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A professional portrait of a Delta Airlines CES wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and blue tie against a gray patterned background. To the left, text reads “Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer, Delta Air Lines,” with his stylized signature above the name.
A professional portrait of a Delta Airlines CES wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and blue tie against a gray patterned background. To the left, text reads “Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer, Delta Air Lines,” with his stylized signature above the name.

A Message From Ed Bastian

As Delta enters our second century of flight, we’re focused on building the airline of the future for our people, customers, investors and the communities we serve. Our foundation for growth is built on our longstanding value of always putting people first, which has guided us for 100 years.

This “Delta Difference Report” reflects what has always set us apart. Our commitment to people isn’t just good hospitality. It’s a competitive advantage. When Delta people show up for our customers and each other, every flight and every day, we deliver meaningful value for all our stakeholders.

Safety First, Always

Safety remains our North Star. Exceptional service starts with ensuring everyone – on the ground and in the air – returns home safely. In 2025, we advanced that commitment with major investments in safety infrastructure and equipment, and we expanded the use of AI to help identify trends earlier and reinforce our already strong safety culture.

We also continued our leadership in Safety in Flight, working closely with our affiliate carriers. As climate patterns evolve, we invested in new cooling equipment at high‑risk stations to mitigate heat-related risks during ground operations. And because safety includes vigilance against exploitation, more than 40,000 customer‑facing employees completed human‑trafficking awareness training.

Taking Care of Our People

Our industry-leading operation is powered by over 100,000 Delta people who hold themselves to the highest standard. In 2025, we celebrated their performance through $1.3 billion in Profit Sharing, a 4% raise and $67 million in Shared Rewards.

We continued expanding long-term investments in our people’s well‑being and development, which range from building financial confidence through Ready Set Retire, to helping employees grow their careers through Talent Hub and Propel. Since its launch in 2023, more than 80,500 employees have participated in our Emergency Savings Program, where they can earn $1,000 in savings by completing financial education and coaching.

Serving Our Communities

Giving back to the communities where we live, work and serve has always been core to Delta’s culture. In 2025, our people and customers raised support for causes we care deeply about, including the Delta Care and Scholarship Funds. Together with The Delta Air Lines Foundation, we contributed $72.5 million to nonprofit partners and helped communities responding to crises, including devastating wildfires in California.

We also celebrated Global Volunteer Month, mobilizing Delta people at more than 150 events worldwide. From mentoring students to cleaning coastlines, our people made a meaningful impact where we live and work.

Supporting Our Environment

Efficiency and sustainability strengthen our business and our communities. In 2025, we made progress on multiple fronts: saved 1% of fuel use from operational improvements;1 rolled out paper cups globally to minimize single-use plastics on board; partnered with JetZero and Maeve Aerospace to explore innovative new aircraft design; and incrementally increased sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) usage compared to 2024. We have also entered into new SAF offtake agreements with industry-leading suppliers for 2026 and beyond.

As we fly beyond 100, I’m inspired by the professionalism and care of our Delta people. The magic of flight isn’t just crossing continents – it’s the connections we create and the opportunities we open. That purpose will continue to guide us as we “Keep Climbing” together.

Ed Bastian Chief Executive Officer
Delta Air Lines
  1. Compared to 2019, relative to what would have been used had these fuel-saving initiatives not been undertaken and excluding efficiency improvements associated with fleet renewal.(a)