History of Delta Air Lines in Timeline

Delta Air Lines is a major U.S. airline headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It operates nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport as its largest. Including Delta Connection, it has over 5,400 daily flights to 325 destinations in 52 countries across six continents. Delta is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, which expands its global reach. It is the oldest operating U.S. airline and the seventh-oldest worldwide.

March 2, 1925: Huff Daland Dusters, Inc. founded

On March 2, 1925, Huff Daland Dusters, Inc., the world's first aerial crop dusting operation, was founded in Macon, Georgia.

December 3, 1928: Delta Air Service Incorporated

On December 3, 1928, Delta Air Service was incorporated and named after the Mississippi Delta region.

June 17, 1929: Passenger operations begin

On June 17, 1929, Delta Air Service began passenger operations from Dallas, Texas, to Jackson, Mississippi, with stops at Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana.

June 1930: Service extended east to Atlanta and west to Fort Worth, Texas

By June 1930, Delta's passenger service had extended east to Atlanta and west to Fort Worth, Texas.

October 1930: Passenger service ceased

In October 1930, passenger service ceased when the airmail contract for Delta's route was awarded to another airline, which purchased Delta Air Service's assets.

December 31, 1930: Delta Air Corporation incorporated

On December 31, 1930, Delta Air Corporation was incorporated after local investors purchased back the crop-dusting assets of Delta Air Service.

1934: Secured an airmail contract

In 1934, Delta Air Corporation secured an airmail contract and began doing business as Delta Air Lines over Mail Route 24, stretching from Fort Worth, Texas, to Charleston, South Carolina.

1941: Delta moved its headquarters to Atlanta

In 1941, Delta moved its corporate headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana, to a corporate campus on the northern boundary of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

1941: Headquarters moved to Atlanta

In 1941, Delta moved its headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana, to its current location in Atlanta.

1945: Company name officially became Delta Air Lines

In 1945, the company name officially became Delta Air Lines.

1946: Commenced regularly scheduled freight transport

In 1946, Delta Air Lines commenced regularly scheduled freight transport.

1949: Launched first discounted fares between Chicago and Miami

In 1949, Delta Air Lines launched the first discounted fares between Chicago and Miami.

1953: Launched first international routes

In 1953, Delta Air Lines launched its first international routes after acquiring Chicago and Southern Air Lines.

1959: Logo unveiled

Delta's logo, often called the "widget", was originally unveiled in 1959. Its triangle shape is taken from the Greek letter delta and recalls the airline's early history operating in the Mississippi Delta.

1959: First airline to fly the Douglas DC-8

In 1959, Delta was the first airline to fly the Douglas DC-8.

1960: City of Atlanta annexation of the Hartsfield old terminal

Delta's lawsuit in September 1981 was challenging the constitutionality of the 1960 City of Atlanta annexation of the Hartsfield old terminal.

1960: First airline to fly Convair 880 jets

In 1960, Delta was the first airline to fly Convair 880 jets.

1964: Launched Deltamatic reservation systems

In 1964, Delta launched the Deltamatic reservation systems using computers in the IBM 7070 series.

1965: First airline to fly the McDonnell Douglas DC-9

In 1965, Delta was the first airline to fly the McDonnell Douglas DC-9.

1966: Delta ceased crop dusting

In 1966, the crop dusting division of Delta ceased operations.

1970: All-jet fleet

By 1970, Delta had an all-jet fleet.

1972: Acquired Northeast Airlines

In 1972, Delta acquired Northeast Airlines.

1978: Began trans-Atlantic service

In 1978, Delta began Trans-Atlantic service with the first nonstop flights from Atlanta to London.

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 containing the Delta headquarters.

September 1981: Airline sued the city challenging annexation

In September 1981, Delta sued the city, challenging the annexation on the basis of the constitutionality of the 1960 City of Atlanta annexation of the Hartsfield old terminal.

1981: Launched frequent-flyer program

In 1981, Delta launched a frequent-flyer program.

1987: Acquired Western Airlines and began trans-Pacific service

In 1987, Delta acquired Western Airlines and began trans-Pacific service (Atlanta to Portland, Oregon, to Tokyo).

1990: First airline in the US to fly McDonnell Douglas MD-11 jets

In 1990, Delta was the first airline in the United States to fly McDonnell Douglas MD-11 jets.

1991: Acquired Pan Am's trans-Atlantic routes and Pan Am Shuttle

In 1991, Delta acquired substantially all of Pan Am's trans-Atlantic routes and the Pan Am Shuttle, rebranded as the Delta Shuttle, becoming the leading airline across the Atlantic.

1995: Founded as a provider of temporary staffing for Delta

DAL Global Services was founded in 1995 as a provider of temporary staffing for Delta primarily in Atlanta.

1997: Began expansion of international routes into Latin America and boarded over 100 million passengers

In 1997, Delta was the first airline to board more than 100 million passengers in a calendar year. Also that year, Delta began an expansion of its international routes into Latin America.

November 27, 2001: Launched SkyBonus program

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. Businesses can earn points toward free travel and upgrades, as well as Sky Club memberships and SkyMiles Silver Medallion status. While enrolled businesses are able to earn points toward free travel, the travelling passenger is still eligible to earn SkyMiles during his or her travel.

July 2003: Started buy-on-board program on select flights

In July 2003, Delta started the buy-on-board program on a few selected flights, initially offered on 400 flights. Prices ranged up to $10.

2003: Launched Song, a low-cost carrier

In 2003, Delta Air Lines launched Song, a low-cost carrier.

March 2005: Planned to stop providing pillows and increased the price of alcoholic beverages

Beginning in mid-March 2005, Delta 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; the increase in alcohol prices did not occur on Song flights.

September 14, 2005: Filed for bankruptcy

On September 14, 2005, Delta Air Lines filed for bankruptcy, citing rising fuel costs.

April 2007: Emerged 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: Current Livery Introduction

In 2007, Delta introduced its current "Upward & Onward" livery as part of a re-branding after emerging from bankruptcy. The new livery uses four colors, saving the airline money compared to the old eight-color "colors in motion" scheme by reducing painting cycle time. The airline spent four years repainting its entire fleet, including aircraft from Northwest Airlines, with the new livery.

April 14, 2008: Acquisition of Northwest Airlines announced

On April 14, 2008, Delta Air Lines announced the acquisition of Northwest Airlines.

October 29, 2008: Acquisition of Northwest Airlines approved and consummated

On October 29, 2008, the acquisition of Northwest Airlines was approved and consummated.

2008: Environmental Protection Agency Award

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. PreKote is a more environmentally friendly, non-hexavalent chromium surface pretreatment that replaced hazardous chemicals to improve paint adhesion and prevent corrosion. PreKote also reduces water usage and wastewater treatment.

2008: Viral Safety Video

In early 2008, as part of the re-branding project, Delta posted a safety video featuring a flight attendant on YouTube. The video gained over 1 million views and news coverage due to its tone combined with the serious safety message. The flight attendant, Katherine Lee, was nicknamed "Deltalina." The video was filmed on a former Song Airlines Boeing 757-200.

December 31, 2009: Northwest Airlines operating certificate merged into that of Delta

On December 31, 2009, the Northwest Airlines operating certificate was merged into that of Delta.

January 31, 2010: Integration with Northwest completed

On January 31, 2010, Delta completed integration with Northwest Airlines when their computer reservations system and websites were combined, and the Northwest Airlines brand was officially retired.

2010: SkyBonus program merged with Northwest's Biz Perks program

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. Availability and exact details vary by route and aircraft type.

April 2016: Announcement of Premium Economy cabin

In April 2016, Delta 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: Announced the introduction of Delta One Suites

In August 2016, Delta announced the introduction of Delta One Suites on select widebody fleets, featuring enhanced privacy, improved storage space, a larger IFE screen, and an updated design.

July 2017: First Airbus A350 delivered

In July 2017, the suites rolled out on the Airbus A350 fleet, which was first delivered to Delta in July 2017.

2017: Delta introduced Premium Select on its new Airbus A350

In 2017, Delta introduced Premium Select on its new Airbus A350, first delivered in fall 2017, to be followed by the now-retired Boeing 777.

October 2018: Selling first class seats on domestically configured Boeing 757

In October 2018, Delta announced that it would be selling first class seats on domestically configured Boeing 757 aircraft flying transatlantic routes as Premium Select.

December 21, 2018: Sold majority ownership of DAL Global Services to Argenbright Holdings

On December 21, 2018, Delta Air Lines sold majority ownership of DAL Global Services to Argenbright Holdings and dissolved the staffing division of DGS as part of the sale.

January 2019: Delta no longer offered single-day passes to Sky Club

As of January 2019, Delta no longer offered single-day passes to the Delta Sky Club.

July 2019: Airbus A330-900 began revenue service and retrofitting a new seat on the 767-400ER began

In July 2019, Delta's Airbus A330-900 began revenue service for the airline and Delta began retrofitting a new seat on the 767-400ER, which featured increased privacy and design similar to Delta One Suites, though without a privacy door.

2019: Delta's A330-900 offers Premium Select

In 2019, Delta's A330-900 was delivered and also offers Premium Select.

December 2021: Basic Economy travelers no longer earn award miles

As of December 2021, Basic Economy travelers no longer earn award miles (used for redeeming free travel, for example) or medallion qualifying miles (which count towards elite status).

2021: Retrofitting aircraft with Premium Select

In 2021, Delta began retrofitting many of its 767-300ER and older A330 aircraft with Premium Select.

December 31, 2021: Delta's mainline aircraft fly to 242 destinations serving 52 countries

As of December 31, 2021, Delta's mainline aircraft fly to 242 destinations, serving 52 countries across six continents.

2022: Carbon Offset Investments

In 2022, despite purchasing 9.7 million metric tonnes of carbon offsets, Delta began moving away from these investments by the end of March of that year to focus on reducing emissions from company operations.

2022: Southwest Airlines Scheduling Crisis Comparison

In July 2024, Delta's disruption following the 2024 CrowdStrike incident closely resembled the 2022 Southwest Airlines scheduling crisis, in which the airline canceled thousands of flights.

May 2023: Consumer Class Action Lawsuit

In May 2023, Delta Air Lines was hit with a consumer class action lawsuit filed in Central California U.S. District Court over marketing claims of being the world's first carbon neutral airline.

2023: On-Time Arrival Performance

In 2023, Delta flights arrived on time 84.72% of the time, compared to the North American industry average of 74.45% per Cirium. Delta also completed 98.82% of its scheduled flights.

February 2024: Announced new Sky Club lounge level

In February 2024, Delta announced a new, more exclusive or premium level of Sky Club lounge aimed at high-spending travellers. The first would be at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, followed by those in Boston's Logan International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport later in the year. In addition to wellness areas, the lounge would offer a full-service brasserie and a marketplace influenced or assisted by a chef that would feature an open kitchen. The move represented a shift away from a standard offering to something closer to a unique experience for each airport and the city in which the lounge was located.

June 24, 2024: Skytrax Awards

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: Flight Cancellations

In July 2024, Delta canceled over 7,000 flights following the 2024 CrowdStrike incident, a disruption similar to the 2022 Southwest Airlines scheduling crisis.

July 19, 2024: Global Outage and Lawsuit

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, the hardest-hit airline with over 7,000 canceled flights and $550 million in losses, sued CrowdStrike for gross negligence, fraud, and computer trespass, alleging the update was deployed without proper testing and without authorization. CrowdStrike denied wrongdoing, citing contract terms and blaming Delta’s legacy systems. A Georgia court allowed Delta to proceed with several claims.

July 23, 2024: Department of Transportation Investigation

On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, United States Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, announced the Department of Transportation would investigate the events that prevented Delta Air Lines from swiftly recovering from the flight cancellations. Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated that over 500,000 passengers were inconvenienced and over 3,000 complaints were lodged with the government.

December 2024: Employs nearly 103,000 people

As of December 2024, Delta Air Lines employs nearly 103,000 people between its mainline operation and subsidiaries.

2024: Delta One Clubs slated to open

Exclusive Delta One Clubs for customers travelling in business class are slated to open at New York–Kennedy, Los Angeles, and Boston in 2024.

2024: Topped Wall Street Journal's annual rankings and earned first place in Reader's Choice Awards

In 2024, Delta topped The Wall Street Journal's annual airline rankings and earned first place in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Airlines in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler.

2024: Operated 893 daily flights out of its Atlanta main hub

In the summer of 2024, Delta operated 893 daily flights out of its Atlanta main hub.

April 2025: Ceiling Panel Incidents

In April 2025, two Delta Air Lines flights experienced incidents where ceiling panels detached mid-flight, injuring at least one passenger. The events occurred on a Boeing 757 and a Boeing 717, leading to scrutiny of Delta’s maintenance practices.

May 2025: Delta Air Lines flies (or has flown) to the cities below

As of May 2025, Delta Air Lines flies (or has flown) to the cities listed below. The table does not show cities that have seen only Delta Connection flights.

2025: Introduced several service upgrades

As part of its efforts to improve customer experience, Delta introduced several service upgrades in 2025. These included 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.