10 sustainability achievements Delta Air Lines made in 2024

The world’s largest airline by revenue is taking numerous initiatives to minimize its carbon footprint while optimizing fuel consumption. The airline is working with the government, OEMs, airport authorities, and local partners to develop innovative solutions and strategies to achieve industry-wide sustainability goals. The airline has made significant accomplishments in the last few years, some of which are discussed in this article.

1 Delta’s Carbon Council fuel savings

The Council is made up of leaders from across Delta Air Lines

• 41 million gallons of fuel saved in 2024
• Nearly doubled the savings from 2023
• Enhanced routing
• Optimized landing procedures
• Reduction in catering services' weight
• Reduced APU usage

Delta Air Lines has established a Carbon Council in 2022, where leaders from across the airline participate to minimize carbon impact by reducing fuel. The members take a number of initiatives for flight planning, payload weight, and ground equipment usage. The airline has enhanced flight routing as well as its landing procedures to optimize fuel consumption. Delta’s certified reduced flaps landing procedure on its Boeing 717 fleet alone will save the airline up to one million gallons of fuel per year.

Moreover, further fuel savings are realized by reducing the weight of the catering services equipment and supplies onboard. The airline has also minimized the use of Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) onboard its aircraft where applicable. Through these initiatives, Delta saved approximately 41 million gallons of jet fuel in 2024, equivalent to over $100M in cost savings.

2 Saving from alternate fuels

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) savings

Delta continues to work with its industry partners to scale the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The current production and supply of SAF are a fraction of the global demand. However, governments, OEMs, and airlines, such as Delta, are working hard through numerous initiatives to establish a robust infrastructure to scale the production of SAF. Some of those initiatives and milestones are listed in this section.

1. SAF usage: Delta aims to make at least 10% of its yearly operations using SAF by 2030. That is approximately 40 million gallons of jet fuel usage each year. Taking delivery of four-times more SAF in 2024 than in 2023, the airline is on the strong path to achieving its goals for 2030.
2. Support from the government: Delta’s government affairs and sustainability teams are working together to implement policies that make the production and supply of SAF more cost-effective. The government and other partners are financing large-scale production facilities to produce SAF in the US.
3. SAF delivery to the Midwest hubs: In 2024, SAF arrived at two Delta hub airports, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW). The two shipments of SAF (7,000+ gallons) were made from Minnesota and North Dakota-grown winter camelina.
4. New SAF blending facility: Delta’s work with the Minnesota SAF Hub furthered with the announcement of the development of the first SAF blending facility in Minnesota. When fully operational, the new facility can blend up to 30 million gallons of SAF once fully operational.
5. Specialty flights using SAF: Delta covers special flights using the allocated amount of SAF. With the limited supply of SAF, the airline employs a “book and claim” process to allocate the available SAF to special flights.

3 Reducing single-use plastic in flight

To eliminate seven million pounds of single-use plastic yearly

The world’s largest airline by revenue is committed to eliminating single-use plastic onboard its flights. As such, the airline is testing a new paper cup, which will cut down nearly seven million pounds of single-use plastic in a year. The airline rolled out these cups on all international flights, whereas this will be fully implemented on domestic flights this year.

Similarly, the airline replaces the plastic wrap on the earbuds it gives out for in-flight entertainment with a new kraft paper, reducing plastic use on more than 60 million units.

4 Testing Taxibots

Anticipated savings on jet fuel

• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
• Smart Airport Systems
• Testing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Charles-de-Gaulle Airport in Paris, Brussels Airport in Belgium, and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands

Delta Air Lines is working closely with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as well as Smart Airport Systems to test TaxiBot, a taxiing robot to tow planes to and from the runway. The proof of concept is designed to eliminate the need for the aircraft to use its engines for taxiing to and from the runway, reducing fuel burn and carbon emissions.

Taxibot is expected to significantly advance aviation sustainability efforts. Eliminating fuel use on the ground will save millions of tons of aviation fuel and minimize carbon footprint, a major factor in achieving industry-wide goals of net-zero emissions by 2050.

5 Campus greening initiatives

At Delta’s Atlanta headquarters

• Rooftop solar panel at Delta’s headquarters in Atlanta
• Installed by Cherry Street Energy
• It will cover 60% of electricity consumption at Delta’s Atlanta Campus.
• Installation of 50+ EV charging ports on Delta’s General Office and TechOps campuses

The airline is making its campuses green, starting with its headquarters in Atlanta. In collaboration with Cherry Street Energy, the airline has begun installing rooftop solar panels. The initiative will cover 60% of all electricity consumption at its Atlanta campus when fully completed.

The General Office and TechOps center have also received over 50 EV charging ports, bringing the total number of charging ports at its campuses to over 160. Other waste collection and recycling programs are also helping to achieve sustainability goals.

6 Engine washing program with AeroCore Technologies

Anticipated annual fuel savings of 4 million gallons

• AeroCore Technologies’ patented Nucleated Foam Technology
• Improves on-wing engine performance
• Lowering engine temperatures

Last year, Delta Air Lines partnered with AeroCore Technologies to use its patented Nucleated Foam Technology for engine washes. The specialized foam removes dirt and debris from the engine more effectively, enhancing the engine’s on-wing performance. Compared to traditional engine wash techniques, the new technology lowers engine temperatures.

Cooler engines mean they run more efficiently with lower fuel consumption and emissions. Delta anticipates to save four million gallons of fuel each year through its 10-year agreement with AeroCore.

7 Enhanced winglet modifications

Aircraft upgrades for fuel efficiency

Delta is working on adding enhanced wingtip devices to its airplanes to minimize fuel consumption. Efficient winglets minimize the effect of wingtip vortices, thereby reducing aerodynamic drag. Lift-induced drag is a byproduct of downwash from wingtip vortices. It is particularly greater at high angles of attack. With the help of efficient wingtip devices, the size and intensity of the vortices are minimized.

Delta will equip its Boeing 737-800 fleet with split-scimitar winglets by the end of this year. Delta Air Lines is also adding lightweight landing gear to its fleet to reduce drag and smoothen the airflow around the landing gear.

8 Supporting the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator (X-66) program

A sustainability coalition with Boeing and NASA

Delta is taking part in a sustainability coalition with Boeing and NASA to research and support the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator program, the X-66. The aircraft is testing fuel-saving technologies, including ultra-long thin wings for drag reduction and fuel savings.

The coalition is developing the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) to validate the concept. Delta’s two MD-90 aircraft were sold to Boeing for use as the initial demonstrator aircraft.

9 Cross-divisional councils

Two new councils in 2024

With the success of its Carbon Council, Delta has launched two more councils, the SAF Council and Green Council, to tackle other areas of its portfolio. The SAF Council works to secure SAF in the coming years to ensure Delta’s SAF operations increase year over year.

The Green Council, a forum for its top corporate accounts and leading companies receives input on the airline’s various sustainability initiatives. The Council supports cross-divisional collaboration and efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions goals.

10 Operational KPIs

Established around various initiatives

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that directly contribute to fuel savings
• These KPIs are based on weight savings, equipment run time, and carbon emissions

Delta Air Lines has introduced a number of operational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure it reaches its sustainability goals. These KPIs are set around individual initiatives, including catering weights, use of onboard equipment such as the APU, and reducing fuel consumption on its aircraft.