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Lifting As We Climb

"Thoughtful action combined with a focus on championing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and within our personal lives will play a healing role to help us keep climbing. The Delta family will use whatever means we have to move the world toward a better, more just tomorrow."

- Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer

Faces of Travel

One of the many ways we are closing representation gaps is by accurately showcasing diverse groups traveling and sharing their stories. In order for people to feel welcomed while traveling, they need to first see themselves represented.

Faces of Travel is core to our long term commitment to increase representation and visibility within travel culture. Our campaign includes anthem films as well as a free visual library of images and videos available for all to use in travel content and visual communications. It features travelers of diverse backgrounds exploring different destinations around the globe to create more authentic and inclusive content. Learn more by visiting  delta.com/facesoftravel .

Connecting, Reflecting and Respecting the World

Meet monique: women who keep delta climbing.

“I hope in the future, people will see people such as myself, & believe that whatever goal they have, they can accomplish it.”

First Officer Monique Grayson dreamed of being a pilot since she was 12 years old.

Pilot talks LGBTQ+ equality, Pride Month and Stonewall a half-century later

"To me, Pride means not fearing what you don't understand," Line Check Pilot Lane Kranz said in an interview with our team.

Listen to his story about belonging, inclusion and diversity in the flight deck.

#StopAsianHate: Delta leaders have candid conversation about racism and violence in the Asian American, Pacific Islander community

• Parity is possible: Delta women share vision for a gender-balanced world on International Women’s Day
• ‘Black history is a part of who I am’: Q&A with Delta employee Kim Boykin
• Juneteenth events inspire continued commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Honoring Black leaders this Black history month
• Employees make voices heard as Georgia approves new hate crime law
• Employee uniforms to include Sign Language option

Skills-First Approach to Talent

With nearly 35,000 members, Delta's twelve Business Resource Groups provide a sense of belonging for all, opportunities for networking, development and career growth.

Our Business Resource Groups serve as consultants to the business on meaningful topics and diversity related strategies, programs and topics.

If you're a Veteran , opens in a new window , use our Military Skills Translator , opens in a new window to find jobs at Delta. 

• ABLE - Disability BRG
• ADELANTE - Latin America and Hispanic BRG
• BOLD - Black Community BRG
• EQUAL - LGBTQ+ BRG
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• GENGAGE - Multigenerational Workforce BRG
• GREEN UP - Sustainability BRG
• SHE - Women's BRG
• VETERANS - Veteran's and Armed Forces BRG
• WORKING FAMILIES - Working Parents and/or Caregivers BRG

A Deeper Look at Delta's People

WWII Era - DOB < 1945: 0.1%

Baby Boomer  - DOB 1946-1963: 13.3%

Generation X  - DOB 1964-1980: 36%

Millennial  - DOB 1981-1996: 40.2%

Generation Z  - DOB > 1997: 10.4%

 Updated end of year 2023

Delta has a long-standing commitment to hiring veterans and reverservists and approximately 11.3% of our workforce identify as veterans.

Updated end of year 2023

Women 41.9%

White 49.3%

Black 26.9%

Hispanic/Latin 12.1%

Closing the Gap

Closing the Gap is one way we measure the success of our commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Closing the Gap focuses on narrowing the representation gaps between frontline level employees and other levels of Delta Air Line employees.  Read about how we’re working toward narrowing representation gaps.

Here is a snapshot of each demographic’s representation by grade level as of 2023.

Frontline*:  Women: 42.0%; Men: 58.0%; White: 48.7%; Black: 27.6%; Hispanic/Latin: 12.5%; Asian: 6.2%; Two or More: 2.4%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.4%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 2.1%.

Frontline Leaders:  Women: 37.0%; Men: 63.0%; White: 41.0%; Black: 34.5%; Hispanic/Latin: 13.6%; Asian: 4.9%; Two or More: 3.4%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.5%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 2.1%.

Individual Contributor**:  Women: 44.4%; Men: 55.6%; White: 49.3%; Black: 23.5%; Hispanic/Latin: 8.9%; Asian: 15.5%; Two or More: 2.1%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.2%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.6%.

Manager:  Women: 38.7%; Men: 61.3%; White: 60.5%; Black: 16.5%; Hispanic/Latin: 8.0%; Asian: 11.7%; Two or More: 2.1%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.3%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.9%.

General Manager:  Women: 36.7%; Men: 63.3%; White: 68.3%; Black: 12.6%; Hispanic/Latin: 6.7%; Asian: 9.4%; Two or More: 1.6%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.2%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1.2%.

Director:  Women: 36.5%; Men: 63.5%; White: 72.1%; Black: 9.5%; Hispanic/Latin: 4.7%; Asian: 11.0%; Two or More: 1.8%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.6%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.3%.

Managing Director:  Women: 35.3%; Men: 64.7%; White: 75.7%; Black: 8.7%; Hispanic/Latin: 4.6%; Asian: 10.4%; Two or More: 0.0%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.0%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.6%.

Vice President & Above:  Women: 33.9%; Men: 66.1%; White: 78.6%; Black: 6.3%; Hispanic/Latin: 2.7%; Asian: 11.6%; Two or More: 0.0%; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.0%; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.9%.

Other includes Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Two or More races/ethnicities. Data is rounded to the tenths place so sums may total to 99.9% to 100.1%.

*Frontline employees are paid an hourly wage and include pilots, flight attendants, maintenance technicians, customer service and reservation agents, ramp agents and more.

**Employees not captured in Frontline or Frontline Leader are corporate employees.

Our Community Partners

Supplier diversity & inclusion, join the conversation.

We often say you can’t solve what you don’t understand, so we have placed an emphasis on building understanding within our workforce and our world.

Watch recaps of Delta's town halls or "Let's Talk About It" sessions—candid conversations around issues of diversity, equity or inclusion, meant to foster dialogue and drive change. Many of these talks are also made available on platforms like our In-Flight Entertainment seatback screens to invite our customers into our family-style conversations. 

'The future is just beginning'

Gm ceo mary barra on why women should ‘go for it’.

• Delta stands with Asian American, Pacific Islander community against racism, hatred and violence
• Delta’s Juneteenth events inspire continued commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Delta CEO Ed Bastian addresses racial equity on ‘Race at Work’ podcast
• Gaining Altitude Episode 1: Tristan Walker 
• Porter Braswell: Diverse talent exists. It’s on companies to find it.
• The King Center Presents: CEO, Dr. Bernice A. King, Moderated by Delta CEO, Ed Bastain Discussion: The Urgency of Creating the Beloved Community & The Role of Corporations

Gaining Altitude is a live video series that tackles conversations worth navigating. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian hosts insightful guests to discuss topics that matter to our world, from leadership to sustainability to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Recognized for Our Progress

• Black Enterprise – 2023 Best Company for Diversity
• Forbes - Best Employers for Diversity
• Forbes- Best Employers for Women 2022
• Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities – Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion
• Glassdoor – Best Places to Work
• Glassdoor – No. 1 Highest-Rated Company for Career Opportunities for Black Employees
• Great Place to Work® and Fortune – Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For
• Great Place to Work® and Fortune – Best Workplaces for Diversity
• Great Place to Work® and Fortune – Best Workplaces for Women
• Great Place to Work® – Best Workplaces for Millennials
• Nomi Network – Corporate Social Responsibility Award
• Indeed – Top-Rated Workplaces for Veterans
• Corporate Responsibility Magazine – 100 Best Corporate Citizens
• Human Rights Campaign Foundation – Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council – Top Corporation for Women Business Enterprises
• Veterans of Foreign Wars – Americanism Award
• Glassdoor – Employees' Choice Award

DEI Reports

• Equal Employment Opportunity Report (EEO-1) , 2023 * , Go to footer note
• Racial Equity Progress Report , Q1 2023
• Racial Equity Progress Report , Q3 2021
• Close the Gap Report , Q2 2021
• Racial Equity Progress Report , Q1 2021
• Racial Equity Action Plan , 2020

Other Corporate Reports

• Delta 2023 ESG Report (pdf)
• Delta 2022 ESG Report (pdf)
• Delta 2021 ESG Report (pdf)
• Delta 2020 ESG Report (pdf)
• 2019 Corporate Responsibility Report (pdf)
• 2018 Corporate Responsibility Report (pdf)

Note:  Delta has been publishing annual Corporate Responsibility Reports (CRRs) from 2009 to 2019, and published its inaugural ESG report in 2020. To request a CRR prior to 2018, please contact  [email protected] .

*The EEO-1 Report categorizes employment data about our U.S.-based workforce by gender, race/ethnicity and certain job categories. The job categories listed the EEO-1 Report are prescribed by the federal government based on the U.S. Department of Labor Job Classification Guide and do not represent how our workforce is organized or how we measure our progress.

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September 9, 2022

Passing With Flying Colors: Delta Air Lines and Adobe Launch ‘Faces of Travel’ Campaign to Promote Diversity in Advertising

Delta Air Lines has partnered with Adobe for a new initiative to promote diversity in advertising for the travel industry, according to a report from NBC News .

The “Faces of Travel” campaign was created to more accurately depict minority travelers around the world with 100 inclusive images of Black and brown people. Photographer, Seo Ju Park  worked with a company called Kin to create the images.

Delta’s Director of Lifecycle Marketing, Shannon Womack , said in a statement that the initiative reflects the faces that the airline sees every day traveling.

“Faces of Travel was designed to better reflect the diverse customers we see on our planes every day and ensure they feel seen and heard in broader travel culture,” she said.

“The importance of this initiative goes beyond Delta, and we want to encourage others to take part in this movement because we know that it will take all of us to truly reflect the faces of travel.”

Adobe has 3 million users and has made the stock images free of charge on their website. The images may be downloaded and used for advertising, content creation, and social media. Some of the stock images show people traveling in various countries and include Black couples sightseeing, Black women riding bikes, and Muslim women paddle boarding.

Adobe and Delta Air Lines hope that media professionals will take advantage of the images to create more inclusive content.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Adobe Stock (@adobestock)

“By making these photos and videos widely available, Delta and Adobe hope to inspire creators, influencers and journalists to present a more inclusive picture of global travel across a wide range of media and content platforms.”

Park added that the airline wanted to normalize that people from all races travel.

“We get to normalize that we all travel—all people from all races, all backgrounds,” said Park. “I just want people to feel secure, that they can explore without having to change who they are—visually or culturally or emotionally.”

• Adobe Stock Images
• Seo Ju Park
• Faces of Travel
• Delta Air Lines
• diversity in travel
• black travelers

Delta Air Lines releases new stock images of Black and brown people to promote diversity in travel

Delta Air Lines is working to fix the lack of minority faces in travel advertising. 

The airline released a new photo library Wednesday called “Faces of Travel,” which contains 100 images that reflect a more “inclusive and accurate view” of Black and brown travelers from around the globe. In partnership with Adobe, the photos will be available to download for free on the software company’s stock library for social media, advertising and other content creation. 

Delta and Adobe tapped Kin , a creative company that advances social change through culture, along with photographer Seo Ju Park to capture the diverse travel photos, which in part show Black women riding bikes, toasting with friends, and dining at a restaurant. By making these photos and videos available to the public, both companies anticipate that media professionals will use more inclusive content in their work. 

“‘Faces of Travel’ was designed to better reflect the diverse customers we see on our planes every day and ensure they feel seen and heard in broader travel culture,” Shannon Womack, Delta’s director of lifecycle marketing, said in a statement . “The importance of this initiative goes beyond Delta, and we want to encourage others to take part in this movement because we know that it will take all of us to truly reflect the faces of travel.”

To kick-off the initiative, Delta and Refinery 29 launched an event at the Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure exhibit within the Starrett-Lehigh Building in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on Tuesday, allowing an exclusive viewing of their collection along with a behind-the-scenes video with Park, who shot all the photos on location. The event also included a panel discussion about diversifying the travel landscape with Refinery 29’s Chelsea Sanders, vice president of brand innovation and strategic partnerships, and Kin’s co-founder Kwame Taylor-Hayford. The panel also featured Alexander-Julian Gibbson, a creative director and stylist based in NYC.

“We get to normalize that we all travel — all people from all races, all backgrounds,” Park said in the video. “I just want people to feel secure, that they can explore without having to change who they are — visually or culturally or emotionally,” she added.

Delta’s new initiative to promote diversity in travel comes after it partnered with the Atlanta Global Research and Education Collaborative last year to create the “Keep Climbing: Navigating Global Spaces with Black and Brown Faces” program. With that project, Delta aimed to increase the number of Black students studying abroad by providing students from six Georgia colleges and universities with opportunities to study abroad.

Claretta Bellamy is a fellow for NBC News.

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Elevating diverse perspectives in travel culture.

Faces of Travel, a visual collection leading industry-wide change.

Delta Airlines’ purpose is to connect the world. They strive to diversify travel culture and make the world more welcoming. But the industry has mostly excluded the experiences and perspectives of diverse travelers, leaving them feeling unseen and underrepresented.

Lack of Representation in Media/Culture: • 62% of consumers aged 50+ agreed with the statement: “I wish ads had more realistic images of people my age,” and nearly half (47%) shared that “ads of people my age reinforce outdated stereotypes”. (American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) survey 2021) • Two in three Black Americans don’t feel properly represented in media. (NRG 2020) • 65% of Asian respondents and 60% of Hispanic respondents say they are more likely to trust brands that represent a diverse range of people. (Ipsos 2021)

“Faces of Travel” is a long-term commitment to increase diverse representation within travel culture—from social media, to tourism ads, and everything in between.

At the heart of the program is a visual library showing travelers of diverse races, ages, gender identities, religious beliefs, and physical abilities. The collection was shot entirely for this purpose, and made broadly available free of charge through an exclusive partnership with Adobe Stock .

From the choice of our photographer Seo Ju Park, to our production crew, cast, locations, and activities, we thoughtfully curated a diverse team and crafted counter-stereotypical narratives to capture authentic, truthful experiences.

The initiative was supported by two films, OOH, social media, influencer content, and partnerships with Vice, Refinery 29, Travel+Leisure, People, Food & Wine, Shape, and Southern Living.

The platform launched in September 2022. According to Kantar, the anthem spot performed in the top 5% of US TV ads generating an intuitive emotional response, and led to a big lift on brand metrics including “brand I love” (+9.5%) and “brand that shares my values” (+11.7%) in just two months. The campaign received coverage in Yahoo!, NBC, Essence, Travel Noire, The Root, MUSE, and AdAge.

Faces of Travel is an important step in creating a world where everyone feels welcomed. We are developing the next iteration to launch spring 2023.

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Delta Air Lines And Adobe Partner For 'Faces of Travel' Library Depicting Diverse Travel Images

Stock photography, like any commercial industry, has a diversity problem. 

Because our voices and visibility matter, Delta Airlines is a company committed to showing the diversity among travelers worldwide, with its ‘Faces of Travel’ initiative.

This past Wednesday, the airline announced a partnership with computer software company Adobe, releasing a series of stock images to combat the lack of diversity in travel advertising. The digital library, “Faces of Travel” includes 100 stock images that represents a more “inclusive and accurate view” of travelers of color worldwide. 

‍ Studies show that when marginalized groups aren’t able to see themselves in the media, it has a drastic and negative impact on their ideas of self-worth.

“Faces of Travel was designed to better reflect the diverse customers we see on our planes every day and ensure they feel seen and heard in broader travel culture,” says Shannon Womack, Delta’s Director of Lifecycle Marketing.

“The importance of this initiative goes beyond Delta, and we want to encourage others to take part in this movement because we know that it will take all of us to truly reflect the faces of travel.”

Delta and Adobe worked with Black-owned creative agency Kin and photographer Seo Ju Park to create 100 dynamic images which are reflective of a more inclusive view of what travelers look like. 

Adobe amplified the collection to its 3 million users, making this diverse and inclusive imagery widely accessible to content creators, journalists and others in the industry. The 100-image library is available for free to the public via Adobe Stock.

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Representation Matters: How Delta Airlines’ New Campaign Is Changing The Narrative Of What Travelers Look Like

Seeing yourself represented in media, industries, and places is so important. It allows you to dream bigger and honor the endless possibilities. This is especially true when it comes to travel. Black and Brown people have long been excluded from the media’s view of what a traveler looks like. Growing up, many of us felt like travel was not accessible . Thankfully, times are changing and Black and brown people are traveling more than ever.

Delta Airlines is a company committed to showing the diversity among travelers worldwide, with its ‘Faces of Travel’ initiative.

In partnership with Adobe , Delta Air Lines tapped creatives of color to produce imagery showing diversity in travel.

“Faces of Travel was designed to better reflect the diverse customers we see on our planes every day and ensure they feel seen and heard in broader travel culture,” says Shannon Womack, Delta’s Director of Lifecycle Marketing.

Related: Black Pilots Bring Diversity & Culture To The Aviation Industry

The creatives involved

Delta and Adobe worked with Black-owned creative agency  Kin and photographer Seo Ju Park to create 100 dynamic images which are reflective of a more inclusive view of what travelers look like. The 100-image library is available to the public via Adobe Stock. The royalty-free images can be used for social media, advertising, and other content creators.  

“The importance of this initiative goes beyond Delta, and we want to encourage others to take part in this movement because we know that it will take all of us to truly reflect the faces of travel,” Womack shares.  

View the full catalog of free images here .

Delta’s commitment to diversity

Delta is committed to increasing diversity in the travel industry. In 2021, the airline partnered with The Atlanta Global Research and Education Collaborative (AGREC) on the “Keep Climbing: Navigating Global Spaces with Black and Brown Faces” program. Delta works with six colleges and universities in Georgia to expose students of color to study abroad programs.  

Related: Dr. Velma Trayham Discusses The Importance Of Diversity In The Travel Industry

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Representation Matters: How Delta Air Lines’ New Campaign Is Changing The Narrative Of What Travelers Look Like

In partnership with Adobe, Delta Air Lines tapped creatives of color to produce imagery showing diversity in travel. 

Kelsey Marie • Aug 31, 2022

Updated Sep 1, 2022

Seeing yourself represented in media, industries, and places is so important. It allows you to dream bigger and honor the endless possibilities. This is especially true when it comes to travel. Black and Brown people have long been excluded from the media’s view of what a traveler looks like. Growing up, many of us felt like travel was not accessible . Thankfully, times are changing and Black and brown people are traveling more than ever.

Delta Airlines is a company committed to showing the diversity among travelers worldwide, with its ‘Faces of Travel’ initiative. 

In partnership with Adobe , Delta Air Lines tapped creatives of color to produce imagery showing diversity in travel. 

“Faces of Travel was designed to better reflect the diverse customers we see on our planes every day and ensure they feel seen and heard in broader travel culture,” says Shannon Womack, Delta’s Director of Lifecycle Marketing. 

Related: Black Pilots Bring Diversity & Culture To The Aviation Industry

The creatives involved

Delta and Adobe worked with Black-owned creative agency  Kin and photographer Seo Ju Park to create 100 dynamic images which are reflective of a more inclusive view of what travelers look like. The 100-image library is available to the public via Adobe Stock. The royalty-free images can be used for social media, advertising, and other content creators.  

“The importance of this initiative goes beyond Delta, and we want to encourage others to take part in this movement because we know that it will take all of us to truly reflect the faces of travel,” Womack shares.  

View the full catalog of free images here .

Delta’s commitment to diversity

Delta is committed to increasing diversity in the travel industry. In 2021, the airline partnered with The Atlanta Global Research and Education Collaborative (AGREC) on the “Keep Climbing: Navigating Global Spaces with Black and Brown Faces” program. Delta works with six colleges and universities in Georgia to expose students of color to study abroad programs.  

Related: Dr. Velma Trayham Discusses The Importance Of Diversity In The Travel Industry

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Delta Air Lines Highlights the Diverse Faces of Travel

November 13, 2023    

Delta Air Lines created its “Faces of Travel” campaign to increase diverse representation within travel culture from social media to tourism ads, and everything in between.

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At Delta Air Lines, we actively seek diversity, boldly pursue equity, and consciously promote inclusion to create a sense of belonging for all people. We understand how important it is to represent and reflect the world we hope to bridge together. One of the many ways we are closing representation gaps is by accurately showcasing diverse groups traveling and sharing their stories. In order for people to feel welcomed while traveling, they need to first see themselves represented.

Faces of Travel is core to our long term commitment to increase representation and visibility within travel culture. Our campaign includes anthem films as well as a free visual library of images and videos available for all to use in travel content and visual communications. It features travelers of diverse backgrounds exploring different destinations around the globe to create more authentic and inclusive content. Learn more about the other actions we’re taking by visiting delta.com/DEI .

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Who are the Delta gays? How the airline became a haven for the LGBTQ community.

• Delta has become the favored airline in the circles of gay, male-identifying (and predominately upper-middle-class) urbanites.
• Delta’s reputation, seemingly, as the “it girl” gay male carrier is a relatively contemporary development.
• Delta’s multi-year partnership with American Express is not only lucrative for the airline but also reflects a certain high-end image.

When Ben Baxter listens to Viola Davis’ deep yet melodic voice – one that extols the benefits of seeing the world on Delta – he can’t help but be mesmerized. Davis, the iconic Academy Award-winning actress, has been a voice for Delta’s ads on and off since 2017. 

“Gay men have an acute sense of identifying and latching onto ‘star quality,’ and that is also so palpable once you set foot on a Delta plane,” Baxter told me. 

Then, there’s Ryan Scheb, a New York City-based teacher who popped the question to his now-fiance, Phil Tuzynski, inside the LaGuardia Delta Sky Club. 

“I've always loved Delta; my first flight was on the airline back in 1995, and I just kind of always found them to be a step above,” Scheb said. 

Baxter and Scheb belong to a group known as the “Delta gays,” as I call them. They are a fiercely loyal and very vocal contingent, especially on social media. For years while living in New York and now, Los Angeles, I observed – both in person and online – how Delta became the favored airline in the circles of gay, male-identifying (and predominately upper-middle-class) urbanites. 

What was Delta doing that other U.S. airlines weren’t? I set out on a mission to answer the question of how Delta has seemingly captured something so elusive in the gay male community: long-term loyalty. 

I ended up finding that, well, it’s a complicated “situationship.”  

How Delta became the 'it girl'

Delta’s reputation, seemingly, as the “it girl” gay male carrier is a relatively contemporary development. 

In the ’90s and early aughts, Delta didn’t market heavily to LGBTQ+ travelers. That crown belonged to American Airlines. 

After a controversial AIDS-phobic incident onboard a flight in 1993 and subsequent backlash from the community, American vowed to win back the LGBTQ+ audience. It did so by becoming an official sponsor of several U.S. Pride parades, the first for a major airline. 

“American stands out as the most dedicated and consistent of the carriers,” said Michael Wilke, the founder of AdRespect , a site that rates and catalogs LGBTQ+ advertising. 

American also became the earliest U.S. carrier to implement same-sex domestic partner benefits and to include gender identity in its workplace nondiscrimination policies. 

However, a major shift transpired in the late 2000s.

As Delta began the process of merging with Northwest Airlines, executives in Atlanta wanted to become a much larger carrier and a better carrier. To market those efforts, Delta brought on an ad agency powerhouse, Wieden + Kennedy, famous for its work with big culture labels like Nike and Coca-Cola. 

The agency introduced the “Keep Climbing” tagline , which is still used today. At that time, Delta started to position itself as a premium, more inclusive, and, yes, more progressive airline. And so it began.

Going ‘premium’

“From a marketing perspective, Delta evolved with the times better than other airlines, including American,” said Ed Salvato, an LGBTQ+ tourism expert and marketing professor at New York University. “They started doing the promotion to attract the LGBTQ+ audience, but more importantly, they invested in customer satisfaction.” 

That investment included major enhancements, like becoming the first U.S. carrier to offer fully lie-flat seats with direct aisle access in business class on all widebody flights. Delta very much likes to toot its own horn as the “premium” airline, building a reputation over the years through operational reliability, service, and better-than-average airport lounges.

Salvato is convinced that Delta’s focus of “associating with luxury” is what drew the gays in. 

Delta’s multiyear partnership with American Express – which lasts at least through 2029 – is not only lucrative for the airline but also reflects a certain high-end image. It seems like heavy metal credit cards with lounge access will do that. 

And the proof is there: an internal Delta document from January 2024 shows that the airline’s LGBTQ+ customer base has doubled in the past decade, now 12% of total passenger volume. 

Delta executives declined my request for an interview to talk about their inclusivity efforts, but a spokesperson offered the following statement: “Delta is a proud, long-time supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, and we want everyone to feel welcome when flying with us.” 

Two gingers and a rule of culture 

In recent years, a Delta ad depicting two ginger-haired men (who we can only assume to be a couple) was plastered all over jetbridges at Delta hubs nationwide. One is laying their head on the other’s shoulder as they both watch a video together. 

Peter Schlesinger, a Delta loyalist and an associate director of digital based in New York, has a unique social media tradition when boarding. 

“I started taking selfies with the guys (in the ad) when my boyfriend missed our flight, so it was a joke about finding new Delta friends instead. And then I just kept doing it,” he said.

In queer pop culture, Delta also has made the rounds. Take, for instance, “Las Culturistas,” a comedy podcast series hosted by “Saturday Night Live”’s Bowen Yang and actor-comedian Matt Rogers, both gay men. 

In each episode, Yang and Rogers declare, in perfect unison, certain statements to be "Rules of Culture." One of those rules, specifically rule number 43, asserts that “Delta is the queen of airlines.” 

A crack in the gay facade?

For what it’s worth, though, Delta’s actual product these days may not be quite matching its luxury image. 

“For premium travelers, the airline simply no longer has the edge,” said Ben Schlappig, a travel expert who runs the website One Mile at a Time . “Delta has less legroom in first class than competitors, an uncompetitive business class hard product on (select aircraft), and lines out the door to use many lounges.” 

Schlappig, who identifies as gay, believes that other major U.S. airlines have narrowed the gap on Delta in terms of operational reliability and service. 

Then, there’s this analogy. A friend and frequent flier once told me that “Delta is like Equinox,” explaining that like the high-end gym, the airline offers nearly the same products and services as others in a slightly more polished package, which gives the illusion of luxury and affluence. 

In other words, it may not matter if Delta’s experience isn’t quite as good as the marketing indicates. Over the past decade, flying Delta has become something of a status symbol. And for gays, status, exclusivity, and community are often enough.

Chris Dong is a freelance reporter focusing on timely travel trends, loyalty programs, hotels and aviation. When he’s not on the road, Chris calls Los Angeles home after nearly 10 years in New York City. You can follow him @thechrisflyer .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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Delta Using Passengers’ Faces To Check-In: Here’s What You Need To Know

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If you’re flying on Delta and the use of facial recognition technology doesn’t make you uneasy, it’s about to get easier and faster to pass through Atlanta ’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Delta Air Lines announced that SkyMiles frequent flier program members who are also registered for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck will be able to drop their bags, go through security, and board their plane simply by showing their face beginning next month. In other words, they can go from curb to gate, hands- and device-free.

“Our target here is 30 seconds,” Delta’s managing director of airport experience Greg Forbes said in a press conference, a TechCrunch article reports . “The way that we’re going to get there is not only through the use of technology, the fact that there’s no choreography — you don’t have to launch the app or look for your driver’s license, [but because] we’re also gathering together people who travel very similarly.”

The announcement comes just ahead of what some analysts predict will be the busiest travel period since the COVID-19 pandemic began. For instance, for the Thanksgiving holiday period, Delta expects to fly up to 5.9 million passengers, which is still below the 6.3 million passengers who flew with Delta during the same period in 2019.

How The Process Works

Passengers flying direct to an international destination on Delta — or its partners Aeromexico, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, or Virgin Atlantic — have been able to use facial recognition technology from curb-to-gate since 2019 because the airlines can rely on U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s federal passport database for facial image matching. The problem, until now, for domestic travel is that many passengers rely on a driver’s license as their form of ID – and those photos reside on databases managed by individual states rather than on a central database.

Delta has partnered with the TSA to address that issue and create what it calls the “Delta-TSA PreCheck express lobby and bag drop.” The key is that passengers use a so-called digital identity – which includes their SkyMiles member number, passport details, and Known Traveler Number – using the Fly Delta app when checking in.

Here’s how it works. First, after checking in on the app, passengers will walk up to the dedicated bag-drop area and complete a hands-free facial scan.

After the system validates their identity in the TSA’s database, the machine will print a baggage label. Next, the passenger attaches the label to their baggage and places the bag on the automated conveyor belt.

The next step is for the passenger to walk to security, where they can again use a facial scan to pass through the domestic checkpoint in the dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes. This step replaces the need to provide a passport, government ID, or boarding pass.

Finally, when it’s time to board the plane, passengers will once again use a facial scan instead of producing a boarding pass.

“In trying out the experience firsthand, the promise of a 30-second bag drop seemed quite achievable,” the TechCrunch writer explained. “The facial recognition, with the mask briefly removed, takes a few seconds. Attaching the luggage tag probably took longer than anything else.”

Privacy Concerns

Of course, not everyone is completely at ease with the use of biometrics, especially by non-government companies or agencies. Or perhaps by the government, as well, for that matter. However, Delta does note that it doesn’t touch or save any of the biometric data.

When asked on Good Morning America about privacy issues, Ranjan Goswami, Delta’s senior vice president of customer experience, admitted that it is a valid concern for passengers and further explained the process.

“First, we aren’t storing any photographic imagery at all. All we do is take your photo,” Goswami said . “And because you’ve uploaded your passport number as part of your Delta profile, we just take that passport number and that picture. We just check it against the customs database from your passport photo.”

You can find more details about Delta-TSA PreCheck express lobby and bag drop here .

If you’re interested in other places facial recognition is being used for traveling, be sure to read:

• Walt Disney World Testing Facial Recognition Tech For Park Entry
• TSA PreCheck Vs. Clear Vs. Global Entry: What’s The Difference?

Jim Fulcher has been a writer and editor his entire career. In addition to writing, he also enjoys traveling--particularly in an RV. Over the course of numerous trips, Jim has driven an RV through West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. His favorite national park is Yellowstone, which he has visited three times.

Delta's chief sustainability officer on what's important for the future of air travel: 'People don't want to make that tradeoff between seeing the world and saving the world'

W hen it comes to travel, Delta doesn't want you to have to decide between "seeing the world and saving the world" — that's the message from Delta's Chief Sustainability Officer Amelia DeLuca in a recent interview with The Cool Down.

Here's the context:

• About 4.7 billion people are expected to travel by air in 2024.
• The aviation industry already contributes over 2% of global carbon pollution.
• Since only about 11% of people in the world actually travel by air, that 2% number is often way higher for someone's individual carbon footprint .

So with that elephant in the room, how does Delta's head of sustainability approach her task? 

DeLuca told us it's not about asking fliers to sacrifice traveling altogether. Rather, it's about giving next-generation travelers the confidence that Delta is making moves — big and small — to help the aviation industry become more sustainable, so that flyers can explore the world while preserving it for future generations.

Prioritizing key ingredients

Over 90% of Delta's carbon pollution comes from jet fuel, so investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is the airline's No. 1 priority.

"Sustainable aviation fuel is one of the most exciting things that the airline industry is working toward right now," DeLuca told TCD. "We're working toward it collectively, collaboratively. Everyone across the industry is trying to bring this solution to scale because it's the single most important lever for net zero."

This type of fuel is made from plant or animal materials — like corn or even municipal waste — instead of fossil fuels, so while "sustainable" may be a strong word, it certainly does have a lower carbon impact. DeLuca told us that last year Delta used about 3.5 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel on its journey to get to 400 million — or 10% of its conventional jet fuel — by 2030.

"If you're flying out of California, you likely have sustainable aviation fuel on your airplanes —  it's being used today. It's something we can do today," she said. And while it's not enough to bring us to net zero right now, she said Delta wants its customers "to know that this is the most important thing that the airline industry is doing." 

"But it's a whole new industry," she said. "It's going to take some time."

Small tweaks = big returns

If sustainable aviation fuel is the Broadway hit for reducing jet fuel usage, "slowing down" is the tech crew working behind-the-scenes. Operational tweaks like simply slowing down an airplane trip by roughly 15 seconds can have an outsized positive impact, DeLuca told us.

"There's a lot that consumers don't see … every single day," she said. "We're really working with our aerospace engineers to understand those tradeoffs between making sure you go a little bit slower to save extra fuel."

Slight route adjustments can also have a big impact. "There's ways to navigate and work with air traffic control that allows us every single year to save 10 million gallons of jet fuel," DeLuca said. "Those are the real savings that we see today while we navigate the scale-up of sustainable aviation fuel." 

And that goes for products inside the cabin too

If you think finding an alternative fuel for the legacy aviation industry is tough, try replacing on-board cups with fully plastic -free paper ones — something other airlines, such as Alaska , have also been tackling. 

"You see [the cups] pretty much no matter where you sit in the cabin or where you travel," said DeLuca. But those little paper cups are "one of the more challenging things that we've done from changing a product spec."

Why? "It's very challenging to find a cup alternative that doesn't have the plastic liner that hits the regulations for the removal of single-use plastic — but stands up to hot, cold, and alcohol ."

Delta is testing these cups in certain markets right now, "to make sure we truly have the right alternative in place." If so, they could eliminate 7 million pounds of single-use plastic every year — the weight of 1,300 pickup trucks, according to Delta.

Other behind-the-scenes changes the airline has made include:

• Asking customers to pre-select meals and studying food and beverage consumption. This helps the airline avoid extra weight on the plane, thus reducing fuel use. 
• Recycling water bottles to make the blankets used in the premium cabin. 
• Eliminating paper flight manifests and going digital instead. This has saved an estimated 4,000 trees' worth of paper so far.

The customer is always right, except about headphones

"A couple of years ago [customers] started to tell us very clearly that environmental responsibility is one of the top drivers of their brand support for Delta," DeLuca said. And that wasn't something she took lightly.

"We know the conscious consumer is here," she said. "We've already been changing our onboard experience to reflect that we're moving away from single-use plastic, bringing circularity on board, and telling the story of the sourcing behind our products. Our role is every year we transport 200 million customers, but with that we also have the opportunity to tell them stories about what sustainability looks like, not just at the tailpipe of the airplane."

Sometimes that active listening also means active messaging — in this case, what to do about in-flight headphones. "The earphones are a really good example of trying to make sure that customers have a good experience on board, where sometimes then we find unintended consequences to that."

Watching back-to-back movies is one of the few enjoyable moments of air travel, but single-use headphones obviously run counter to Delta's sustainability goals. While the airline builds out its Bluetooth capability, "we're really trying to increase our messaging to take those [headphones] with you and use them on your next Delta flight."

Show the roadmap

Delta has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Pledges like this are important, but perhaps more so is the transparency around its path to sustainability . 

"Delta in particular is a trusted consumer brand," DeLuca said. "And that's why we want to make sure consumers know we have a plan … We talk about our progress against it and that we are committed all the way from our board down to our front line."

A look into the crystal ball

Aviation tech is changing as quickly as your anxious friend going through the security line. DeLuca said she is already starting to see more interest in talking about sustainability, especially "for people who are saying, 'I travel and I don't want to feel like I'm making an unsustainable choice.'"

"You just hear the topic of sustainability come up more and more frequently and in venues that traditionally I don't think it was there," she said. "And I think that's the only way we're going to get stuff done … But to really get it to that net-zero future, it's going to take all of us in all walks of life being part of that journey."

Winning with Gen Z is a particular focus for DeLuca. "We know in particular the Gen Z generation is really focused on experiences versus things. If we're going to get it right anywhere, we've got to get it right with Gen Z, because that's the group we need to keep with us on this journey, and they're the most vocal."

Her "why" 

"I always say that aviation is with you on your worst days and your best days, especially those best days when you're moving to new places or you're going on new adventures or you're flying to a wedding or a loved one. Aviation gets you there," DeLuca told TCD. "Aviation has opened up the world to me in a way that I can't even explain. And then you layer on the fact that … I'm a mom of two kids who will inherit the planet from me.

"So when I got the opportunity to combine my love of the industry with really, frankly, my love of my children, that's where sustainability sits at the intersection of those two things." 

Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.

Delta's chief sustainability officer on what's important for the future of air travel: 'People don't want to make that tradeoff between seeing the world and saving the world' first appeared on The Cool Down .

Faces of Travel - Mountains

How to plan your Delta SkyMiles Medallion qualification strategy for 2025

It's that time of year again, when elite status junkies' thoughts begin turning to re-qualifying for status in their preferred airlines. With Delta Air Lines, it's an even more fraught decision this year, since Delta announced a slew of changes ... not only to the Delta SkyMiles Medallion loyalty program, but also to its cobranded credit card portfolio.

One of the biggest changes is that Delta is now determining status based solely on one metric: Medallion Qualification Dollars , or MQDs. These are essentially a measure of how much you spend with Delta Air Lines in its many iterations.

But what if you already earned enough MQDs for next year?

That's just one of the many questions we've gotten at TPG from readers about the future for status, and what the strategy should be for the rest of 2024, especially for those elites who may have already hit needed thresholds for status either via flying, credit card spending, or through the not-long-for-this-world MQM rollover .

For me, for example, I've been happily not paying much attention to re-qualifying for top-tier Delta Damond status, since I was able to choose to extend my status by a year via a special one-time Choice Benefit that allowed me to take my unused rollover MQMs and turn them into Diamond status through 2025.

Other Delta elites have already earned status for 2025 the old-fashioned way, by a combination of spend and flying.

Here are some things to think about as you go about planning the rest of the year.

• How (and when) to decide on your rollover MQM selection.
• How to plan your credit card spending strategy for the rest of the year.

2025 Delta SkyMiles status requirements

Related: Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it

As a reminder, here are the new requirements for status with Delta.

• Delta Silver: You'll need to earn 5,000 MQDs.
• Delta Gold: You'll need to earn 10,000 MQDs.
• Delta Platinum: You'll need to earn 15,000 MQDs.
• Delta Diamond: You'll need to earn 28,000 MQDs.

That's a lot of spend on Delta Air Lines or on its credit cards (more on that below).

MQM rollover choices

The earning metric known as Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) is gone as of this year, which means that Delta has also removed the annual rollover benefit . Prior to 2024, Medallion members could begin each year with an MQM boost — specifically, the number of MQMs earned beyond last year's qualification threshold.

The good news is that any extra MQMs from 2023 can still be very useful. Delta made several one-time conversion choices live in your Delta SkyMiles account earlier this year.

You can choose to convert your MQMs to MQDs (10 MQMs = 1 MQD), redeemable miles (2 MQMs = 1 mile) or a combination of both. Here are those choices:

• 100% redeemable miles, 0% MQDs
• 75% redeemable miles, 25% MQDs
• 50% redeemable miles, 50% MQDs
• 25% redeemable miles, 75% MQDs
• 0% redeemable miles, 100% MQDs

Members with MQM rollover balances over 100,000 can also choose to extend their 2024 Medallion status for one year for every 100,000 rollover MQMs.

Please note that you must make those choices by Dec. 31, 2024. It's a use-it-or-lose-it situation, so be sure to make your choice by then. However, your selection is final — so it's important to carefully consider your options.

I had 108,671 rollover MQMs, so I used one hundred thousand of those MQMs to extend my Diamond status by a year. That means I'll be Delta Diamond through 2025 (and part of 2026) just via MQMs. I knew my chances of reaching Diamond organically were slim, so I opted for the guarantee of another year of Diamond. This has enabled me to focus on re-qualifying for American Airlines Executive Platinum status with American instead of going out of my way to fly Delta this year.

Excess MQDs will not rollover

One thing to flag is that, unlike MQMs in previous years, excess MQDs you earn beyond a qualification threshold do not roll over.

Delta is very clear about this on its Medallion website : "MQDs will not extend or roll over from year to year, and MQD balance will be reset to zero on or about January 1 each calendar year ."

The carrier also made that clear in a communication with TPG. "Just as a reminder, any excess MQDs above a status threshold will not roll over," a Delta spokesperson said.

This is a powerful reason to wait until your 2024 travel and spending activity is closer to final before converting your rollover MQMs. Many of those with rollover MQMs have taken a wait-and-see approach. That allows you to gauge your progress to your desired Medallion tier before determining whether you'd benefit from additional MQDs — or would be better off with miles to use for your next trip.

For example, Nick Ewen , TPG's senior editorial director, is waiting to make a decision. He qualified for Platinum Medallion last year and only has 9,024 rollover MQMs. Converting those entirely (or even partly) to MQDs will only make sense if they help push him to the next status tier. Otherwise, he'll take his 4,512 redeemable miles — which is better than nothing.

Strategy for spending towards status on Delta cobranded cards

Another thing to consider is your card spending strategy.

Remember that Delta and American Express made a bunch of enhancements to its American Express cobranded credit cards . Those changes included a status boost for current cardmembers with one (or more) of the following cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

For each of these cards you hold, you get 2,500 MQDs at the start of each year just for being a cardmember. These stack for travelers with multiple eligible cards. That means if you have two of those cards, for example, you'd get a 5,000 MQD head start on status for the year.

Related: Best credit cards for flying Delta

Additionally, Delta also issued a one-time status boost for some cardmembers. Travelers with the Delta Reserve card prior to Feb. 1 received an extra 1,000 MQDs this year as a "token of appreciation."

You also earn MQDs on spending you put on those cards. Cardmembers earn 1 MQD per $20 of purchases for Platinum cardmembers and 1 MQD per $10 of purchases for Reserve cardmembers.

However, as mentioned earlier, any MQDs you get beyond a given status threshold mean nothing if you can't reach the next tier.

If, for example, you reach the MQDs needed for Platinum status, and you don't think you can earn the 13,000 additional MQDs required to obtain Diamond status by the end of the calendar year, then it might be a better option to switch to a different credit card that earns more than a mile per point.

Should you put your spending on a different credit card?

Some readers will decide to stop some of their spending on Delta credit cards (for example, those who have automatically extended status like myself). For me, it doesn't make sense to spend a lot on my Delta Reserve card since I don't need the status boost this year. Instead, I'm using other credit cards.

TPG reader Jay Joyce wrote to us wondering what other cards he might want to use instead of spending more on his Delta card.

"I expect to reach 12,000 MQDs by the end of June from my American Express Reserve card. My one time MQM rollover will allow me to convert to 16,000 MQDs. Together, I would have the 28,000 MQDs needed to give me diamond status in July of this year and enjoy it through January 31 of 2026 as I understand it. But any additional spend on my American Express Reserve card is worthless. So it will be time to find another card."

Another reader was in a similar quandary.

Greg Bixby told TPG he'll be able to reach Diamond Medallion status easily this year, but is a bit frustrated overall with Delta. He's president of Bixby Consulting Group, and said if he had known last year that Delta would be ending rollovers, he would have pushed harder to make Diamond status (He earned Platinum last year).

He added, "In years past, I would continue to spend as much as I could on Amex even after I reached the status I wanted [in order] to max out the bonus miles and MQMs for rollover. Now, sitting here evaluating where to direct my spend, with MQDs not rolling over towards 2026 status, it seems that I have no incentive to put any more spend on Amex ... "

You'll still earn redeemable miles for spending on your Delta Amex cards, and your calendar year MQDs do play a role in your spot on the upgrade list, so continuing to do so isn't totally worthless. Nevertheless, Delta's new qualification metric (and lack of rollover MQDs) may lead some travelers to look elsewhere once they've qualified for their desired status levels.

TPG has plenty of recommendations for alternate travel rewards cards. I'm personally a fan of The Platinum Card® from American Express , and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card both of which earn points that can be transferred to multiple programs.

Related: TPG's guide to getting started with points, miles and credit cards

Still, you need to consider the best strategy for your own credit card spending this year.

Other ways to earn Delta SkyMiles status

There are other new ways to earn status this year too. You now earn 1 MQD for every $1 spent on Delta Vacations (excluding taxes and fees).

Delta sometimes offers limited-time methods to earn MQDs for select activities. For example, through June 24, you can earn 1 MQD for every dollar spent on hotel stays and car rentals booked through Delta Stays (with a checkout date on or before Sept. 8).

Bottom line

As we reach the halfway mark in the race towards status, it's time to get serious about your Delta Medallion status strategy.

While it's increasingly difficult to achieve Delta's highest status tiers (and much more expensive), there are lots of interesting ways to earn Medallion status without necessarily flying. You could spend your way to status via the airline's cobranded credit cards, or you could leverage your rollover MQMs to extend last year's status by a year (or more). Maybe you just fly a lot on expensive last-minute tickets.

But for many of you, it will make sense to think strategically about how much status is worth to you and if you might be better off putting that spend on a credit card that earns transferable currency instead of less-valuable SkyMiles.

Related reading:

• The best credit cards for airport lounge access
• The ultimate guide to getting Delta Sky Club access
• The 7 do's and don'ts in an airport lounge
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• 9 domestic lounges that are worth going out of your way for
• Best Delta credit cards