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Delta Airlines will celebrate turning 100 years old this year by rewarding employees with a bumper bonus payout totaling $1.4billion.
The airline has a history of rewarding employees with profit-sharing bonuses each year. In the past 10 years, Delta has paid out over $10billion through its profit share scheme.
Allison Ausband, Delta’s Chief People Officer, praised the “hard work” of her staff in a statement released by the company Friday.
Delta’s $1.4bn bonus: ‘Industry-leading total compensation for industry-leading performance’
Employees will receive a bonus equivalent to an estimated five weeks’ additional pay, the airline said. The total payout will reach approximately 10% of employees’ eligible earnings.
Delta will pay the bonuses to eligible workers on February 14, the company’s ‘profit sharing day.’
In its statement, Delta described the payout as a “timely reminder that our people are fundamental to our culture.”
“Shared success is core to Delta’s values, and profit sharing is a key element of Delta’s commitment to industry-leading total compensation for industry-leading performance,” the article continued.
Airline executives further asserted that its staff deserve to be rewarded for their part in Delta’s strong financial performance in 2024.
Delta’s adjusted operating revenue grew 4.3% from 2023 to 2024. The airline ended the year on a high, achieving the most profitable December quarter in its history with a pre-tax income of $1.6billion.
Commenting in a separate post on the firm’s 2024 financial results, Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian described it as a “great year for Delta.”
“Our people finished the year strong, delivering industry-leading operational and financial performance,” he said.
In Friday’s bonus statement, the chief exec continued his praise. “Every day, Delta people prove themselves to be difference makers in this industry,” he added.
“I’m proud to recognize their unmatched professionalism, teamwork and dedication to excellence with one of our strongest profit sharing years in Delta’s history.”
Delta’s Chief People Officer shared similar remarks: “This year’s profit-sharing payout is a testament to the hard work of Delta people. They recognize that our commitment to safety and world-class service builds trust with our customers—who in turn reward Delta with their loyalty.”
Is recognition and reward the key to Delta’s ‘differentiation’?
On Friday, Bastian hailed Delta’s financial performance as reflecting ‘differentiation from the industry.’ The airline was the most profitable of all US carriers in 2024.
Other airlines have struggled with a range of issues including Spirit Airline’s failed acquisition of JetBlue, and Alaska Airline’s emergency landing after a door plug blowout on a Boeing 737-9 Max.
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Delta’s CEO believes that its investment in people has helped the airline deliver a “differentiated strategy” as flyers “increasingly” seek a premium flight experience.
As well as its profit-sharing scheme, the airline also offers annual pay increases, monthly rewards for individuals and teams that achieve operational goals, and financial education for staff.
Delta was the only airline to make Fortune’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list in 2024.
Research indicates that the ongoing cost of living crisis in the US is continuing to cement financial wellbeing as a core issue for employees.
BambooHR’s Compensation Trends for 2025 report surveyed over 1,500 full-time, salaried employees, finding that employee expectations are currently “all about the money, money, money.”
According to the study, 50% of employees struggle to make ends meet due to rising costs, and 61% say executives and leadership don’t understand the financial struggles of typical employees, indicating that employers who can appropriately compensate and reward employees may stand apart from their competitors.
