GOOD-NEWS: Delta Air Lines Spreads the Love with $1.4 Billion in Profit-Sharing Bonuses for Employees, Including $122 Million for Minnesota Workers

Delta Air Lines Spreads the Love with $1.4 Billion in Profit-Sharing Bonuses for Employees, Including $122 Million for Minnesota Workers

Delta Air Lines is showing appreciation for its workers this Valentine’s Day with a massive $1.4 billion in profit-share bonuses, which includes about $122 million going to its Minnesota-based employees.

This Valentine’s Day bonus tradition, which started in 2007, will see the average employee receive a check representing approximately 10% of their eligible annual earnings, equivalent to about five weeks’ pay. Delta, the leading carrier at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), is once again rewarding its workers after a tough period during the COVID-19 pandemic when bonuses were reduced or halted due to financial challenges.

Peter Carter, Delta’s Chief External Affairs Officer, expressed excitement about the return of profit-sharing bonuses at pre-pandemic levels, emphasizing how much these gains highlight the achievements of Delta employees in 2024. “This is really about them. We’re celebrating them,” said Carter, reflecting on how the pandemic was a critical moment for the airline.

Delta is committed to ensuring its employees are among the best-paid in the industry, pointing to a 5% raise given last year and calling its bonuses “the most generous profit-sharing program in corporate America.” This year, the bonuses total 15% of Delta’s profits for 2024.

Despite facing challenges such as the massive CrowdStrike outage that led to thousands of flight cancellations and millions in losses, Delta reported strong earnings. CEO Ed Bastian highlighted that the bonuses this year represent one of the top three profit-sharing payouts in the airline’s history and are expected to exceed the combined payouts of United and American Airlines.

In Minnesota, Delta’s profit-sharing payout has reached $122 million, with approximately 9,300 Delta jobs in the state. Of those, about 7,300 employees reside locally. Bonuses are being evenly distributed across all employee groups, with only pilots and dispatchers, who are unionized, making up 20% of the workforce.

After sharing bonuses of around $563 million in 2023, including $48 million in Minnesota, Delta continues to reward its 100,000 employees nationwide for their dedication and outstanding performance, solidifying their role as a key player in the airline industry.