Delta Airlines marked its centenary at CES 2025 with a keynote presentation by CEO Ed Bastian, who laid out the airline’s vision for the future of travel.
Delivered in the immersive Sphere at the annual Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas – an expo showcasing the entire tech landscape – the keynote focused on sustainability and innovation, particularly through Delta’s partnerships with Joby Aviation and Airbus.
Delta and Joby Aviation: Bringing eVTOL to City Airports
Delta’s partnership with Joby Aviation represents a significant step in integrating eVTOL technology into commercial travel. Joby, a California-based startup specialising in zero-emission aircraft, has been developing its eVTOL platform for over a decade and became a public company in 2021. The partnership, announced in 2022, includes an initial $60 million equity investment from Delta, with the potential for up to $200 million as key milestones are reached.
According to Ed Bastian, the partnership is designed to offer seamless city-to-airport transportation. Customers booking through Delta will have the option to reserve a Joby-operated eVTOL for the first and last legs of their journeys. The service is set to debut in New York and Los Angeles, two of Delta’s key markets, pending regulatory approvals and operational readiness.
During the keynote, Bastian described Joby as a “new breed of eVTOL,” adding, “This isn’t a distant future we’re talking about—we expect Joby to be flying in the next few years.” He highlighted the aircraft’s potential to cut commute times significantly while delivering quiet, zero-emission travel.
The keynote also featured a simulation of a Joby flight, demonstrating how passengers could bypass congested city streets to reach airports faster.
Airbus: Partnering for Hydrogen-Powered Aviation
In addition to its collaboration with Joby, Delta is exploring the potential of hydrogen-powered aircraft through a new partnership with Airbus.
Delta is supporting Airbus’ ZEROe project, which aims to bring the first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft to market in the next decade.
The initiative explores various aircraft configurations and technologies, including hydrogen fuel cells and combustion systems, to achieve sustainable flight.
On stage at CES, Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Airbus Chief Sustainability Officer Julie Kitcher emphasised the transformative potential of their partnership.
Kitcher noted, “Together, we are addressing today’s challenges and shaping a more connected, lower-carbon future for generations of travellers.”
