by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 2:20 PM ET, Tue January 28, 2025
While the federal government has been focused on rolling back funding and support for environmental protection efforts and sustainability programming, some travel brands are remaining committed to this critical issue.
Delta Air Lines recently confirmed for TravelPulse that sustainability continues to be an important focus for the airline.
In a statement provided by a Delta Air Lines spokesperson, the carrier said:
“Delta is on a journey to connect people to a more sustainable future of travel. We remain committed to our path to net-zero emissions by 2050 because it’s good for business, our people and the planet.”
Delta’s website maintains a page dedicated to outlining its sustainability efforts and goals. The page covers the airline’s short-term and long-term goals.
In the short-term, Delta says it is working to transition to a more fuel-efficient fleet and enhancing operational efficiency.
Over the longer-term, the carrier has set its sights on replacing a growing proportion of traditional jet fuel with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and collaborating with innovators to revolutionize aviation.
“Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a key lever to decarbonizing flight, reducing lifecycle emissions from jet fuel by up to 80%,” Delta explains on its website. “We aim to procure over 400 million gallons of SAF annually by the end of 2030, supporting our goal of 10% SAF utilization.”
In 2023, Delta saved a cumulative 21 million gallons of fuel compared to 2019 thanks to such measures as enhanced flight routing, aircraft enhancements, and onboard efficiencies, according to the website.
The Atlanta, Georgia-based airline also points out that its commitment to sustainability extends beyond just flight operations. The carrier is also continually looking at ways to reduce its waste and offer travelers more sustainable products. Minimizing the environmental impacts of its ground operations is also a key focus for Delta.
Delta says it also engages its supply chain in such sustainability efforts.
Sustainability Magazine in 2024 ranked Delta the second most sustainable airline among 10 airlines globally.
As part of that ranking, Sustainability Magazine noted that: “Both in the air and on the ground, Delta Air Lines is focused on lowering its carbon footprint, furthering an equitable work environment that values diversity and inclusion and living these values in the communities where its people live, work and serve.”
The number one ranked airline when it comes to sustainability, according to the Sustainability Magazine ranking, is United Airlines.
United is working to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and has invested more in SAF than any other airline, according to the publication.
The magazine also points out that United is “proud to be the first airline to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without relying on carbon offsets.
"We're embracing a new goal to be 100% green by 2050 by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions 100%,” United CEO Scott Kirby has said.
“And we’ll get there not with flashy, empty gestures, but by taking the harder, better path of actually reducing the emissions from flying. We also realise there's a limit to what a single company can do alone. That's why we are continuing to seek opportunities to collaborate with other industries. We must reach across industries to develop coordinated efforts to accomplish what must be our collective goal of carbon neutrality."
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