Climate Lobbying
As part of the highly regulated global aviation industry, Delta advocates for thoughtful, harmonized policies that will help us achieve our net-zero-aligned climate and business ambitions. This includes building coalitions and engaging with policymakers, regulators, academics and thought leaders involved in developing and advancing relevant policies. We regularly review our policy commitments to ensure they remain effective, efficient and aligned with intended outcomes.
The following provides an overview of the domestic and international climate lobbying activities we have engaged in directly on behalf of Delta Air Lines and indirectly via membership-based trade associations from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025. It also includes climate-related lobbying activities conducted by or on behalf of our wholly owned subsidiary Monroe Energy, LLC (Monroe) over the same time period.
Consistent with our commitment to transparent climate policy leadership, this section also includes details of how we assess the climate lobbying activities of our trade associations for alignment with our net-zero by 2050 ambition and Climate Lobbying Principles.
Climate Lobbying Principles
Our climate change policy principles provide a foundation for our advocacy and ensure consistency in our position development process. We embrace internationally and nationally harmonized policies to prevent inconsistent and/or extraterritorial application of policies that may result in competitive market distortions, send conflicting market signals, or result in the inefficacious use of resources.
Delta believes climate policy for the aviation industry should also be:
- Sector-specific but augmented by complementary policies to support our broader sustainability strategy
- Rooted in the need for operational safety, technological feasibility and economic reasonableness
- Preventative of revenue diversion for non-aviation climate mitigation purposes, ensuring we reinvest any revenue generated into this hard-to-abate sector and the diverse workforce it supports
- Grounded in science to ensure GHG emissions reductions are maximized and realized in a manner designed to minimize increased costs for travelers
- Performance-based, feedstock-neutral and technology-neutral, recognizing the innovations needed to decarbonize our sector are not yet commercially available at scale
- Supportive of the multi-decade capital investment needed to sustain aviation infrastructure and equipment commitments, as well as infrastructure required by producers to scale SAF supply and enable value chains
- Designed to drive efficiency in fleet procurement, fuel burn and air traffic operations
- Designed to incentivize rather than mandate a zero-carbon trajectory at the lowest cost (e.g., tax incentives, grants, research and development investment, voluntary opt-in), as there is no scalable market where SAF can compete on a level playing field with the on-road fuels market
Oversight and Coordination
Delta’s climate policy development efforts are led by the Vice President, Government Affairs – Sustainability based in Washington, D.C., who reports to our Senior Vice President, Government Affairs. This leadership position is responsible for cross-functional collaboration with applicable business units, in partnership with our Chief Sustainability Officer, as well as coordination with lobbyists across our Federal, International, and State and Local Government Affairs teams to help foster a policy environment that will enable Delta’s net-zero climate objectives. In addition to our in-house lobbyists and business partners, we constructively engage with trade associations and collaborate with climate policy thought leaders.
Climate Policy Priorities and Direct Advocacy
In 2025, we continued to focus our advocacy on implementing and advancing policies needed to scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) deployment in the United States and internationally. Delta believes that performance-based, feedstock-neutral and technology-neutral incentives coupled with grant and loan guarantee programs are the primary policy levers needed to drive investment toward development of cost-competitive SAF, as mandates without complementary incentives will not address the structural price disadvantage SAF faces in the marketplace relative to other transportation fuels nor address the affordability challenge for airline end-users. We also believe that the agricultural community is at the heart of scaling domestic SAF, and we work with farmers, growers and agri-business partners as well as key environmental stakeholders to promote policy support for sustainable, regenerative agricultural practices. Beyond fuel, breakthroughs in aircraft innovation are also core to our climate strategy. This year, we supported policy and partnerships to create a suitable startup operating environment for Joby Aviation, our electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi service partner. eVTOLs produce zero GHG emissions when powered by renewable energy from the grid.
Direct Lobbying
Federal
In 2025, Delta’s federal climate advocacy continued to prioritize bipartisan policy engagement while enhancing our coalition-led strategies to educate the new administration on the benefits of, and policy case for, a scaled SAF market. This included our ongoing efforts to support regulatory implementation as well as the legislative extension and value enhancement of the Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z), following the expiration of the SAF-specific Blenders Tax Credit (40B) at the end of 2024. At the same time, we also found ourselves playing defense to preserve the 45Z credit from any potential legislative or regulatory rollbacks.
We leveraged direct and indirect channels to constructively engage with the incoming administration and the new Congress to promote regulatory clarity for our industry partners seeking certainty around the implementation of the 45Z credit following initial guidance issued by the outgoing administration. We advocated for a smart regulatory approach for SAF that advances national energy dominance objectives, prioritizing the economic and job benefits of scaled SAF investment as well as energy independence and support for American farmers while also emphasizing the connected nature of the global SAF market and supply chain.
We are pleased to report that our value-chain based efforts helped ensure that the 45Z credit was the only IRA-era clean energy credit to receive an extension as part of the 2025 tax bill’s America First Energy Plan provisions.
While Congress extended the credit for an additional two years, providing some needed investment certainty for the clean fuels market, additional modifications were made to the credit that could have unintended consequences for the future of the SAF market. Notably, the credit value for SAF was reduced to a maximum of $1.00 per gallon – on par with the maximum value assigned to the already established on-road clean fuels category. This change undermines the affordability of SAF for airline end users and perpetuates an uneven playing field for the nascent SAF market.
We ended 2025 opens in a new window and started 2026 opens in a new window by welcoming the introduction of bipartisan and bicameral legislation, the Securing America’s Fuels (SAF) Act, to restore the credit value for SAF and further extend the credit to 2033. This legislation represents an important marker for some of the key policy changes needed to spur investment in the domestic SAF market and is a focal point for our 2026 engagement. We also rounded out the year by joining The SAF Coalition opens in a new window – a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization advocating for policies that will secure U.S. economic competitiveness and increase production of American-made SAF – to further enhance our 2026 engagement.
Beyond SAF, we partnered with our State and Local advocacy team to support Joby’s efforts to participate in the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new pilot program within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) was announced opens in a new window in the fall of 2025 to accelerate the deployment of advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles across the U.S. In March 2026, DOT announced opens in a new window the selection of eight pilot projects, three of which include Joby as a partner. These pilot projects will benefit two key Delta hubs – New York City and Salt Lake City – and support our growing market focus in Austin, Texas. We also advocated for air traffic control (ATC) system modernization funding and support, which when fully implemented will reduce carbon emissions by enabling more efficient flight operations.
State
Delta believes targeted state-level SAF incentives are key to (1) tackling the affordability challenge associated with SAF’s price premium, (2) fostering geographic diversification of the SAF market, (3) creating new markets and value creation for rural America and (4) spurring domestic production. When coupled with the latest changes to federal SAF policy, the case for state-level policy support for SAF becomes even more consequential to the near-term success of the domestic SAF market. To strengthen existing policy support and create momentum for new SAF policy, our State team worked with the full value chain from farmers and growers to oil and gas producers and engaged environmental stakeholders across key states and regions, including our hub states of Georgia, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Washington and California. Examples of this work include the following:
- In Georgia, Delta accelerated SAF industry growth by partnering with stakeholders across the value chain and academia. During the 2026 legislative session, the Georgia Legislature passed a bill to expand and make transferable the state’s existing jobs and investment tax credits to specific forest manufacturers, including biomass facilities, further positioning Georgia as a leader in SAF innovation.
- In Minnesota, Delta participated in a coalition of agricultural and environmental stakeholders to negotiate key environmental standards for SAF production and use, while also aiming to strengthen and enhance the state’s SAF tax credit for long-term competitiveness and to incentivize low-carbon fuel. Our 2026 priority is passing these improvements.
- In Michigan, SAF tax legislation made strong progress in a challenging legislative environment – it passed the Senate and moved through the House Committee, where negotiators set the tax credit to last for 10 years starting from its first use, giving the industry more time to grow in the state. We are focusing our 2026 efforts on House passage.
- In New York, efforts continued to advance SAF policy support and build momentum with key value chain partners. Notably, in the New York State Senate, legislation was introduced to advance a five-year pilot SAF tax credit that rewards low-carbon jet fuel production and use in the state.
- In Massachusetts, Delta partnered with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to support the development of a regional SAF hub, helping advance the case for a SAF tax credit to expand future SAF production, supply and adoption across the state. The state governor’s 2026 supplemental budget includes a proposed SAF tax credit.
- In California, Delta supported legislative efforts to streamline the permitting process for new SAF facilities, helping to expedite the go-to-market timeline. Additionally, we closed out 2025 preparing for the February 2026 kick-off meeting of the California SAF Working Group established by the 2024 landmark agreement opens in a new window between Airlines for America (A4A) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB); and began 2026 celebrating the governor’s proposed 2026–2027 state budget inclusion of a new tax credit to promote SAF production.
Beyond our hub states, Delta has also constructively supported, directly and indirectly, policy and advocacy efforts to support scaling of SAF in Hawaii as the state advanced its latest energy security and decarbonization strategy for the transportation sector.
Delta also supported ongoing policy and regulatory efforts to help launch Joby air taxi service in our New York City and Los Angeles hubs.
International
As global demand for SAF continues to rise, Delta consistently advocates for a coordinated, whole-of-government approach – similar to the U.S. government's incentive-based, roadmap strategy – to accelerate SAF production worldwide. We actively engage with trade associations and policymakers to promote supportive policies that drive investment and reduce the green price premium for end users, seeking to foster the growth of a cost-effective global SAF market. We also emphasize the importance of compliance flexibility and transparent pricing, particularly as new SAF mandates have gone into effect in regions such as the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK). The following examples illustrate our efforts to advance these priorities through collaborative and constructive engagement.
- In the EU, we supported our trade associations’ efforts to inform the EU Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) to help scale SAF by pairing mandates with investment‑focused policies – encouraging demand‑side policies, technology‑neutral pathways and public‑private financing tools that improve affordability for airlines, mitigate risks and enable longer-term purchasing certainty. We also continued to support association efforts to promote book-and-claim accounting as a compliance flexibility mechanism under the ReFuelEU aviation regulation.
- In the UK, we collaborated with trade associations to provide input on the proposed Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM) aimed at encouraging investment in next-generation SAF production. While the initiative is welcomed for supporting commercialization of emergent pathways, concerns persist regarding transparency in levy rates and collection processes, fair cost distribution to operators and fuel buyers, and the absence of measures to improve SAF affordability.
- In South Korea, we were pleased to see the government release a detailed SAF Roadmap strategy in September 2025, confirming the start of its proposed SAF mandate in 2027. The roadmap includes a nod to the policy incentives and support measures needed to help enable SAF investment and address costs. We continue to monitor policy development and implementation with our trade associations.
MONROE
Delta owns Monroe as part of our strategy to mitigate the cost and supply risks associated with jet fuel. However, Monroe has experienced substantial economic setbacks under the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), due to a lack of transparency in the Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) market that has resulted in prohibitive compliance costs. Therefore, we continue to support Monroe’s efforts to seek RFS policy reform measures to reduce the financial impact on the operation. In 2025, Delta supported Monroe’s comments related to the EPA’s proposed rule for the RFS’s “Set Rule 2,” which seeks to establish renewable fuel volume requirements for 2026 and 2027 as well as other proposed changes to the program. Overall, our advocacy is designed to provide Monroe with greater financial certainty and economic flexibility to invest in the business, including clean energy and other sustainability measures.
TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
In addition to the direct lobbying activities described above, we are members of sector-specific and multi-sector industry trade associations that engage in lobbying on a variety of matters, including climate change. Included in this final section is a table and climate policy alignment analysis of those trade associations. We have included all the trade association memberships disclosed in our separately issued annual Political Contributions and Activity Report that, to our knowledge, engage in lobbying activities on climate matters. Additionally, we have included Monroe’s primary trade association membership in the table.
We analyzed alignment based on:
- Whether the trade association has a climate position that supports the achievement of net-zero emissions by 2050 and/or temperature goals identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as the scientific underpinning of the Paris Agreement
- Whether specific trade association climate lobbying activities were consistent with our climate goals
The aviation-specific associations in which we are members have expressed strong support for achieving GHG reductions in line with science, with both A4A and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) having ambitious net-zero goals.
Our participation in diverse and multisector industry associations, given our ambitious climate goals, helps positively influence the development and execution of climate policy positions and advocacy efforts. Our participation in industry-specific associations facilitates the identification, assessment and mitigation of risks while providing us with a platform for constructive engagement on a variety of policy issues related to climate and non-climate matters. With our Climate Lobbying Principles , we are sharing our expectations for climate advocacy.
While we may not always agree with the views or tactics of these trade associations, we believe they provide a valuable opportunity for us to better understand the perspectives of others as we work to inform our advocacy strategies. We are committed to collaborative engagement and problem solving; where we disagree with one or more of these trade associations on a matter tied to our strategy, we have in the past taken – and may in the future take – independent actions to mitigate risks that an association’s actions may present to our strategy.
2025 TRADE ASSOCIATIONS OVERVIEW
Airlines for America (A4A)
About
A4A is the primary trade association advocating for the leading U.S. airlines, both passenger and cargo carriers, on federal, state, local and international policies. A4A works collaboratively with industry stakeholders, federal agencies, the administration, Congress, labor and other groups to improve aviation for the traveling and shipping public.
Delta Involvement:
Our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) sits on the Board of Directors. Delta representatives are active on a variety of working groups and committees, including the Environmental Sustainability Council, SAF Committee and the Environmental Regulatory Committee.
Climate Position
A4A is committed to advancing policy solutions to address climate change. A4A has committed to work with government leaders and other stakeholders to:
- Achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
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Partner with key stakeholders to advance production and deployment of three billion gallons of cost-competitive SAF by 2030, including:
- Advocating to strengthen the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit and advancing complementary state-level SAF policies, aviation technology R&D and SAF production infrastructure.
- Reaffirm the global aviation industry goals during the 42nd Session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Assembly in 2025, including, for example:
- Supporting climate action for international aviation through the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as the sole market-based mechanism, stronger aircraft CO₂ standards and net-zero ambitions, subject to enabling technology and infrastructure.
- Advance transparent and effective reporting requirements for aircraft operators.
Alignment
Delta supports A4A’s climate change position and goals. Our federal, state and international climate policy advocacy is aligned. Additional illustrative 2025 examples of interest can be found below.
- Clean Energy Tax Credit Implementation & ATC Modernization: A4A serves on the board of the SAF Coalition and has been a key voice on implementation and enhancement of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit. A4A also advocates for Air Traffic Control (ATC) system modernization, which, when implemented, will significantly improve flight operations efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
- Promoting State Collaboration: A4A has expanded its engagement to launch coordinated efforts with the State and Local Affairs Committee to provide enhanced collaboration on SAF policy deployment in key states.
- Encouraging International Certainty: A4A constructively engaged in the comment process on several international policy measures related to sustainable aviation, including but not limited to the consultations for the UK Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM); the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS); and the EU’s Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP).
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
About
IATA is the trade association for the world’s airlines, with a mission to represent, lead and serve the airline industry. Its 290 members account for 83% of total air traffic, and it works with over 400 strategic partners to deliver solutions that shape aviation.
Delta Involvement:
Delta is an active member company and currently participates in the WG5 Fuels Task Group under ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), as a nominated expert under the IATA delegation. Pending future availability, we remain interested in joining the Sustainability & Environment Advisory Council.
Climate Position
IATA recognizes the urgency of addressing the global challenge of climate change and has adopted an ambitious goal for the air transport industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
IATA also reaffirmed its support for global aviation industry goals at the 42nd Session of the ICAO Assembly by, for example:
- Supporting CORSIA as the international aviation emissions framework, alongside calls for coordinated government action to expand SAF supply, authorize eligible emissions units and advance global SAF incentives and accounting with strong chain‑of‑custody protections.
Alignment
Delta supports IATA’s climate change position and goals. We also support IATA’s active involvement in ICAO to promote harmonized global standards and international agreement on aviation emissions as well as complementary policies, such as SAF incentives. IATA’s climate advocacy on the international front is aligned with our climate goals and objectives. Some illustrative examples from 2025 can be found below.
- SAF Accounting: Delta is supportive of IATA’s work to advance a global SAF accounting framework and CO2 calculations, such as book and claim, with a robust chain of custody. We believe this is an essential piece of market infrastructure, key to advancing global SAF usage and development as this market scales, and we support its inclusion as an additional compliance flexibility mechanism under the ReFuelEU aviation regulation.
- EU ETS: IATA’s advocacy against the implementation of the EU ETS outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) is consistent with A4A’s advocacy on this issue and our shared position.
Business Roundtable (BRT)
About
BRT is an association of CEOs from the United States’ leading companies, working to promote a thriving U.S. economy and expanded opportunity for all Americans through public policy. For more than 45 years, the membership of BRT has applied CEO expertise to the major issues facing the nation.
Delta Involvement:
Delta representatives are active on the Corporate Governance and Energy & Environment Committees.
Climate Position
BRT promotes policies to ensure sustainable, reliable and affordable energy while addressing climate change and maintaining a healthy environment. BRT member companies are reducing their emissions through technological innovation because it is good for business, the environment and public health. BRT believes this effort should be driven by the private sector with public sector support. BRT’s full position can be accessed here opens in a new window.
Alignment
We are appreciative of BRT’s recognition that while a market-based climate strategy should apply broadly across the economy, no one policy or approach can fully address climate change across such a diverse economy and such diverse sources of GHG emissions. BRT’s formal policy also notes that, in unique circumstances, non-duplicative, tailored policies may be more effective or administratively feasible.
While BRT’s climate change position indicates alignment with the stated temperature goals identified by the IPCC, its current 2050 ambition is not a net-zero goal. However, BRT’s climate advocacy is not misaligned with our goals. In 2025, BRT engaged on the following advocacy items of note:
- Clean Energy Advocacy: BRT educated key policymakers on the economic benefits of the clean energy tax incentives and organized domestic and international events on climate and energy policy and has also served as an advocate for federal clean energy permitting reform.
- EPA’s Proposed Repeal of the Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding: BRT submitted comments noting members’ concerns about the risks from climate change and the importance of policies to mitigate climate change, and urging consideration of unintended consequences of the proposal. While the 2009 endangerment finding is not directly tied to aviation, repeal would set a potential precedent for other endangerment findings, including the one underpinning aircraft engine emission standards.
- EPA’s Proposed Repeal of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: BRT commented expressing concerns over potential impacts to U.S competitiveness globally.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
About
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization, representing the interests of more than three million businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions. The Chamber believes in the ability of American businesses to improve lives, solve problems and strengthen society.
Delta Involvement:
The Chamber covers an array of policy issues of importance to Delta, inclusive of and beyond climate change. With respect to climate advocacy, Delta is a member of the Chamber’s Energy, Environment, Climate, and Sustainability Policy Committee.
Climate Position
The Chamber recognizes that humans are contributing to our changing climate and that practical, flexible, predictable and durable policies to address climate change are needed. The Chamber supports a market‑based, innovation‑driven climate policy that leverages business leadership, advances energy efficiency and climate‑resilient infrastructure, strengthens U.S. climate science leadership, supports trade and encourages international cooperation.
The Chamber actively supported U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement and facilitated constructive business engagement with policymakers during critical events such as the 30th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) and its 2025 Aerospace Summit.
Alignment
While the U.S. Chamber’s climate policy is not aligned with any stated temperature goal and therefore is not aligned with our net-zero ambition, Delta believes in the importance of engagement, particularly within the influential business community.
At the Chamber, Delta supports Chamber engagement on climate policies that support our sectoral interests, such as incentives for SAF and related research and development to support advanced propulsion systems and next-generation fuels. Additionally, given our international regulatory regime, Delta elevates the importance of international cooperation through ICAO. An illustrative example of policy engagement by the U.S. Chamber in 2025 can be found below.
- SAF White Paper opens in a new window: The Chamber solicited stakeholder feedback ahead of COP30 to support development of a SAF Market and Policy Landscape resource, which we helped inform. The white paper identifies supportive policies to bolster SAF production and investment.
American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM)
About
AFPM is the leading trade association representing the fuel and petrochemical manufacturing and refining industry. Its mission includes educating policymakers, the media and the public on the value its members and their products provide the U.S. and the world, as well as providing strategic business and technical information to its members, among other items.
Monroe Involvement:
Monroe is a dues-paying member of AFPM. It has a representative on AFPM’s Board of Directors (as do all other members) and on AFPM’s Executive Committee. Monroe also has representatives on issue-specific committees, including environmental, fuels and government relations.
Advocacy is only one element of Monroe’s engagement with AFPM. It utilizes its membership to stay informed on and contribute to best practices in the industry, covering a variety of issues beyond climate change, such as safety, environmental stewardship and operational performance. Therefore, we believe the overall benefits of engagement outweigh identified concerns.
Climate Position
AFPM is committed to engaging in the discussion and development of sound climate change policies. The association acknowledges climate change is real and is committed to the development of sound policies that enable its members to supply the fuel and petrochemicals that growing global populations and economies need to thrive and to do so in an environmentally sustainable way. AFPM believes climate policies must be balanced and measured to support quality of life and long‑term economic, energy and environmental needs; protect U.S. competitiveness by preventing emissions and job leakage; be harmonized and economy‑wide; remain simple and transparent; and be achievable and flexible over time.
Alignment
While AFPM’s climate policy is not aligned with Delta’s net-zero ambition, we believe in the value of constructive engagement. Monroe champions thoughtful perspectives on renewable fuels, such as SAF, through its unique vantage point. Monroe also works alongside AFPM to advance policies that mitigate the economic hardship of RFS compliance as well as a diverse array of matters impacting the overall industry. Notably, AFPM supports domestic policies that advance public investment, regulatory reform and streamlined permitting to facilitate development of the critical energy infrastructure needed to meet current and future energy demand.
Monroe and Delta remain aligned with AFPM’s stated position on implementation of certain clean energy tax measures.
- Clean Energy Tax Support: AFPM supported the implementation of clean energy tax measures that recognize and support their members’ technologies and investments in biofuels, hydrogen, SAF and carbon capture technologies.
In 2025, AFPM remained engaged on state and federal zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) policies, which, without context, could appear misaligned with our net zero ambition. AFPM and Monroe opposed de facto vehicle mandates or production bans and continued to support legislation (e.g. the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchasing Act) to maintain consumer choice and a role for renewable biofuels in the on‑road market.
CONCLUSION
Delta recognizes that many factors surrounding our ambitious climate goals are outside our control and that progress will require significant capital investment, government policies and incentives, dedicated R&D and the transformation of some of the world’s largest industries. As previously highlighted, one critical component of the advancement and ultimate achievement of our climate goals is effective public policy engagement, including direct and indirect lobbying activities. Delta remains committed to being a voice of leadership on climate policy issues that impact our business and stakeholders as well as our overall global competitiveness.