Delta has had a long-standing commitment to actively seek diversity, boldly pursue equity and consciously promote inclusion across every aspect of our business, as we believe we must respect and reflect the world in order to connect it. 

While there’s still plenty of progress to be made, Delta is proud to have: 

• Accelerated the closure of diversity representation gaps between our frontline workforce and leadership in our most underrepresented areas: women, and Black and Latin/Hispanic talent. 

• Reimagined our internal talent strategy by applying a “skills-first” talent mindset that focuses on capabilities, competencies, and relevant experiences through an Apprenticeship Program and Delta Analytics Academy.  

• Built relationships with high-quality small businesses or enterprises owned by women, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, individuals with disabilities or individuals who are part of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. 

• Partnered with HBCUs for our co-op and intern hiring and for our Propel Program to identify, select and develop the next generation of pilots – and build upon the significant legacy people of color have contributed to aviation. 

• Expanded our Faces of Travel program with impact-focused creative company Kin to create a free visual library on Adobe Stock, now made up of over 200 photographs and 40 video clips, that authentically showcases diverse travelers out in the world enjoying travel in extraordinary ways. 

• Refined our diversity outreach strategy to expand our network by engaging talent via local and national conferences and career fairs. 

• Increased our training offerings focused on removing biases and barriers to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion are conveyed in the hiring process and throughout the employee experience. 

These efforts, and many more, have been recognized this year by our people and industry experts – an honor as we continue to promote equitable outcomes for all and foster a sense of belonging from the frontline to the flight deck and beyond.  

“The impact of our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion at Delta shows up not only in the sense of belonging we work to create for our employees, but also in how we serve our customers worldwide,” said Keyra Lynn Johnson – Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at Delta. “We’re humbled that others have recognized the progress we’re making in these areas – and with a long way to go, we hope it inspires others to continue on their DEI journeys, too.” 

Read on for a look at the ways Delta is building a thriving workplace. 

America’s Best Employers for Women 

Delta ranked No. 13 on Forbes' annual list of America's Best Employers for Women, higher than any other airline. This is Delta's third year in a row being named to the list. Created in partnership with market research firm Statista, the list derives primarily from surveys of about 40,000 women and 20,000 men. The women were asked to rate their company in areas such as working environment, representation of upper management, salary & pay equity, policies, employee diversity, etc. – and their answers were compared to the men’s answers to assess any significant differences in workplace perception.  

Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion 

For the eighth year in a row, Delta scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index, ranking it as one of the nation’s “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.” The 2023 Disability Equality Index measured culture and leadership; enterprise-wide access; employment practices (benefits, recruitment, employment, education, retention and advancement and accommodations); community engagement; supplier diversity; and non-U.S. operations. 

America’s Best Employers for Diversity 

Forbes named Delta one of its Best Employers for Diversity, deriving from internal and external recommendations and enacting extensive research to determine how companies fared across a range of diversity-related best-practices. These best practices include the presence of resource groups within the company, the publication of diversity data and the share of women holding board and executive positions. 

Black Enterprise also recognized Delta as one of its Best Companies for Diversity – “a select group demonstrating that equitable access to opportunity is not just another initiative but a world-changing business imperative.” 

America's Greatest Workplaces for LGBTQ+ 

Newsweek and data firm Plant-A Insights Group identified Delta as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for LGBTQ+ in a “true reflection of the airline’s commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment.” These 300 companies were identified through research, including the results of a survey of more than 57,000 employees who identify as LGBTQ+. 

In addition to our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Delta continues to enhance our people’s health and wellness by creating more positive outcomes for our employees, customers, communities and partners. In 2022, Delta made the largest number of significant changes to our wellness offerings in recent history, focusing on areas from mental health to financial literacy. Information about how we have continued to invest in our people, as well as details about Delta’s compensation & benefits, can be found in the 2022 ESG Report on Delta News Hub.