History of Delta Air Lines in Timeline
Delta Air Lines is a major U.S. airline headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It operates from nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport as its largest. Including its Delta Connection regional affiliates, Delta operates over 5,400 daily flights, serving 325 destinations in 52 countries across six continents. It's a significant player in global air travel.
6 hours ago : Delta flight diverted after passenger's alleged attempt to access cockpit, Houston.
A Delta flight made an emergency landing in Houston after a passenger allegedly attempted to access the cockpit. The incident highlights concerns about unruly travelers and cockpit security, sparking investigations and increased safety measures.
March 2, 1925: Huff Daland Dusters, Inc. founded
On March 2, 1925, Huff Daland Dusters, Inc., the world's first aerial crop dusting operation and predecessor to Delta Air Lines, was founded in Macon, Georgia.
March 23, 1925: First flight of Huff Daland Dusters
On March 23, 1925, Huff Daland Dusters operated its first flight from Camp Wheeler in Macon, Georgia, using a Huff-Daland Duster aircraft to dust a peach orchard in Montezuma, Georgia.
December 3, 1928: Delta Air Service Incorporated
On December 3, 1928, Delta Air Service was incorporated, named after the Mississippi Delta region.
June 17, 1929: Passenger operations begin
On June 17, 1929, Delta Air Service started passenger operations from Dallas, Texas, to Jackson, Mississippi, with stops in Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana.
June 1930: Service extends to Atlanta and Fort Worth
By June 1930, Delta Air Service extended its passenger service east to Atlanta and west to Fort Worth, Texas.
October 1930: Passenger service ceases
In October 1930, Delta Air Service's passenger service ceased after losing the airmail contract to another airline, which then purchased Delta's assets.
December 31, 1930: Delta Air Corporation Incorporated
On December 31, 1930, Delta Air Service's crop-dusting assets were purchased back and incorporated as Delta Air Corporation.
1934: Delta secures airmail contract
In 1934, Delta Air Corporation secured an airmail contract and began operating as Delta Air Lines over Mail Route 24, from Fort Worth, Texas, to Charleston, South Carolina.
1941: Headquarters move to Atlanta
In 1941, Delta Air Corporation moved its headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana, to its current location in Atlanta.
1941: Delta relocated its corporate offices to Atlanta
In 1941, Delta relocated its corporate headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana, to Atlanta, Georgia.
1945: Company name becomes Delta Air Lines
In 1945, the company name officially became Delta Air Lines.
1946: Regularly scheduled freight transport commences
In 1946, Delta Air Lines commenced regularly scheduled freight transport.
1953: First international routes launched
In 1953, Delta Air Lines launched its first international routes after acquiring Chicago and Southern Air Lines.
1959: Delta's "widget" logo was unveiled
In 1959, Delta Air Lines unveiled its logo, known as the "widget," a triangle shape derived from the Greek letter delta, which represents the airline's early operations in the Mississippi Delta and resembles the swept-wing design of the DC-8.
1959: First airline to fly Douglas DC-8
In 1959, Delta Air Lines was the first airline to fly the Douglas DC-8.
1960: First airline to fly Convair 880 jets
In 1960, Delta Air Lines was the first airline to fly Convair 880 jets.
1960: City of Atlanta annexation of the Hartsfield old terminal
In 1960, the City of Atlanta annexed areas that are adjacent to areas already in the Atlanta city limits.
1964: Deltamatic reservation systems launched
In 1964, Delta Air Lines launched the Deltamatic reservation systems using computers in the IBM 7070 series.
1965: First airline to fly McDonnell Douglas DC-9
In 1965, Delta Air Lines was the first airline to fly the McDonnell Douglas DC-9.
1966: Delta Ceased Crop Dusting
In 1966, Delta ceased its crop dusting operations, which had been headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana.
1972: Acquisition of Northeast Airlines
In 1972, Delta Air Lines acquired Northeast Airlines.
August 3, 1981: Atlanta City Council approved the annexation of land containing Delta headquarters
On August 3, 1981, the Atlanta City Council approved the annexation of 141 acres of land, including the area containing Delta's headquarters, which would have required Delta to pay $200,000 annually in taxes to the City of Atlanta.
September 1981: Delta Sued Atlanta Over Annexation
In September 1981, Delta Air Lines sued the city of Atlanta, challenging the constitutionality of the annexation of the Hartsfield old terminal.
1981: Frequent-flyer program launched
In 1981, Delta Air Lines launched a frequent-flyer program.
1990: First airline in US to fly McDonnell Douglas MD-11
In 1990, Delta Air Lines was the first airline in the United States to fly McDonnell Douglas MD-11 jets.
1991: Acquisition of Pan Am's trans-Atlantic routes and Pan Am Shuttle
In 1991, Delta Air Lines acquired substantially all of Pan Am's trans-Atlantic routes and the Pan Am Shuttle, which was rebranded as the Delta Shuttle, making Delta the leading airline across the Atlantic.
1995: DAL Global Services founded
Delta Global Services (DGS) was founded in 1995 as a provider of temporary staffing for Delta primarily in Atlanta.
1997: First airline to board 100 million passengers
In 1997, Delta Air Lines was the first airline to board more than 100 million passengers in a calendar year and began an expansion of its international routes into Latin America.
November 27, 2001: SkyBonus program launched
On November 27, 2001, Delta Air Lines launched SkyBonus, a program aimed toward small-to-medium businesses spending between $5,000 and $500,000 annually on air travel.
July 2003: Buy-on-board program started
In July 2003, Delta Air Lines started a buy-on-board program on a few selected flights, with the meal service initially offered on 400 flights, with prices ranging up to $10.
2003: Song launched
In 2003, Delta Air Lines launched Song, a low-cost carrier.
March 2005: Pillows removed and alcohol prices increased
Beginning in mid-March 2005, Delta Air Lines planned to stop providing pillows on flights within the 48 contiguous U.S. states, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, and Central America. In addition, the airline increased the price of alcoholic beverages on Delta mainline flights from $4 to $5.
September 14, 2005: Files for bankruptcy
On September 14, 2005, Delta Air Lines filed for bankruptcy, citing rising fuel costs.
April 2007: Emerges from bankruptcy
In April 2007, Delta Air Lines emerged from bankruptcy after fending off a hostile takeover from US Airways, and its shares were re-listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
2007: Delta introduced "Upward & Onward" livery
In 2007, Delta Air Lines introduced its current livery called "Upward & Onward" as part of a re-branding after emerging from bankruptcy. The livery features a white fuselage with the company's name in blue lettering and a widget on the vertical stabilizer.
April 14, 2008: Acquisition of Northwest Airlines announced
On April 14, 2008, the acquisition of Northwest Airlines by Delta Air Lines was announced.
October 29, 2008: Acquisition of Northwest Airlines approved and consummated
On October 29, 2008, the acquisition of Northwest Airlines by Delta Air Lines was approved and consummated.
2008: Delta received an award for using PreKote
In 2008, Delta Air Lines received an award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment (DfE) program for using PreKote, a more environmentally friendly surface pretreatment, on its aircraft.
2008: Delta posted a safety video featuring a flight attendant on YouTube
In early 2008, as part of the re-branding project, Delta Air Lines posted a safety video featuring a flight attendant, Katherine Lee, on YouTube. The video received over 1 million views and gained attention for its tone mixed with the serious safety message.
2008: Merger with Northwest Airlines
Prior to its 2008 merger with Northwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines mostly operated aircraft built in the United States, but the merger introduced Airbus models into Delta’s fleet.
December 31, 2009: Northwest Airlines operating certificate merged into Delta
On December 31, 2009, the Northwest Airlines operating certificate was merged into that of Delta Air Lines.
January 31, 2010: Integration with Northwest completed
On January 31, 2010, Delta Air Lines completed integration with Northwest Airlines, combining their computer reservations system and websites, and officially retiring the Northwest Airlines brand.
2010: SkyBonus program merged with Biz Perks
In early 2010, Delta Air Lines merged its SkyBonus program with Northwest's similar Biz Perks program.
2015: Cabin branding upgrade
In 2015, Delta Air Lines underwent a cabin branding upgrade, with availability and details varying by route and aircraft type.
April 2016: New Premium Economy cabin announced
In April 2016, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian announced that a new Premium Economy cabin would be added. Since renamed to Premium Select, this cabin will feature extra legroom; adjustable leg rests; extra seat pitch, width, and recline; and a new premium service.
August 2016: Introduction of Delta One Suites announced
In August 2016, Delta Air Lines announced the introduction of Delta One Suites on select widebody fleets, featuring a door to the aisle for enhanced privacy, improved storage space, a larger IFE screen, and an updated design.
July 2017: Delta One Suites rolled out on Airbus A350 fleet
In July 2017, Delta Air Lines rolled out Delta One Suites on the Airbus A350 fleet after the aircraft's delivery.
October 2018: First class seats sold as Premium Select
In October 2018, Delta Air Lines announced that it would be selling first class seats on domestically configured Boeing 757 aircraft flying transatlantic routes as Premium Select.
December 21, 2018: DAL Global Services sale
On December 21, 2018, Delta Air Lines sold majority ownership of DAL Global Services to Argenbright Holdings and dissolved the staffing division of DGS.
January 2019: Delta Sky Club no longer offers single-day passes
As of January 2019, Delta Air Lines no longer offered single-day passes for the Delta Sky Club.
July 2019: Delta One Suites featured on Airbus A330-900
In July 2019, Delta Air Lines' Airbus A330-900, which began revenue service for the airline, also featured Delta One Suites. Delta also began retrofitting a new seat on the 767-400ER, with increased privacy and design similar to Delta One Suites, though without a privacy door.
2019: Premium Select offered on Delta's A330-900
In 2019, Delta Air Lines' A330-900, which was delivered that year, also offered Premium Select.
January 14, 2020: Delta Air Lines Flight DL89 returned to Los Angeles International Airport shortly after takeoff due to engine trouble
On January 14, 2020, Delta Air Lines Flight DL89, a Boeing 777-200 to Shanghai, returned to Los Angeles International Airport shortly after takeoff due to engine trouble. To reach a safe landing weight, the crew released about 15,000 gallons of jet fuel over southeastern Los Angeles County, including schoolyards.
December 2021: Changes to Basic Economy
As of December 2021, Delta Air Lines Basic Economy travelers no longer earn award miles or medallion qualifying miles.
2021: Premium Select retrofitting begins
In 2021, Delta Air Lines began retrofitting many of its 767-300ER and older A330 aircraft with Premium Select.
December 31, 2021: Delta serves 242 destinations
As of December 31, 2021, Delta Air Lines' mainline aircraft fly to 242 destinations, serving 52 countries across six continents.
2022: Southwest Airlines scheduling crisis
In 2022, Southwest Airlines had a scheduling crisis, in which the airline canceled thousands of flights.
2022: Delta Reduced Carbon Footprint
In 2022, despite purchasing 9.7 million metric tonnes of carbon offsets, Delta Air Lines began moving away from such investments to reduce its carbon footprint by focusing on reducing emissions from company operations.
May 2023: Delta Air Lines faced a consumer class action lawsuit
In May 2023, Delta Air Lines faced a consumer class action lawsuit filed in Central California U.S. District Court over marketing claims that the company is the world's first carbon neutral airline.
2023: Delta flights arrived on time 84.72% of the time
In 2023, Delta Air Lines flights arrived at their destination on time 84.72% of the time, which was compared to the North American industry average of 74.45% per Cirium, and Delta completed 98.82% of its scheduled flights.
February 2024: New premium level of Sky Club lounge announced
In February 2024, Delta Air Lines announced a new, more exclusive or premium level of Sky Club lounge aimed at high-spending travelers, with the first being at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
June 24, 2024: Delta Air Lines was voted 2024 Best Airline in North America and Best Airline Staff Service in North America by Skytrax
On June 24, 2024, Delta Air Lines was voted 2024 Best Airline in North America and Best Airline Staff Service in North America by Skytrax.
July 2024: Delta canceled over 7,000 flights during a disruption following the 2024 CrowdStrike incident
In July 2024, Delta Air Lines canceled over 7,000 flights during a disruption following the 2024 CrowdStrike incident.
July 19, 2024: Delta Air Lines v. CrowdStrike is a legal dispute stemming from a massive global outage on July 19, 2024, caused by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike
Delta Air Lines v. CrowdStrike is a legal dispute stemming from a massive global outage on July 19, 2024, caused by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike, which crashed Microsoft Windows systems worldwide and disrupted critical industries, including air travel.
July 23, 2024: The Department of Transportation would be launching an investigation into the events that prevented Delta Air Lines from swiftly recovering
On Tuesday July 23, 2024, United States secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg, announced the Department of Transportation would be launching an investigation into the events that prevented Delta Air Lines from swiftly recovering.
December 2024: Delta employs nearly 103,000 people
As of December 2024, Delta Air Lines employs nearly 103,000 people between its mainline operation and subsidiaries.
December 2024: Average fleet age is 14.9 years
As of December 2024, Delta's average fleet age is 14.9 years.
2024: Exclusive Delta One Clubs slated to open
In 2024, exclusive Delta One Clubs for customers traveling in business class are slated to open at New York–Kennedy, Los Angeles, and Boston.
2024: 893 daily flights out of Atlanta hub
In the summer of 2024, Delta Air Lines and its worldwide alliance partners operated 893 daily flights out of its Atlanta main hub.
April 2025: Ceiling panels detached mid-flight on two Delta Air Lines flights
In April 2025, two Delta Air Lines flights experienced incidents in which ceiling panels detached mid-flight, injuring at least one passenger. The events occurred on a Boeing 757 and a Boeing 717, prompting scrutiny of Delta's maintenance practices.
May 2025: Delta Air Lines Destinations
As of May 2025, Delta Air Lines operates or has previously operated to the following destinations.
August 2025: Delta agreed to a $79 million settlement
In August 2025, Delta agreed to a $79 million settlement, pending court approval. The airline did not admit liability, stating that the pilots had followed Federal Aviation Administration guidance and that the settlement was intended to avoid the costs of a trial.
December 2025: Delta Air Lines fleet
As of December 2025, the Delta Air Lines fleet consists of 987 mainline aircraft, making it the third largest commercial airline fleet in the world.
2025: Service upgrades introduced
In 2025, Delta Air Lines introduced several service upgrades, including free Wi-Fi access for SkyMiles members on most domestic flights, expanded Delta Sky Club lounge facilities, and new premium dining options featuring branded offerings such as Shake Shack.
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