Delta & Airbus: Collaboration for Sustainable Aviation

Sustainable innovations are at the forefront of a strengthened partnership between Delta Air Lines and Airbus.

In an announcement made in Las Vegas, USA, during Delta’s centennial year, the two giants divulged details about their deepened collaboration aimed at pioneering eco-friendly aviation technologies.

“It’s estimated that 80% or more of the world’s population has never experienced air travel,” Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines said on stage at CES 2025 in Las Vegas.

“That’s why, as we continue to expand as an international airline, increasing the world’s access to travel isn’t just an opportunity – it's our responsibility.

“We live in a divided world, which is why what we do at Delta is so important.

“Our job isn’t to transport people. It’s to bring them together.”  

The Minnesota SAF Hub initiative

Launched in August 2023 with Delta as an anchor member, the Minnesota SAF Hub focuses on making Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) economically viable.

A consortium involving major corporations including Deloitte, Bank of America, Ecolab and Delta has agreed to purchase substantial volumes of SAF starting in late 2025 to scale production, reduce costs and stimulate market growth.

Coalition partners at the University of Minnesota are also developing a versatile new crop that could serve multiple uses, including the production of oil for SAF conversion.

Airbus announced it will join the Minnesota SAF Hub and Demand Consortium with a multi-year commitment to purchase SAF. 

“At Airbus, we pioneer sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world," says Julie Kitcher, Airbus Chief Sustainability Officer and Communications. 

"With Delta we are redefining the future of aviation. By leveraging our combined expertise, we are accelerating groundbreaking innovations — from advancing cutting-edge flight techniques to scaling up the production of renewable fuels (SAF). 

“Together, we are addressing today’s challenges and shaping a more connected, lower carbon future for generations of travellers to come.”

How geese inspired a new flying technique

A revolutionary flying technique, known as fello’fly, has been pioneered by Airbus.

This method, inspired by the V-formations of migrating geese, utilises wake energy from a lead aircraft to enhance the fuel efficiency of a trailing craft.

Implementing fello’fly can slash CO₂ emissions by at least 5% per journey.

Delta is set to participate in the GEESE Flight trials  — which stands for Gain Environmental Efficiency by Saving Energy — led by SESAR, scheduled for the second half of 2025.

Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer at Delta, says: “I am so excited for this work with Airbus — we know a sustainable future of flight is rooted in innovation and this partnership is going to take Delta’s journey to net-zero to new heights.”

Airframes of the future

Delta says aircraft might undergo a radical transformation in design to augment their eco-friendliness.

Airbus subsidiary and technology incubator UpNext is developing the eXtra Performance Wing project, which features wings that adapt their shape during flight to maximise aerodynamic efficiency.

The design uses principles of biomimicry, imitating natural processes to engineer solutions that drastically reduce fuel consumption.

The test phase for this technology began on a modified Cessna Citation VII business jet in November 2023.

Delta announced a partnership with Airbus UpNext to leverage the expertise of the world's leading aircraft manufacturer and its largest operator together.

Hydrogen-powered aeroplanes

Delta's Sustainable Skies Lab launched in 2023 with Airbus as a founding partner.

It aims to “unleash the power of innovation to reduce the climate impact of air travel”, and the companies have been working together on projects including hydrogen-powered aircraft.

Airbus' joint venture with ElringKlinger, Aerostack, is creating hydrogen fuel cell stacks for a a ZEROe aircraft’s propulsion systems.

ZEROe is Airbus' first zero-emission commercial aircraft concept.

The fuel cell system was first tested successfully in June 2023 and was the most powerful test ever achieved in aviation of a fuel cell designed for large-scale aircraft. 

Sinead Bovell, Founder of tech education company WAYE, said at the event: “Innovation can bring our diverse world closer together, and travel is a key part of that. 

“All groundbreaking innovations require thinking completely differently about what is possible.”

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