Comprehensive interview intel — history, fleet, compensation, hiring, culture, and strategy. Know the company inside and out before you walk in.
Delta is a legacy U.S. network carrier headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It traces its roots to a crop dusting operation in 1925 (the world's first), is a co-founding member of the SkyTeam alliance, operates approximately 4,000+ daily flights to 315 destinations in 64 countries across six continents, and employs approximately 17,319 active pilots — with roughly 6,000 hired since the post-COVID recovery. Ed Bastian has been CEO since May 2, 2016.
For interview purposes, the simplest way to frame Delta is this: it is the most profitable U.S. airline, with industry-leading employee culture, the strongest profit-sharing program in aviation, and a premium brand strategy built around what Ed Bastian calls "the virtuous circle" — take care of people first, they take care of customers, customers take care of the brand. Delta explicitly positions itself as a premium global airline, not just a carrier that moves passengers.
Delta has eight major hubs — anchored by Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, the world's busiest airport — and the second-largest commercial fleet globally with 986 mainline aircraft. It co-founded SkyTeam, which connects it to 1,150+ destinations in 175 countries through partners like Air France-KLM, Korean Air, Aeroméxico, and Virgin Atlantic (49% owned by Delta). It maintains joint ventures with Air France-KLM/Virgin Atlantic (transatlantic), Korean Air (transpacific), and LATAM Airlines (South America), meaning key international routes are operated as revenue-sharing partnerships.
Delta's origin story is unlike any other airline. In 1925, Huff Daland Dusters was founded in Macon, Georgia — the world's first commercial aerial crop dusting operation. C.E. Woolman, an agricultural extension agent, persuaded the company to base operations in the Mississippi Delta region. On December 3, 1928, the company was incorporated as Delta Air Service, named after the Mississippi Delta. Passenger service began June 17, 1929, from Dallas to Jackson, Mississippi.
The most important figure in Delta's early history is C.E. Woolman, who guided the airline for over 40 years — from crop duster to major carrier. Woolman served as President and General Manager from 1945, became Chairman and CEO in 1965, and died in office on September 11, 1966. Delta named its headquarters building after him. His employee-first philosophy established the cultural DNA that persists today.
The full CEO succession:
Key historical milestones to know:
Sources listed at the end of each profile. Data compiled from public filings, airline newsrooms, AirlinePilotCentral, Glassdoor, FAA records, and industry publications.