As a traveler based in Atlanta, I am a fan and proud frequent flyer of Delta Air Lines. I collect Delta memorabilia, and as a photographer and graphic designer, I really enjoy vintage Delta Air Lines advertisements. In the series of posts, I would like to pay tribute to the company that gets me around the world and tell its 85 years history by magazine travel ads.

The Delta Air Lines history highlights

  • 1924The Huff Daland Dusters, crop dusting and flying mail company, founded in Macon, Ga. This was the first commercial agricultural flying company in existence.
  • 1928 – C.E.Woolman, the principal founder of Delta Air Lines, leads movement to buy Huff Daland Dusters and rename it to Delta Air Service for the Mississippi Delta region it served.
  • June 17, 1929 – The history begins. Delta operates first passenger flight carry five passengers and one pilot.
  • 1930 – Delta begins passenger service to Atlanta. Company renamed to Delta Air Corporation.
  • 1940 – Douglas DC-2 and DC-3 service introduced. Flight attendants, called “stewardesses,” added to flight crews.
  • 1941 – Delta headquarters moved to Atlanta.
  • 1945 – Official corporate name becomes Delta Air Lines, Inc.
  • 1946 – Delta starts regularly scheduled cargo service and boards its one-millionth passenger.
  • 1953 – Chicago and Southern Air Lines merge with Delta. Airline called Delta-C&S for the next two years.
  • 1955 – Delta pioneers the use of the hub and spoke system. Scheduled airplanes bring passengers to a hub airport where travelers connected to other Delta flights.
  • 1959 – Delta is first airline to launch Douglas DC-8 jet service. The red, white, and blue triangle “widget” becomes Delta’s logo.
  • 1960 – First airline to launch Convair 880 jet service.
  • 1964The Deltamatic reservation system starts with IBM 7074 computers.
  • 1965 – Delta becomes first airline to launch Douglas DC-9 service.
  • 1970 – Delta has an all-jet passenger airplane fleet. Boeing 747 service begins.
  • 1972 – Northeast Airlines merges with Delta. Delta begins operating the Boeing 727.
  • 1978 – Delta begins trans-Atlantic service: Atlanta to London.
  • 1979 – In August, Delta is the first airline in the world to board one million passengers in one city in one month (Atlanta).
  • 1981 – Delta launches Frequent Flyer Program (changed to SkyMiles in 1995).
  • 1982 – Employees raise $30 million in payroll deductions to purchase the first Boeing 767, named “The Spirit of Delta”.
  • 1987 – Western Airlines merges with Delta; becomes the fourth largest U.S. carrier and fifth largest world carrier.
  • 1988 – Delta opens operations in Asia.
  • 1991 – Delta purchases Pan Am, making this the largest acquisition of flights in airline history. Delta becomes a global carrier.
  • 1995 – Delta named the official airline of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Delta is the first U.S. carrier to voluntarily ban smoking on all flights.
  • 1996 – Customers can make reservations and purchase tickets via Delta’s Web site, SkyLinks.
  • 1997 – Delta is the first airline to board more than 100 million passengers in a year. Begins expansion of routes to Latin America. Delta purchases the Boeing 777.
  • 1998 – Delta and SwissCargo forge the first international cargo alliance. First and business classes on international flights become a single section of luxury seats called BusinessElite.
  • 2000 – Launched SkyTeam, a global alliance, partnering Delta with AeroMexico, Air France and Korean Air. Introduces new aircraft livery and a contemporary “widget” logo. Launches delta.com Web site, replacing “SkyLinks.” Carries 120 million passengers.
  • 2002 – Brings convenience to customers through “kiosks” at check-in, expanded gate information systems and virtual check-in on delta.com.
  • 2004 – Delta returns to traditional “widget” logo.
  • 2006 – Service to more destinations than any global airline.
  • 2007 – Delta’s new three-dimensional red widget logo and aircraft paint scheme. Announces trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France.
  • 2008 – Delta acquires Northwest Airlines, creating a global airline with major operations in every region of the world. Becomes first U.S. airline to announce onboard Wi-Fi for domestic mainline fleet.
  • 2009 – Delta announces expanded trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM. Becomes the only U.S. airline to serve six continents with introduction of nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia. Integrates Northwest WorldPerks frequent flyer program into SkyMiles, creating the world’s largest loyalty program with more than 74 million members.

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1946 Delta Airlines "A Vacation Choice Of Wood Or Waves" Print Ad

1946 Delta Airlines “A Vacation Choice Of Wood Or Waves” Print Ad

1948 "300 Plus" Delta Air Lines Magazine Ad

1948 “300 Plus” Delta Air Lines Magazine Ad

1953 Delta C&S Airlines America-Caribbean "Golden Triangle" Magazine Ad

1953 Delta C&S Airlines America-Caribbean “Golden Triangle” Magazine Ad

1959 Delta Airlines DC-8 "Royal-Jet-Service" Travel Magazine Ad

1959 Delta Airlines DC-8 “Royal Jet Service” Travel Magazine Ad

1959 Delta Air Lines DC-8 “Royal Service Flights” Stewardesses Magazine Ad

1959 Delta Air Lines DC-8 “Royal Service Flights” Stewardesses Magazine Ad

1969 Delta Airlines Stewardess in "No-Floor Show" Magazine Ad

1969 Delta Airlines Stewardess in “No Floor Show” Magazine Ad

1974 "Delta Is An Airline Run By Professionals" like Stewardess Christa Beck Magazine Ad

1974 “Delta Is An Airline Run By Professionals” like Stewardess Christa Beck Print Ad

1988 Delta Airlines "Go For Brogue. Delta To Dublin" Magazine Advertisement

1988 Delta Airlines “Go For Brogue. Delta To Dublin” Magazine Advertisement

1996 Delta Airlines "You'll Love The Way We Fly" Magazine Ad

1996 Delta Airlines “You’ll Love The Way We Fly” Magazine Ad

2011 Delta Airlines Building A Better Airline. Nopt Just A Bigger One" Magazine Ad

2011 Delta Airlines “Building A Better Airline. Not Just A Bigger One” Magazine Ad