Delta Air Lines
Major American airline operating scheduled passenger and cargo services to over 300 destinations worldwide from its hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, and other cities.
Company Type
public
Founded
1928
Headquarters
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Stock
New York Stock Exchange: DAL
About Delta Air Lines
What does Delta Air Lines do?
Delta Air Lines operates scheduled passenger and cargo air service to more than 300 destinations in over 50 countries. The company also provides aircraft maintenance services through Delta TechOps, vacation packages through Delta Vacations, and operates the SkyMiles frequent flyer loyalty program.
Delta Air Lines operates scheduled passenger and cargo air service to more than 300 destinations in over 50 countries. The company also provides aircraft maintenance services through Delta TechOps, vacation packages through Delta Vacations, and operates the SkyMiles frequent flyer loyalty program.
Is Delta Air Lines publicly traded?
Yes, Delta Air Lines, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol DAL. The company has no controlling shareholder, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group and BlackRock.
Yes, Delta Air Lines, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol DAL. The company has no controlling shareholder, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group and BlackRock.
What is Delta's annual revenue?
In FY2024, Delta reported record full-year revenue and approximately $5 billion in pre-tax income, along with approximately $8 billion in operating cash flow and $3.4 billion in free cash flow.
In FY2024, Delta reported record full-year revenue and approximately $5 billion in pre-tax income, along with approximately $8 billion in operating cash flow and $3.4 billion in free cash flow.
Who founded Delta Air Lines?
Delta Air Lines traces its origins to Huff Daland Dusters, established in 1924. In 1928, Collett E. Woolman and investors purchased the company and renamed it Delta Air Service. Woolman led the airline for decades, building it into one of the major U.S. carriers.
Delta Air Lines traces its origins to Huff Daland Dusters, established in 1924. In 1928, Collett E. Woolman and investors purchased the company and renamed it Delta Air Service. Woolman led the airline for decades, building it into one of the major U.S. carriers.
What is the SkyTeam alliance?
SkyTeam is a global airline alliance of which Delta is a founding member. The alliance includes Air France-KLM, Korean Air, Aeromexico, and other international carriers, enabling Delta customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on partner airlines and access partner airline lounges.
SkyTeam is a global airline alliance of which Delta is a founding member. The alliance includes Air France-KLM, Korean Air, Aeromexico, and other international carriers, enabling Delta customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on partner airlines and access partner airline lounges.
What happened with Delta and CrowdStrike in 2024?
In July 2024, a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused a global IT outage that severely disrupted Delta's operations, resulting in approximately 7,000 canceled flights and an estimated $500 million in losses. Delta subsequently filed a lawsuit against CrowdStrike seeking damages.
In July 2024, a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused a global IT outage that severely disrupted Delta's operations, resulting in approximately 7,000 canceled flights and an estimated $500 million in losses. Delta subsequently filed a lawsuit against CrowdStrike seeking damages.
History of Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines traces its origins to 1924, when Huff Daland Dusters was established in Macon, Georgia, as a crop dusting service. In 1928, C.E. Woolman and a group of investors purchased the company and renamed it Delta Air Service, after the Mississippi Delta region where it operated. The airline began passenger service in 1929, operating a route between Dallas, Texas, and Jackson, Mississippi.
Delta grew steadily through the 1930s and 1940s, expanding its route network across the southeastern United States. The airline was incorporated as Delta Air Lines in 1945 and became a publicly traded company. Delta was among the first airlines to operate the Douglas DC-3, which became the workhorse of commercial aviation in the late 1930s and 1940s.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Delta expanded nationally and internationally, introducing jet service in 1959 with the Douglas DC-8. The airline merged with Chicago and Southern Air Lines in 1953 and Northeast Airlines in 1972, significantly expanding its route network. Delta became one of the major U.S. trunk carriers, competing with American, United, and Eastern Airlines.
Delta acquired Western Airlines in 1987, adding routes in the western United States and expanding its presence in the Pacific. The acquisition made Delta one of the largest U.S. airlines and established its position as a truly national carrier.
The airline industry faced severe disruption following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which caused a dramatic decline in air travel demand. Delta, like most major U.S. airlines, struggled financially in the years following the attacks. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2005, citing high fuel costs, labor costs, and competition from low-cost carriers.
Delta emerged from bankruptcy in April 2007 with a restructured balance sheet and lower cost structure. Shortly after emerging from bankruptcy, Delta announced a merger with Northwest Airlines, which was completed in October 2008. The Delta-Northwest merger created the world's largest airline at the time, combining Delta's strengths in the southeastern United States and transatlantic routes with Northwest's strengths in the upper Midwest and transpacific routes.
Richard Anderson served as CEO from 2007 to 2016, leading the airline through its bankruptcy emergence, the Northwest merger, and a period of strong profitability. Ed Bastian became CEO in May 2016 and has continued Delta's focus on premium service, operational reliability, and financial discipline.
Delta has made strategic investments in airline partners to strengthen its global network. The company holds a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic, a significant stake in LATAM Airlines Group (South America's largest airline), and a stake in Aeromexico. These investments provide Delta with preferred partner relationships and revenue sharing on key international routes.
In FY2024, Delta reported record full-year revenue and approximately $5 billion in pre-tax income, reflecting strong travel demand and the airline's premium positioning.
Brands Owned by Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines owns 0 brands in our database.
Stock Information
Delta Air Lines Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +FY2024 record revenue and approximately $5 billion in pre-tax income demonstrate strong financial performance
- +Premium positioning and focus on high-margin business and first-class travelers provides revenue stability
- +SkyMiles/American Express co-brand partnership generates high-margin, recurring revenue
- +Atlanta hub at the world's busiest airport provides unmatched domestic connectivity
- +Strategic investments in Virgin Atlantic, LATAM, and Aeromexico strengthen global network
Considerations
- -Aviation is a capital-intensive, cyclical industry sensitive to fuel prices, economic conditions, and external shocks
- -CrowdStrike IT outage in July 2024 cost approximately $500 million and highlighted operational technology risk
- -Competition from American Airlines, United Airlines, and low-cost carriers on domestic routes
- -Labor costs are a significant and growing expense, with unionized workforce requiring ongoing contract negotiations
- -Environmental regulations and sustainability requirements will require significant capital investment
Frequently Asked Questions About Delta Air Lines
What does Delta Air Lines do?
Delta Air Lines operates scheduled passenger and cargo air service to more than 300 destinations in over 50 countries. The company also provides aircraft maintenance services through Delta TechOps, vacation packages through Delta Vacations, and operates the SkyMiles frequent flyer loyalty program.
Is Delta Air Lines publicly traded?
Yes, Delta Air Lines, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol DAL. The company has no controlling shareholder, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group and BlackRock.
What is Delta's annual revenue?
In FY2024, Delta reported record full-year revenue and approximately $5 billion in pre-tax income, along with approximately $8 billion in operating cash flow and $3.4 billion in free cash flow.
Who founded Delta Air Lines?
Delta Air Lines traces its origins to Huff Daland Dusters, established in 1924. In 1928, Collett E. Woolman and investors purchased the company and renamed it Delta Air Service. Woolman led the airline for decades, building it into one of the major U.S. carriers.
What is the SkyTeam alliance?
SkyTeam is a global airline alliance of which Delta is a founding member. The alliance includes Air France-KLM, Korean Air, Aeromexico, and other international carriers, enabling Delta customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on partner airlines and access partner airline lounges.
What happened with Delta and CrowdStrike in 2024?
In July 2024, a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused a global IT outage that severely disrupted Delta's operations, resulting in approximately 7,000 canceled flights and an estimated $500 million in losses. Delta subsequently filed a lawsuit against CrowdStrike seeking damages.
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