Path to Sustainability

Charting the course for the future of flight.

Connecting people to a more sustainable future

Setting a bold vision and accelerating our work to deliver sustainable travel experiences and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 is not only good for communities and our planet, it’s a business imperative.

2-3%

Global emissions today from aviation. That number will grow if we don’t act now.

*Air Transportation Action Group (ATAG) (2020)

2,000+

Companies have signed up for net zero targets, including 80% of the top 25 airlines.

3/4

Of consumers say brands must act now for the good of society and the planet.

*2021 Havas Meaningful Brands Report (2021)

88%

Of investors believe that companies with a net-zero plan deserve a premium.

*Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Institutional Investors - U.S. Report (2021)

65%

Of Gen Z job seekers are more likely to apply to a company if they commit to sustainable practices.

*Handshake Network (2022)

No one better connects the world

Elevating Delta's world-class performance and service means our focus includes connecting people to a more sustainable future of travel.

Despite the challenges of our hard-to-carbonize sector, Delta has already achieved significant results, like reducing single-use onboard plastics by nearly 5 million pounds annually. We also saved 10 million gallons of fuel in 2022 while planning for an additional 10 million gallons in savings annually, thanks to the work of Delta's Carbon Council.

Delta’s foundation is strong.
Now we accelerate.

Our focus pillars

Embed sustainability in everything we do

This pillar is critical to our near-term success and is key to infusing a constant sustainability mindset across our business. It supports delivering sustainable travel and includes the most visible aspects of Delta’s products, services and facilities, while advancing opportunities for our people and benefiting communities where we live, work, and serve.

THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

SUPPLY CHAIN

GROUND OPS & FACILITIES

Delivering sustainable travel experiences from curb to claim

The Travel Experience

CORE CHALLENGE - CIRCULAR WASTE REDUCTION
- Reducing, reusing and recycling waste while improving the customer experience and our operations.
OUR ROLE
- Find innovative ways to eliminate waste onboard and on the ground.
WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR
- Implemented near-term solutions (e.g., bamboo cutlery), while testing innovative solutions for key sources of plastic (e.g., cup, bottle).
WAYS WE’LL KEEP OUR MOMENTUM GOING
- Eliminate single-use plastics across customer journey.
- Continue to innovate onboard products and services.
- Supporting airport waste and recycling infrastructure development.

*As it relates to consumer onboard travel experience, excluding other aspects of aircraft operations.

Delta ground crew member directing plane to gate

Extending our net-zero aspirations to all strategic partners

SUPPLY CHAIN

CORE CHALLENGE - EXTENDING OUR IMPACT
- We partner with thousands of suppliers around the globe, each with their own carbon footprint that needs to be decarbonized.
OUR ROLE
- Create transparency and accountability in our supply chain.
WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR
- Expanded environmental standards for suppliers and implementing supplier management tools for environmental factors.
WAYS WE’LL KEEP OUR MOMENTUM GOING
- Create carbon transparency in our supply chain.
- Set net-zero plans with our suppliers.
- Encouraging vendors to develop their own path to net-zero.

View from plane flying above the clouds with mountain range in background

Leading electrified Ground Support Equipment (eGSE) and charging infrastructure

GROUND OPERATIONS & FACILITIES

CORE CHALLENGE
- Decarbonizing ground operations requires not only equipment investment, but infrastructure investments at airports, Delta facilities, and on the grid.
OUR ROLE
- Electrifying Delta equipment while sourcing renewables faster
WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR
- In 2022, Delta retired and replaced over 650 pieces of equipment with electrified GSE; achieved ~25% electrification of GSE; and approached 100% electrification of bag tractors, push-back tractors, and belt loaders at BOS and SLC hubs.
WAYS WE’LL KEEP OUR MOMENTUM GOING
- Continue to electrify GSE, aiming toward ~50% of fleet by 2025.
- Support charging infrastructure at airports.
- Acquire renewables to power our facilities and ops.

Eliminate our climate impact from flying

This is where the real impact of our commitments is felt. 98% of our carbon footprint comes from our core business of flying. Making changes to how we fly, what we fly and the fuel we use to power our fleet is the focus.

EFFICIENT AIRCRAFT OPS

CLEAN FUEL

REVOLUTIONARY FLEET

Leading the industry on major climate challenge

efficient aircraft operations

CORE CHALLENGE
- Continually improving what we fly and how we fly to maximize the efficiency of our existing fleet and operations.
OUR ROLE
- Integrating the latest in smart routing, weight reduction, cutting-edge operational processes, and fleet enhancements to maximize fuel savings.
WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR
- In 2022, alone, we saved over 10 million gallons of fuel thanks to the companywide efforts of Delta’s Carbon Council that included enhanced winglet installations for drag reduction, weight reduction initiatives and flight routing/speed optimizations.
WAYS WE’LL KEEP OUR MOMENTUM GOING
- Continuously improving to accrue 3% fuel savings annually across the entire fleet through 2035 (v. 2019 fuel usage), saving a cumulative total of 1.1 billion gallons between 2019 and 2035.

Addressing barriers to scale Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)

Clean fuel

CORE CHALLENGE
- SAF is a relatively nascent technology with several scaling challenges that require cross-industry action – there is not enough SAF today to fuel a fleet Delta’s size for a single day.
OUR ROLE
- Create demand signals to attract capital, encourage incentives and ensure support of all ecosystem stakeholders required to scale SAF.
WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR
- Committed to 200M gallons of SAF offtakes and are already halfway to our 10% SAF goal by end of 2030.
WAYS WE’LL KEEP OUR MOMENTUM GOING
- Direct investments in SAF innovators
- Coalitions with partners to enable the SAF supply chain
- Streamlining SAF purchases for our customers

View of horizon from plane flying above the clouds

Redefining what and how we fly in a net-zero world

REVOLUTIONARY FLEET

CORE CHALLENGE
- Operationalizing Innovation: Disruptive innovation is necessary to redefine aviation but faces significant structural hurdles.
OUR ROLE
- Partnering with innovators to revolutionize what and how we fly
WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR
- As of 2022, Delta has launched several strategic partnerships with promising revolutionary technology, including Airbus ZEROe to explore potential for hydrogen-powered aircraft, and Joby eVTOL for electric home-to-airport transportation.
WAYS WE’LL KEEP OUR MOMENTUM GOING
- Accelerating the Delta Sustainable Skies Lab to more formally leverage Delta’s world-class assets to help innovators operationalize disruptive technology.

Demonstrating progress with transparency

Delta has set out aspirational goals for 2050 as well as a series of incremental milestones along the way to measure our progress.

Embed sustainable travel in everything we do

MORE SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL

2025

INTERIM MILESTONES

Travel Experience

Minimize single-use plastics onboard

Supply Chain

100% of preferred vendors on carbon tracking system

GROUND OPS & FACILITIES

50% GSE† electrification; 5 hubs at 100% of core fleet*

†All eligible core & critical fleets necessary to turn an aircraft
*Core fleet consists of baggage tractors, belt loaders and aircraft tow tractors

2030

INTERIM MILESTONES

Supply Chain

100% of preferred vendors with net-zero plans

2035

INTERIM MILESTONES

Travel Experience

65% waste diversion from landfill*

GROUND OPS & FACILITIES

100% Delta hubs GSE electrified; renewable energy powering operations†

*As it relates to consumer onboard travel experience, excluding other aspects of aircraft operations.

†All eligible core & critical fleets necessary to turn an aircraft

2050

ASPIRATIONAL GOALS

Travel Experience

100% waste diversion from landfill*

Supply Chain

100% net-zero supply chain

GROUND OPS & FACILITIES

100% net-zero operations

*As it relates to consumer onboard travel experience, excluding other aspects of aircraft operations.

Eliminate our climate impact from flying:

NET-ZERO EMISSIONS

2025

INTERIM MILESTONES

EFFICIENT AIRCRAFT OPS

45M gal or 1% fuel burn savings compared to 2019 from operational improvements

REVOLUTIONARY FLEET

10+% fuel efficiency (FE) gains compared to 2019†; 5 Strategic partnerships with revolutionary tech players

2030

INTERIM MILESTONES

CLEAN FUEL

10+% SAF usage

2035

INTERIM MILESTONES

EFFICIENT AIRCRAFT OPS

3% operational fuel savings compared to 2019†, worth 1.1B cumulative gal vs. 2019.
80% reduction of addressable warming contrails*

CLEAN FUEL

35% SAF usage

REVOLUTIONARY FLEET

20+% Fuel efficiency (FE) gains compared to 2019; 1st operation of mainline revolutionary technology

*Subject to successful completion of the MIT Study, and provided that contrail avoidance can be done in a way that is consistent with Delta’s ops, economic and environmental objectives.

2050

ASPIRATIONAL GOALS

EFFICIENT AIRCRAFT OPS

5% operational fuel savings†
100% Reduction of addressable warming contrails*

CLEAN FUEL

95+% SAF

REVOLUTIONARY FLEET

40+% fuel efficiency gains†
25% of fleet made up of revolutionary aircraft

*Subject to successful completion of the MIT Study, and provided that contrail avoidance can be done in a way that is consistent with Delta’s ops, economic and environmental objectives.

†Compared to 2019

We Can’t Do This Alone

It will take all of us doing more than our part to be successful. Collaboration inside and beyond our industry is essential.

“With aviation being a hard-to-decarbonize industry, none of us can do this alone. That’s why Delta is rolling out the welcome mat for disrupters of choice to join us in accelerating our path to net-zero emissions and a fully sustainable travel experience.”

Pam Fletcher

Chief Sustainability Officer

DELTA SUSTAINABLE SKIES LAB

Delta Air Lines has launched a first-of-its-kind airline innovation lab to accelerate research, design and testing for a more sustainable future of air travel.

Delta Sustainable Skies Lab will feature ongoing work across Delta today, inspire disruptive industry innovation, and scale known tech and actions to reach Delta’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

THE SUSTAINABLE SKIES LAB WILL CONTINUE TO

ACCELERATE ongoing work within Delta and partners utilizing the lab platform to collaborate and prototype.

SHOWCASE work to inspire innovation, new internal and external ideas.

GO BEYOND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT to innovate with our people, operations, know how, global scale and reach of network.

Connecting Possibilities

As we define the future of aviation, we are as dedicated to making immediate progress as we are to investing wisely in disruptive solutions.

This work not only serves us today, but helps ensure future generations of Delta people can connect the world for our customers and communities.

AND WELCOME ABOARD

Statements on this webpage that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our expectations and goals, should be considered “forward-looking statements” under the federal securities laws and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations and goals. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except to the extent required by law.