Delta Air Lines partners with startup on sustainable aircraft design

Delta Air Lines is working with California startup JetZero on a new aircraft design that could bring up to 50% fuel savings, dramatically reducing flight emissions.

JetZero has designed a blended-wing-body aircraft that it aims to commercialise by 2030. It received a grant from the US Air Force in 2023 to support the development of a full-scale demonstrator for first flight in 2027, and will now get operational expertise from Delta to bring this project to life.

Blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft were first tested and demonstrated in the 1990s by NASA and Stanford University, and the model developed by JetZero is up to 50% more fuel efficient than conventional planes currently on the market: This is because its design creates less drag, provides more lifting surface area and even load and lift distribution, as well as being much lighter.

Fuel savings themselves will reduce flight emissions, but JetZero’s aircraft is also designed to be able to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), further reducing its carbon footprint.

“While Delta is focused on doing what we can today to address our carbon footprint, it’s critical we also work with a variety of partners to advance revolutionary technologies, like JetZero’s blended-wing-body aircraft, to solve for a significant portion of future aviation emissions,” said Amelia DeLuca, Delta’s Chief Sustainability Officer. 

Blended-wing-body aircraft characteristics

BWB aircraft can carry more than 250 passengers, which is similar to current aircraft capacity, but because their engines are mounted on top of the aircraft, they are expected to be significantly quieter.

Delta is currently exploring how well this new design would fit into existing airport infrastructure.

“JetZero is working to change the world by bringing to market an aircraft that aims to fly this decade and make immediate and marked progress toward reducing airline energy costs, and the associated emissions,” said Tom O’Leary, JetZero cofounder and CEO. 

“The ability to realise such significant efficiency gains in the near future meaningfully impacts the industry’s commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and will serve as the foundation on which other technologies and efficiencies can be realised.”

Aviation decarbonisation is far from straightforward

The aviation sector has struggled to make progress on its decarbonisation goals: most airlines are betting on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to help them reduce emissions, but the supply chain has been slow to develop, leading some operators to delay or scrap climate targets.

A report published last December warned that this slow development was partly due to insufficient investment from airlines: according to think tank Transport and Environment (T&E), the SAF purchases made by 77 airlines would only lead to a 0.15% to 1.3% increase in SAF consumption by 2030 – reducing the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by less than 1%.

Beyond SAF, aircraft innovation is also expected to play an important role in helping the sector decarbonise. Earlier this year, Delta announced another collaboration with Airbus on aircraft design and even new flight techniques that could help reduce fuel consumption.