Delta’s Flight Path to Sustainability

by ldasher7 · February 16, 2025

Lauren Dasher, Vedika Khandelwal, Tilka Persaud, James Smith, and Kristie Teoh

Potential Impacts

While only 2.5% of global carbon emissions are a result of the aviation industry, the industry stands to be significantly impacted by the potential effects of increased weather volatility associated with climate change. The industry is built upon highly optimized networks of flights between key airports, ferrying passengers between hubs and spokes to minimize the fuel costs, and therefore the emissions, associated with delivering a customer from Point A to Point B.

Figure 1. Delta Hubs

These networks are highly sensitive to seemingly minor and local disruptions which can result in significant and extremely costly disruptions. While a disruption at a “spoke” may only impact passengers traveling between Point A and B, a disruption at a “hub” can ripple internationally and take days if not weeks to unravel the effects of.

Figure 2. Comprehensive Delta Routes

The disruptions can be the result of virtually anything, from weather to untested software updates. The Texas blizzard in December of 2022 resulted in almost 17,000 flight cancellations for Southwest, affecting two million passengers and is estimated to have cost the airline over a billion dollars. A faulty software update to Delta software systems in October of 2024 resulted in 7,000 canceled flights and cost the company over $500M dollars in lost revenue.

As climate change increases both the prevalence and intensity of extreme weather events, mass schedule delays affecting flight operations are only going to increase in the coming decades. Airlines will either adjust ticket prices to compensate for their level of risk or potentially require customers to self-insure their own travel arrangements. Riskier flight routes may be eliminated entirely.

Reporting Methods

GHG emissions are reported in metric tons of carbon dioxide primarily. There is additional mention of secondary measures such as total fuel consumed (gigajoules), percentage of alternative fuels used, and percentage of sustainable aviation fuels used. Delta utilizes a third-party consulting firm to conduct emissions verifications. Delta publishes a detailed ESG report annually which includes details on Carbon performance. The report provides a broad summary on performance versus goals with an attached appendix reporting the GHG emissions. The emissions are further broken down into Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3, Hazardous Wastes, and additional penalties associated with violations of GHG emission levels. There is an additional table for measures of other non-carbon dioxide GHG emissions. A baseline for all types of emissions was taken in 2019 that performance is measured against year over year. In 2022, Delta worked with SBTi to confirm medium-term targets as they work towards a goal of net zero by 2050. While they are still working with STBi to validate the 2050 goals, they have a validated metric of reaching a 45% reduction in emissions by 2035 and thus rate their performance versus this medium-term goal.

Limiting Adverse Effects

Delta has a 2050 net-zero emissions goal, with underlying goals including 5% operational fuel savings, 95+% Sustainable Aviation Fuel usage, 40+% Fuel Efficiency Gains, 25% revolutionary aircraft in fleet, 100% waste diversion from landfills, and 100% net-zero ground operations and supply chain. They are also finding ways to minimize their use of single-use plastics by transitioning from plastic to paper cups onboard and using paper plates & wooden disposable cutlery in Delta sky lounges as of right now.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel usage is an interesting and key pillar of their decarbonization plan. Delta aims to “procure over 400 million gallons of SAF annually by the end of 2030, supporting [their] goal of 10% SAF utilization.” Delta is also encouraging their suppliers to pursue their own net-zero and climate-related goals.

Leveraging Opportunities

Delta is finding ways to save fuel through measures such as enhanced flight routing, aircraft enhancements, and onboard efficiencies. “In 2023, [Delta] saved a cumulative 21 million gallons of fuel compared to 2019” through these measures. An example of this is plugging planes into ground electricity during boarding and servicing between flights to reduce APU engine’s use of fuel during that time. This is also a cost-savings opportunity and reduces their operations’ reliance on fuel.

Delta is also partnering with Airbus to transition to a more sustainable fleet: “We focus on building our fleet to improve fuel efficiency over time by upgauging our planes and replacing retiring aircraft with more fuel efficient next-gen models. In 2023, we took delivery of 43 aircraft that were, on average, 28% more fuel efficient per seat mile than aircraft retired since 2019.” Additionally, Delta announced their partnership with Joby Aviation at the 2025 CES Conference. Job is an electric air taxi which will provide fliers with transportation to the airport, allowing them to avoid congestion and traffic around airports such as New York’s JFK.

Additional Actions to Consider

Delta Air Lines has made significant commitments to reducing its carbon footprint. Here are some additional actions Delta can take to enhance its ability to reach its goals:

Accelerating Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Integration: Delta aims to replace at least 10% of its fuel with SAF by 2030. To achieve and exceed this goal, Delta could invest directly in SAF production facilities or partner with governments and energy companies to create infrastructure that scales SAF production.

Investing in Next-Generation Aircraft Technology: Partner with aerospace startups to support the development of hydrogen-powered or battery-electric aircraft, advocate for airport infrastructure upgrades that support hydrogen refueling and electric charging stations, commit to purchasing a fleet of electric regional aircraft for short-haul flights (500–1,000 miles) by the 2040s.

Enhancing Carbon Offset Programs with Verified Climate Impact: Partner with companies like Climeworks or Carbon Engineering that use technology to physically remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it permanently. Fund high-impact reforestation efforts that involve local community engagement to ensure long-term forest preservation.

Expanding Circular Economy Initiatives: Implement a zero-waste goal for in-flight services by 2035, ensuring that all food packaging and materials used on board are recyclable, compostable, or reusable. Upcycle retired aircraft materials (such as carbon fiber components) into new aviation products or consumer goods.

Encouraging Consumer Behavior Change for Sustainable Travel: Offer “green flight” options that allow customers to select routes with lower emissions (e.g., flights using SAF or newer fuel-efficient aircraft). Introduce a “carbon rewards program” where frequent fliers earn bonus miles for choosing lower-impact flights or opting for reduced-baggage travel.

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