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Two Delta employees in uniform each pulling a rolling suitcase walk side by side through a bright airport terminal, with large windows and an escalator visible in the background.
Two Delta employees in uniform each pulling a rolling suitcase walk side by side through a bright airport terminal, with large windows and an escalator visible in the background.

Compensation and Total Rewards

We believe that when Delta succeeds, our employees should too. It’s an approach that has enabled us to navigate challenging times together, outpace our peers during growth times and empower our people to build lifelong careers at Delta. We offer unrivaled pay potential through our profit-sharing program, holistic wellness programs and career development opportunities to help our people thrive.

Delta’s Total Rewards Package

Our pay philosophy is rooted in the belief that investing in our people is investing in the continued success of our business. That’s why we provide employees with competitive base pay and unrivaled pay potential via our profit-sharing program.

In 2025, to further enhance employees' understanding of the full package of total rewards, Delta introduced the Total Rewards portal. The portal provides employees1 with a personal Total Rewards statement showing their year-to-date compensation and benefits provided by Delta, including health care premium costs and retirement contributions.

BASE PAY

We strive for our people, regardless of their roles, to build long-term careers with Delta. In June 2025, we invested in a 4% base-pay increase for ground employees and flight attendants, along with a cumulative 4% pool for merit2 employees. This was the fourth annual increase post-pandemic, following 5% increases in 2024 and 2023.

Delta pays frontline (customer-facing) employees highly competitive rates based on fixed pay scales by role. As an example, the flight attendant pay scale increases more than 120% over the first 12 years of tenure in role. In addition to moving up through the steps on the scale, frontline employees also receive any company-wide general increases to base pay.

For merit employees, we consider individual performance, market competitiveness and internal equity when determining base pay.

ANNUAL PROFIT SHARING

Delta’s industry-leading Profit Sharing Program recognizes every employee’s contribution to meeting our financial target. No other airline shares more of its profits with employees.

We calculate annual profit-sharing payouts based on our Profit Sharing Plan formula. Each year Delta earns a profit, we pay eligible employees worldwide 10% of adjusted profits up to $2.5 billion, and 20% of adjusted profits over $2.5 billion. Payments are awarded on February 14, our annual Profit Sharing Day. For 2025, Delta paid out $1.3 billion in profit sharing.

$1.3B

Paid to employees in 2026 from 2025 profits

8.9% of each employee’s eligible earnings

$11.4B

Shared with employees since 2015 through industry-leading Profit Sharing Program

SHARED REWARDS

Delta’s Shared Rewards Program is another way we share our success. This monthly operational incentive is tied to operational goals related to baggage handling, completion factor, on-time arrivals and domestic Net Promoter Score. Eligible employees can earn up to $1,200 annually. In 2025, Delta employees earned $67 million in Shared Rewards.

$67M

In Shared Rewards earned for 2025 operational performance

RETIREMENT AND 401(K)

Our primary 401(k) plan includes an automatic company contribution equal to 3% of eligible earnings for most ground and flight attendant employees. We also match 100% of employee contributions up to 6% of eligible earnings. For employees who contribute 6%, the combined contribution results in a total retirement savings of 15%, a target many financial advisors recommend.

93%

Of ground, flight attendant and merit employees made 401(k) contributions

Delta’s Commitment to Pay Equity

We are committed to ensuring all employees are compensated equitably for comparable duties, responsibilities and skills. Frontline employees are paid an hourly rate based on length of service in their respective roles, and all employees are informed of where they stand on the pay scale. We routinely benchmark against peer companies and conduct pay equity analyses for merit employees.

Other Total Rewards Programs

Our Total Rewards package extends beyond compensation. In addition to paid vacation, personal time and maternity and parental leave, we offer a choice of medical insurance programs and holistic wellness programs. Learn more about our best-in-class wellness benefits in Wellness.

Among our most popular benefits, Delta employees can take advantage of several travel-related perks. These include unlimited standby privileges to any Delta destination; discounts on Delta-confirmed airfare, Delta Vacations and Delta Cargo; and savings on hotel reservations and car rentals. Additionally, Delta provides basic life insurance to all domestic employees (other than officers), as well as access to other voluntary benefits at group rates.

An operations control center employee in a red pullover stands at a computer workstation with multiple large monitors displaying maps and data. Other employees work at similar stations in the background under bright overhead lighting.

Union Representation and Collective Bargaining

Delta is known as a great place to work, and a great airline to fly, because of our culture, centered on taking care of our people so that they can take care of our customers. We support our people throughout their career.

We respect all employees’ legal rights, including the right to collective bargaining. Our U.S.-based employees are covered by the Railway Labor Act (RLA), the federal law governing labor relations between air carriers and their employees. Under the RLA, employees have the right to decide whether they wish to be represented by a union or to reject union representation.

Because this is an important decision, it is necessary for Delta people to have accurate information when making it, which is why, in compliance with the law, Delta shares facts about union representation and the impact it could have on how we work together.

Delta also has written policies that support our people’s right to advocate for or against union representation:

  • Solicitation and advocacy activities by Delta people on Delta premises are permitted. These activities, including distribution of advocacy information, should occur in nonwork and nonoperation areas, such as break rooms and employee lounges. Advocates can of course conduct organizing efforts outside Delta workspaces on personal time.
  • Employees may display their support for a union or other cause on their uniform via a lapel pin of the appropriate size. Other items (such as clothing) that express support for or opposition to a union may be worn or displayed in nonwork areas.
  • Delta does not tolerate harassment, bullying or intimidation of any employee, whether advocating for or against a union.

Two groups of Delta employees are represented by unions: pilots and dispatchers. Certain employees outside the United States are also represented by unions, work councils or other local representative groups.

  1. The Total Rewards portal is available for all domestic ground, flight attendant and merit employees through the manager level.(a)
  2. Merit contributors are paid a salary based on benchmark data from their peers at Delta and across multiple industries and are evaluated on categories spanning skill and experience to innovation and leadership. Scale employees are paid an hourly wage while also receiving competitive pay offerings and flexible benefits driven by performance. Scale employees include pilots, flight attendants, maintenance technicians, customer service and reservation agents, baggage handlers and more.(a)