Delta rings in a century: Celebrating 100 years at the NYSE

Photo credit: New York Stock Exchange

Delta commemorated its centennial year with an iconic bell-ringing ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange on Nov. 12, honoring a century of progress from humble beginnings to global leadership in aviation. The event celebrated Delta’s legacy of resilience and innovation, while signaling our focus on shaping the future of travel. Surrounded by employees, investors and customers, CEO Ed Bastian rang the opening bell of the NYSE to signify our enduring strength and vision for the next century.

“Ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange during our centennial year is more than a milestone — it’s a testament to the resilience, innovation, and dedication of our people,” Ed said. “For a century, we’ve connected the world, and today we reaffirm our commitment to lead the next hundred years of flight.”

As part of the day, Delta’s exclusive strategic partnership with Uber was highlighted. Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, rang the closing bell with Ed at the end of the trading day — emblematic of the brand synergies, loyalty and customer benefits, and competitive differentiation built since the partnership launched in April.

As marked in the new documentary “A Century of Flight,” Delta’s people have overcome countless challenges in the past 100 years to always keep climbing, and these big moments in American history are part of Delta’s story. Among many highlights of visits to the NY Stock Exchange:

• In April 1957, the NYSE welcomed President C. E. Woolman and Flight Attendants Betty Beck and Bettye Jo Rogers to the Exchange for the first time to celebrate the admission of 1,122,525 shares of Delta stock.
• In May 2007, we celebrated our emergence from bankruptcy with the relisting of Delta on the Exchange and renewed spirit and financial stability. CEO Jerry Grinstein, CFO Ed Bastian and COO Jim Whitehurst rang the Opening Bell remotely from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 100 guests then flew to New York to celebrate at the NYSE, where Jerry Grinstein rang the Closing Bell. Bell.
• In December 2008, CEO Richard Anderson rang the Opening Bell to celebrate our merger with Northwest.
• In July 2012, Ed (then President) joined employees to ring the Closing Bell to commemorate the completion of expanded service at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
• In March 2014, flight crews from Delta and Virgin rang the Closing Bell to celebrate the new transatlantic partnership.
• In October 2019, Delta rang the Closing Bell to showcase our operational and financial leadership during an amazing year.
• Two years later on October 29, 2021 — Delta returned to ring the Closing Bell with employees as a symbol of our recovery from the pandemic and resilience during the most challenging period in the history of aviation. Many headlines at the time read: “Delta is back.”

These milestones, powered by our people, underscore Delta’s ability to navigate challenges, maintain leadership and connect the world like no one else. Each event reinforced investor confidence and Delta's long-term vision. The documentary capturing Delta’s 100-year history is now featured on Delta’s In-Flight Entertainment.

Delta kicked off its Centennial year at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, celebrating our first 100 years of flight while offering our vision for the future of air travel. Over the decades, technology and innovation have propelled us forward, but we’ve always been guided by our values of putting people first in everything we do.

As Delta soars from one century to the next, we celebrate the spirit that’s illuminated our path — moments of bold ingenuity and selfless compassion that define who we are. See some of our latest stories below and check Delta's Centennial site for more stories that explore the past, present and future of our airline.