committed to scaling SAF production to replace conventional jet fuel.

Customers passing through San Juan airport may notice some young Delta helpers as they wait to board their next flight as part of a special initiative to inspire excitement about aviation.

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is the most promising lever known today to accelerate progress toward a net zero future.

Tune in next week for the latest installment of Gaining Altitude, featuring a conversation between Ed Bastian and Raphael Bostic on economic equity and leadership.

The historic journey began on May 31 in Delta’s hometown of Atlanta, with a parade through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s international terminal. More than 40 veterans returned this year, up from 29 in 2022.

Effective Aug. 1, Amelia DeLuca will return to Delta’s Global Sustainability team as Chief Sustainability Officer. Delta’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 through decarbonizing our airline operations remains a business imperative.

While Delta has intentionally increased representation within its own marketing assets, Faces of Travel is a program that continues Delta’s long-term commitment to increase representation that the larger travel culture can tap into: from social media to tourism ads, and everything in between, while pushing against stereotypes that have been created and upheld.

As a Delta A350 captain, Barry Behnfeldt is no stranger to flying. However, setting a Guinness World record for flying to 48 states in 48 hours is uncharted territory for the seasoned pilot. Follow along his race against time with help from fellow Delta people along the way.

After leaving Detroit for her honeymoon cruise, newlywed Lawryn Fellwock came to a horrible realization: She’d left her passport at home – necessary for her to board the ship. Luckily, Delta people came to the rescue with a plan to whisk the document to Lawryn in time for her voyage.

Delta and leaders on the local, state and federal level recognized Aviation Maintenance Technician Day on May 24.

Delta displayed its sustainability strategy in action as part of the second annual SkyTeam Alliance Sustainable Flight Challenge. The challenge tests sustainable solutions as the company works toward net zero emissions by 2050 while delivering elevated, more sustainable travel experiences. These flights showcased the company’s strategy in action from the electric ground support equipment to reducing single-use plastic onboard and actions that reduce emissions.

National AMT Day honors the legacy of Charles E. Taylor, who became known as the "father of aviation maintenance” after serving as the mechanic for the first planes flown by the Wright Brothers. Since 2008, Delta Air Lines has celebrated National AMT Day on May 24 – Taylor's birthday – to recognize the unsung efforts of AMTs and the vital role they play in global air travel. Read on to learn more about some of the AMTs who proudly wear the Delta TechOps uniform worldwide.

Delta’s always-on work to advance its purpose is on full display in the airline’s 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance Report. The latest data, insights and examples of how Delta is delivering meaningful progress in Safety, People and Culture, Environmental Sustainability and Community Impact clearly illustrate Delta’s purpose behind its business.

Delta brought its state-of-the-art Team USA Airbus A330-900neo to EAA AirVenture to help inspire future aviators.

For the first time, sustainable aviation fuel is delivered to Delta’s LaGuardia hub, using an existing petroleum pipeline.

The new, one-of-a-kind Travel Confidently MSP Education Center officially opened its doors on May 23. The facility will enhance the Navigating MSP program by providing flyers with sensory, physical or cognitive disabilities, those with fear of flying, and service dogs a place to experience and become familiar with an aircraft cabin in a serene setting.

Friends and families of U.S. Paralympians joined Delta employees to welcome home Team USA from the Paralympic Winter Games as part of a celebratory event at Salt Lake City International Airport.

On Friday, U.S. Paralympians departed from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, carried by Delta’s Team USA-only charter flight.

As Team USA touched down from the Olympic Winter Games, Delta employees with friends and families of the athletes celebrated their return at Salt Lake City International Airport.

As the airline works to better reflect the diversity of the world it serves, this partnership helps broaden diversity and builds upon the significant legacy people of color have contributed to aviation.

Developed in partnership with Delta’s advertising partner Wieden+Kennedy New York, the campaign will launch on Jan. 31. Spots will run on NBC’s TODAY show, the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, Late Night with Seth Meyers, That’s My Jam with Jimmy Fallon and more in the coming weeks.

At the Delta-hosted LAX send-off event athletes walked a red carpet and boarded their aircraft in a private hangar.

The custom-painted A330-900, which will start flying Dec. 18, will be assigned primarily to trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes.

Each year, Delta sponsors Hank Aaron weekend, which celebrates the icon's legacy of furthering the spirit of equity and positive social change as a player, philanthropist, front office executive and businessperson.

To celebrate women’s history and the impact women make on our world every single day, Delta is highlighting women across the business all month long.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Ambassador Andrew Young reflect on history and use it to chart a course forward.

This announcement is part of Delta’s ongoing commitment to protecting the planet which, since 2005, has resulted in a 9 percent decrease in emissions as Delta works toward its long-term goal of reducing its emissions