Delta
Delta aircraft parked on the ramp at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Photo: Capt. Robert Shanahan (Delta)
At A Glance
Pilots joined ALPA: 1934
Number of pilots/flightcrew members: 17,500
Pilot bases: Atlanta, Ga.; Boston, Mass.; Detroit, Mich.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; New York City, N.Y.; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Seattle, Wash.
Hubs/key markets: Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Bogota, Colombia; Atlanta, Ga.; Boston, Mass.; Detroit, Mich.; Lima, Peru; London-Heathrow; Los Angeles, Calif.; Mexico City, Mexico; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; New York-JFK and LaGuardia; Paris-Charles de Gaulle; Salt Lake City, Utah; São Paulo, Brazil; Seattle, Wash.; Seoul-Incheon; and Tokyo, Japan
Headquarters: Atlanta, Ga.
Operations: Delta operates over 4,000 daily flights to more than 290 destinations on six continents.
Fleet: 963 aircraft, including B-717s, B-737s, B-757s, B-767-300ERs, B-767-400s, A220s, A320s, A330s, and A350s
After ratifying an industry-leading contract in March 2023, Delta Air Lines pilots turned their focus to contract implementation and enforcement. The new contract contains more than 200 improvements to pay, benefits, working conditions, and job protections. This includes the establishment and IRS approval of a new retirement vehicle, a market-based cash-balance plan, that supplements their 401(k), the first of its kind in the airline industry. Most provisions took effect on the date of signing with some phased in over time. The final remaining provisions will be implemented by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Related to enforcement, the Delta Master Executive Council (MEC) has added grievance mediation as a method for expediting the resolution of contractual disputes. This has resulted in favorable outcomes for Delta pilots, further securing contractual gains and protections.
With the current contract becoming amendable on Dec. 31, 2026, preparations for the next bargaining cycle will begin in 2025. This includes electing a new Negotiating Committee in the spring and continuing to solicit pilot input on bargaining priorities through direct feedback, surveys, and polling.
The pilot group continues to grow as nearly 1,000 new hires were onboarded in 2024, and hiring is projected to continue throughout 2025.
