- CEO Ed Bastian delivers opening keynote; Delta becomes first major airline to keynote and exhibit at CES
- New human-driven innovations transform air travel into a part of your journey to look forward to
- In-house tech and partnerships with Lyft, Misapplied Sciences and Sarcos Robotics start bringing future vision to life in 2020
On the world’s largest tech stage, Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced several technology innovations that are transforming the future of travel, rolling out this year and beyond, including transformation of the Fly Delta, PARALLEL REALITY™ display screens, captivating entertainment options, full-body wearable exoskeletons and an AI machine learning operations platform.
Delta Air Lines is transforming its popular Fly Delta app into a digital concierge that anticipates customer needs, offers convenient services like a ride to the airport and delivers thoughtful notifications, keeping customers moving seamlessly on their journey.
“Customers tell us they want Fly Delta to become their ‘home base’ for managing their travel day,” said Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines. “That’s why we’re evolving the app to become the ultimate travel companion for all points of your journey – with an eye on expanding the convenience and value of using miles as a form of payment for services with Delta and partners, throughout.”
During the CES 2020 opening keynote, Bastian shared the airline’s plans to take a big first step in building its digital concierge by deepening its industry-leading partnership with Lyft.
Offering customers multiple points within the Fly Delta app to link Delta SkyMiles and Lyft accounts will make it easier for customers to earn miles during Lyft rides.
Other features being explored include providing estimated arrival times powered by Lyft, testing a dedicated premium Delta-Lyft experience at some of the busiest U.S. airports, and offering the option to pay for rides using miles.
The next step comes later this month, when virtual queuing launches in Fly Delta to notify customers when their seat – not just their flight – is boarding. This adds to recent upgrades like integrating TSA wait times in select markets, offering pre-select meals and international auto-check-in – all designed to make travel more personal.
“Instead of checking one app for traffic, another for airport parking and a third for TSA wait times, Delta is building the capability to simplify travel by helping you manage everything from ridesharing and in-flight entertainment to bag delivery and hotels,” Bastian said.
“We’re excited to start exploring these possibilities with an innovative leader like Lyft, with whom we share a passion for making the customer travel experience even more rewarding.”
“Lyft and Delta share a commitment to bring hospitality and innovation to our communities,” said John Zimmer, Co-Founder of Lyft. “That is why today we’re excited to expand our partnership and progress toward our goal of transforming the industry with the world’s best transportation.”
Delta and Lyft’s commitment to finding new ways to boost the customer experience together is backed by Delta’s independent research showing that ridesharing helps reduce stress on travel days and makes for a more enjoyable experience. It also highlights the value each brand places on being central to the multi-modal future of transportation.
The airline is also investing in renewable and natural environment solutions to offset emissions for its flights to and from Las Vegas during the week of Jan. 6, building on the company’s long-running investments in sustainability.
Delta also will make investments in verified projects to offset the carbon footprint associated with Global Citizen’s year-long Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream campaign which supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“There is just no substitute for the power that travel has to change lives and make the world a better place. And we’re committed to making our business of connecting people to the world one that also is environmentally minded,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “Starting with voluntarily capping our carbon emissions at 2012 levels, we continue to reduce our footprint and invest in natural climate solutions as well as projects that support local economies worldwide.”
Delta will invest more than $100,000 into The International Small Group & Tree Planting Program (TIST), a program that supports subsistence farmers in countries such as Kenya and Uganda to reverse the devastating effects of deforestation, drought and famine through tree planting and conservation farming. The investment covers carbon associated with all Delta flights into and out of Las Vegas during CES 2020.
The investments were announced as part of Bastian’s opening CES keynote address, during which he discussed how Delta is transforming the future travel experience for customers across all points of the journey through technology and innovation.
As part of its partnership with international advocacy organization Global Citizen, Delta also will invest in a verified carbon offset program specifically designed to cover the carbon footprint associated with travel and equipment transportation for Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream.
Global Goal Live is a year-long campaign led by Global Citizen and Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm, which seeks to bridge the $350 billion funding gap in the 59 poorest countries in the world to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals focused on sustainability, gender equality and human capital.
Global Goal Live will culminate in the largest live-broadcast cause event in history, spanning five continents on Sept. 26, 2020. Bastian is Co-Chair of the CEO Coalition, which includes leaders from various industries working to secure commitments from world leaders, policymakers, NGOs and socially conscious corporations to help meet the global goals.
As part of this partnership, Delta will offset all emissions associated with travel to the events, which will be verified by South Pole, a leading provider of global sustainability solutions.
Delta is committed to reducing its emissions by 50 percent by 2050. Since 2005, Delta has reduced its jet fuel consumption through fleet renewal and fuel efficiency initiatives, leading to an 11 percent decrease in emissions, and is the only airline to voluntarily cap emissions at 2012 levels.
The airline has purchased 12 million carbon offsets since 2012. Delta in 2007 became the first U.S. airline to enable customers to offset the carbon emissions associated with their travel, which travelers can do on delta.com/co2 or through the Fly Delta app.
