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 being its largest. Along with its Delta Connection partners, the airline has over 5,400 daily flights to 325 destinations in 52 countries across six continents. Delta is a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance, expanding its global network. It's the second-oldest operating commercial airline in the United States.

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.

March 23, 1925: First flight operated by Huff Daland Dusters

On March 23, 1925, the first flight operated by Huff Daland Dusters departed from Camp Wheeler to dust a peach orchard in Montezuma, Georgia using a Huff-Daland Duster.

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 began

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

June 1930: Service extended

By June 1930, Delta Air Service extended its service 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 the route Delta pioneered was awarded to another airline.

December 31, 1930: Delta Air Corporation incorporated

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

1934: Secured 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: Headquarters moved to Atlanta

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

1941: Relocated to Atlanta

Since 1941, Delta's corporate headquarters has been located on a corporate campus on the northern boundary of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, within the city limits of Atlanta after relocating its corporate offices from Monroe, Louisiana.

1945: Company name officially became Delta Air Lines

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

1946: Commenced freight transport

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

1949: Launched discounted fares

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 the acquisition of Chicago and Southern Air Lines.

1959: First airline to fly the Douglas DC-8

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

1959: Unveiling of the "widget" logo

In 1959, Delta's logo, known as the "widget", was introduced. Its triangle shape is derived from the Greek letter delta, representing the airline's origins in the Mississippi Delta. It also symbolizes the swept-wing design of the DC-8, Delta's first jet aircraft.

1960: First airline to fly Convair 880 jets

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

1960: Annexation of the Hartsfield old terminal

In 1960, the City of Atlanta was only permitted to annex areas that are adjacent to areas already in the Atlanta city limits.

1964: Launched the Deltamatic reservation systems

In 1964, Delta Air Lines 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: Ceased crop dusting

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

1970: All-jet fleet

By 1970, Delta Air Lines had an all-jet fleet.

1972: Acquired Northeast Airlines

In 1972, Delta Air Lines acquired Northeast Airlines.

1978: Began trans-Atlantic service

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

August 3, 1981: Annexation of land approved

On August 3, 1981, the Atlanta City Council approved the annexation of 141 acres of land, an area containing the Delta headquarters.

September 1981: Airline sued the city

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 Air Lines launched a frequent-flyer program.

1987: Acquired Western Airlines

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

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

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

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

In 1991, Delta Air Lines 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 provider of temporary staffing

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

1997: First airline to board more than 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: Delta Air Lines launched SkyBonus

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, initially offered on 400 flights.

2003: Launched Song

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

March 2005: End of pillows on flights within US, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, and Central America and increase in alcoholic beverages

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; 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: Introduction of "Upward & Onward" livery

In 2007, Delta introduced its current livery, called "Upward & Onward," as part of a re-branding initiative following its emergence from bankruptcy. The new livery features a white fuselage, blue lettering for the company name, and the widget on the vertical stabilizer.

April 14, 2008: Acquisition of Northwest Airlines announced

On April 14, 2008, the acquisition of Northwest Airlines by Delta was announced.

October 29, 2008: Acquisition approved and consummated

On October 29, 2008, Delta's acquisition of Northwest Airlines was approved and consummated.

2008: EPA Award for environmentally friendly surface pretreatment

In 2008, Delta Air Lines received an award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment (DfE) program for its use of PreKote. PreKote is an environmentally friendly, non-hexavalent chromium surface pretreatment on its aircraft, replacing hazardous chemicals formerly used to improve paint adhesion and prevent corrosion. In addition, PreKote reduces water usage by two-thirds and reduces wastewater treatment.

2008: Release of Safety Video featuring "Deltalina"

In early 2008, Delta released a safety video featuring a flight attendant that garnered over 1 million views on YouTube and attention from news outlets. The flight attendant, Katherine Lee, was nicknamed "Deltalina" due to her resemblance to Angelina Jolie. The video was filmed on a former Song Airlines Boeing 757-200.

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

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

January 31, 2010: Completed integration with Northwest

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

2010: Merged SkyBonus 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 underwent a cabin branding upgrade with availability and exact details varying by route and aircraft type.

April 2016: New Premium Economy cabin announced

In April 2016, Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced that a new Premium Economy cabin, later renamed Premium Select, would be added, featuring 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 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 One Suites rolled out on the Airbus A350 fleet after being delivered.

2017: Premium Economy introduced on Airbus A350

In 2017, Delta introduced Premium Economy (Premium Select) on its new Airbus A350, which was first delivered in fall 2017.

October 2018: Premium Select on Boeing 757 aircraft

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: Delta Air Lines sold majority ownership of DAL Global Services

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.

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

July 2019: Revenue service for the airline began for Airbus A330-900 featuring Delta One Suites

In July 2019, Delta's Airbus A330-900, which began revenue service for the airline, also featured Delta One Suites, and Delta began retrofitting a new seat on the 767-400ER with increased privacy and design similar to Delta One Suites.

2019: Premium Select on A330-900

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

January 14, 2020: Delta Flight DL89 Returns to LAX After Takeoff

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: Basic Economy changes

As of December 2021, Delta's Basic Economy travelers no longer earn award miles or medallion qualifying miles.

2021: Premium Select retrofit

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

December 31, 2021: Mainline aircraft destinations

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

2022: Delta shifts away from Carbon Offsets

Despite having purchased 9.7 million metric tonnes of carbon offsets in 2022, Delta was in the process of moving away from such investments to reduce the company's carbon footprint by the end of March of that year and was instead focusing on reducing emissions from company operations.

2022: Topped The Wall Street Journal's annual rankings

In 2022, Delta topped The Wall Street Journal's annual rankings of airlines.

May 2023: Consumer Class Action Lawsuit Filed

In May 2023, Delta Air Lines received 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's On-Time Performance

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

2023: Topped The Wall Street Journal's annual rankings

In 2023, Delta topped The Wall Street Journal's annual rankings of airlines.

February 2024: New premium Sky Club lounge announced

In February 2024, Delta announced a new, more exclusive or premium level of Sky Club lounge aimed at high-spending travelers. 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.

June 24, 2024: Delta voted Best Airline in North America

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 flights canceled following CrowdStrike incident

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

July 19, 2024: Delta Air Lines v. CrowdStrike Legal Dispute

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. Delta was the hardest-hit airline, with over 7,000 canceled flights, losses estimated at $550 million, and significant operational setbacks due to failures in crew-tracking and outdated IT systems.

July 23, 2024: Department of Transportation Launches Investigation

On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, United States Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, announced that the Department of Transportation would launch an investigation into the events that prevented Delta Air Lines from swiftly recovering from the CrowdStrike incident.

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.

2024: Topped The Wall Street Journal's annual rankings

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

2024: Exclusive Delta One Clubs slated to open

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

2024: Operated 893 daily flights out of Atlanta hub

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

April 2025: Ceiling Panel Detachments Mid-Flight

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 and the condition of its older aircraft.

May 2025: Delta Air Lines operates destinations

As of May 2025, Delta Air Lines operates or has previously operated to the following destinations. This table does not include destinations served by Delta's regional subsidiary, Delta Connection.

August 2025: $79 Million Settlement Approved

In August 2025, Delta agreed to a $79 million settlement, pending court approval, regarding the January 14, 2020 incident. 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.

2025: Service upgrades introduced

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