Centennial Year Delta ushered its 100th anniversary with a larger-than-life presence at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. Spearheaded by a first-of-its-kind keynote delivered by CEO Ed Bastian at Sphere, Delta"s appearance at the tech event commemorated a century of groundbreaking aviation milestones and the airline"s commitment to innovation, all powered by people. Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines “New marvels like AI, the digital revolution and sustainable technology are giving us incredible tools to transform the travel experience,” said Bastian during the keynote. “But amid the wonder of new technology, we"ve always understood that innovation is to lift people.” From partnership announcements and visions of the future of travel to immersive experiences and a musical performance from multiple GRAMMY Award-winning music icon Lenny Kravitz, relive all of Delta"s best moments from CES 2025. OPENING DAY KEYNOTE As a buzz of excitement filled Sphere, Delta"s presence at CES was undeniable, drawing thousands of attendees. The keynote began with a moving, in-person monologue by award-winning actress Viola Davis, whose poignant words set the tone for what was to come. The audience was then taken on a fully immersive flight journey. Bastian was joined on stage throughout the keynote by Delta people and industry leaders to showcase the new technology and partnerships that will be part of Delta"s next 100 years. DELTA CONCIERGE USING MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE For the second act of the keynote, Bastian was joined by Qualtrics Co-Founder & Chairman Ryan Smith and Delta flight attendant Jeanie Brady to discuss how customer feedback shapes the future of travel, teeing up the introduction of Delta Concierge. Built into the Fly Delta app, Delta Concierge is a digital tool that uses generative AI to create seamless, personalized moments while making a customer"s journey easier—almost like a personal assistant. CREATING NEW MODES OF SEAMLESS TRAVEL Bastian also outlined a multimodal future of travel, where a single customer itinerary will be connected from start to finish through deep partner integrations. Sharing the stage with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Bastian announced a new partnership with the transport company to allow customers to link their and SkyMiles accounts and earn miles for eligible rides and deliveries. Delta Concierge will also connect with Joby"s electric air taxi service, which promises to transform the travel experience with home-to-airport transportation in the years ahead to further lean on the connected travel ecosystem. REIMAGINING THE ONBOARD EXPERIENCE To enhance its world-class onboard experience, Delta is introducing a groundbreaking cloud-based in-flight entertainment system. This new platform builds on the personalized Delta Sync experience launched in 2023 for SkyMiles Members, paving the way for expanded content offerings and collaborations with brands our customers know and love, like YouTube. Alongside YouTube Chief Business Officer Mary Ellen Coe, Bastian announced a new partnership with YouTube that will allow SkyMiles Members to enjoy their favourite creators, podcasts,, and music artists ad-free while onboard most flights, using Delta Sync Wi-Fi and Delta Sync seatbacks as part of their in-flight entertainment. THE FUTURE OF FLYING As Delta continues to expand as an international airline, it"s the company"s responsibility to continue increasing the world"s access to travel. That"s why Delta"s partnership with Airbus is so vital. Today, Delta operates more Airbus jets than any other airline in the world, so it was only fitting that for the final act of the keynote, Bastian was joined by Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer and Communications at Airbus, for a fireside chat to discuss the steps the companies are taking together to build a better world for the next 100 years. A new partnership with Airbus UpNext, introduced during the fireside chat, will position the world"s leading aircraft manufacturer and its largest operator at the forefront of advancing next-generation aviation technologies, revolutionizing the future of flying. WAYE Founder Sinead Bovell later joined Bastian and Kitcher to imagine how the aviation industry and travel experience might evolve to be more sustainable and adapt to customer needs in the coming decades. THE ATTENDEE EXPERIENCE Audience members at Sphere were in for a treat as multiple GRAMMY Award-winning music icon Lenny Kravitz put on an exclusive performance after the commencement of the keynote. But Delta"s presence at CES went far beyond the main stage. The airline kicked things off at 6 a.m. on Jan. 7 in the grandest way imaginable: transforming Sphere"s exterior—the Exosphere—into 360-degree, vibrant worlds representing the many destinations the airline connects its customers to. At night, Delta"s activation shifted to feature five planes representing the evolution of aviation over Delta"s 100-year history. Before the keynote, CES ticket holders could explore an interactive pre-show exhibit in Sphere's Atrium to celebrate Delta"s 100-year history. Delta Locals Guests got to preview Delta Locals, Delta's new travel planning platform that uses new platforms and emerging technology. “Delta"s appearance at CES is a testament to the strength of our brand and the exciting future ahead,” said Chief Marketing Officer Alicia Tillman. “This was an opportunity for attendees to experience who we are in a new and unforgettable way. As we look toward the next century, we"re committed to creating more moments that inspire and allow us to enrich our customer connections while continuing to spotlight and celebrate our incredible Delta people.” AI-powered Travel Journey Delta introduced Delta Concierge, an AI-powered digital tool that will bring advanced capabilities to its Fly Delta app in 2025 and beyond. It also unveiled "multi-modal" transportation options offered through Delta partners Uber and Joby. Delta Concierge is built into the Fly Delta app, giving customers more control and confidence in navigating their travel experience. The experience uses generative AI to create seamless, personalized moments while making a customer"s journey easier. “Delta is thinking differently about how we blend the digital and physical experiences, starting with the Fly Delta app,” said Ed Bastian, CEO. “Our vision for Delta Concierge is that it will serve as an AI-powered personal assistant that combines the context of who our customers are and how they like to travel with the deep knowledge and insights we"ve built as the world"s most reliable airline.” At CES 2020, Delta previewed its concierge concept, illustrating seamless and stress-free travel in the future. Beginning in 2025, that vision will come to life through Delta Concierge. The airline also outlined what else customers can expect on the horizon, previewing new partnerships with Ube and YouTube, which were also announced at CES today, and giving a sneak peek at what Delta expects its collaboration with Joby to look like over the coming years. AI will Power the Premium, Membership-Unlocked Journey on Delta Using data and AI, Delta is driving its ability to build loyalty among customers like never before, changing how the airline connects with customers during and outside their day of travel. Delta outlined several examples to illustrate the role Delta Concierge will play in the years ahead for customers. Customers can engage Delta Concierge using natural language text or voice input. In real-time, the tool will eventually anticipate customers" needs, provide contextualized guidance and take actions on customers" behalf. Delta Concierge will make pre-trip planning more intuitive and keep customers informed at every step. Beginning this year, It will notify customers about upcoming passport expiration and visa requirements. In the years ahead, the technology will offer helpful destination-specific notifications, such as updates on weather conditions, to help with packing and preparedness. Convening partners to create new modes of seamless, membership-unlocked travel Delta outlined a multimodal future of travel, where a single customer itinerary will be connected from start to finish through deep partner integrations. Delta Concierge will analyze customer needs and preferences to find the best path for them, relying on the ecosystem of connected travel coming in the years ahead. “Delta is bringing together innovative technologies and partnerships to create a connected travel experience from start to finish,” said Bastian. “This creates more choice for customers to get to their destination in a way that works best for them.” Ed was joined onstage by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to announce a new partnership launching this Spring. Through the partnership, customers who link their accounts can earn miles for eligible rides and deliveries. SkyMiles Members can earn 1 mile per dollar spent on UberX rides to and from airports, 2 miles per dollar on premium rides, and 3 miles per dollar on Uber Reserve rides. They can earn 1 mile per dollar on eligible restaurant and grocery orders. Delta, Airbus Deepen Innovation Partnership As Delta celebrates turning 100, the global airline is working to shape the future of the next century of flight. A new partnership with Airbus UpNext will position the world"s leading aircraft manufacturer and its largest operator at the forefront of advancing next-generation aviation technologies to revolutionize the future of flying. “It"s estimated that 80 percent or more of the world"s population has never experienced air travel. That"s why, as we continue to expand as an international airline, increasing the world"s access to travel isn"t just an opportunity – it's our responsibility,” Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, said on stage at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. “We live in a divided world, so what we do at Delta is important. Our job isn"t to transport people. It"s to bring them together.” Delta"s announcement has three key elements that are the latest in a multi-decade brand partnership. Network of Innovation Labs: Delta and Airbus are collaborating on early-stage, fast-track technology solutions to advance the future of aviation through Delta"s Sustainable Skies Lab and many Airbus" innovation labs across the globe, including Airbus UpNexThe two companies will explore wing performance, fuel efficiency, superconductivity, advanced aircraft assistance, and other technologies which may be needed for future aircraft. Through this partnership, Delta will offer continuous feedback to refine the innovative technologies being developed by Airbus within its network of innovation labs. This collaboration includes regular technical exchanges, Delta's active participation in designing aspects of specific experiments, observing test runs, and the potential to test early-stage features on its fleet. Future flight operations: Delta will test a new flying technique pioneered by Airbus called fello"fl. Inspired by migrating geese, this technique showcases the power of collaboration by pairing flights. With this technique, the first aircraft creates an uplift that drives fuel efficiency for the following aircraft, called wake energy retrieval, which can reduce fuel consumption. Delta will participate in the next flight test phase, which is planned for the second half of 2025. Scaling Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): Airbus announced its commitment to join the Minnesota SAF Hub. This first-of-its-kind SAF coalition brings together stakeholders committed to aggressively decarbonising the airline industry. SAF is the most critical lever for decarbonizing aviation in the near term, but there isn"t enough available to fuel the world"s commercial airlines for a single week. Airbus will also join a demand consortium committed to purchasing SAF in the long term. Airbus was a founding partner of Delta"s Sustainable Skies Lab when it launched at CES 2023. The Lab"s mission to unleash innovation's power to reduce air travel's climate impact matches Delta"s vision. The two have been working to unlock real-world applications and innovative breakthroughs for a sustainable future of flight, including exploring the future of a hydrogen-powered aircraft through the Airbus ZEROe project. Unveiling Onboard Smart in-flight entertainment is here, and Delta is in the pilot"s seat. To continue delivering a best-in-class onboard experience, Delta is launching a first-of-its-kind, cloud-based in-flight entertainment system. This system will evolve the global brand"s personalized Delta Sync experience, which was introduced in 2023 for SkyMiles Members. “Technology has the power to transform travel and create moments for our customers to enjoy the journey as much as the destination,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “Whether through fast, free Wi-Fi, our industry-leading seatback screens or any of the other personalized channels in Delta"s digital ecosystem, we"re committed to creating a seamless and enriching experience for our SkyMiles Members.” The new in-flight entertainment system sets the stage for even richer content and partnerships with trusted brands. Announced today at the CES 2025 keynote stage, YouTube will join the Delta Sync experience to bring customers fresh, dynamic, ad-free content that reflects their lifestyles and how they stay entertained at home. This will make travel even more personalized and relevant today and offer even greater possibilities for the future. A premium partnership with YouTube SkyMiles Members will soon enjoy their favourite creators, podcasts, and music artists ad-free while onboard most flights with Delta Sync Wi-Fi and Delta Sync seatback as part of their in-flight entertainment. This partnership underscores Delta"s dedication to bringing the at-home entertainment experience to the sky. The new partnership reflects Delta"s vision of blending cutting-edge technology with meaningful collaborations to enhance the travel experience. It creates a unique opportunity to elevate discovery, champion diverse voices, and bring travellers a curated experience beyond traditional in-flight entertainment. Next-generation tech powering a personalized journey Delta is collaborating with Thales Avionics, a global leader in in-flight technologies, to introduce a next-generation Delta Sync seatback experience. The airline expects to offer this in-flight entertainment experience onboard select new aircraft deliveries in 2026. Delta customers will be among the first to enjoy the new, state-of-the-art hardware and software that upgrades Delta Sync seatback in several never-before-seen ways. Powered by the first cloud-based IFE infrastructure, the next-generation Delta Sync seatback experience will include: An intelligent 4K HDR QLED display offers a high-contrast, vibrant, theatre-like viewing experience that looks as good on board as at home. Bluetooth capabilities are available in all cabins so travellers can pair their personal wireless devices. Groundbreaking 96-terabyte storage system – over fifty times the average Delta IFE system capacity – delivering even more high-quality content and streaming experiences. An advanced recommendation engine tailoring content to customer preferences so they can spend less time scrolling and more time enjoying. Seatback features like “Do Not Disturb” mode give travellers more control over their journey and enable Delta employees to deliver the exceptional service they are known for. Delta"s industry-leading connectivity unlocks these innovations and more. In partnership with Hughes, Delta is exploring a first-of-its-kind commercial aviation connectivity solution that will enable simultaneous multi-network connectivity, expected to fly onboard in late 2025. That means more reliable streaming to personal devices and more stable performance across Delta"s global network. Delta is an industry leader in in-flight entertainment and connectivity, with fast, free Delta Sync Wi-Fi on more than 700 aircraft today with Delta Sync Wi-Fi and more than 165,000 seatback screens across its global fleet. Hyper-personalized digital features These award-winning upgrades to Delta Sync seatback will enable a guided, more intuitive experience for customers so they can confidently navigate a frictionless travel journey and, just like they would at home, have the flexibility to spend their time in a way that suits them. Onboard Experience Planner It helps SkyMiles members maximize their flight time by providing greater visibility and control over their in-flight experience. Travellers can indicate preferences, such as whether they"d prefer not to be disturbed or want to be woken up for service, which will be seamlessly communicated to flight attendants. Future enhancements will include features like guided wellness, expanded options for customizing the food and beverage experience and other expert guidance designed to make every trip the best.