Delta and Airbus step up sustainable aviation collaboration

US airline Delta and French aircraft manufacturer Airbus are deepening their collaboration for sustainable aviation, supporting flight technique and fuel innovations for decarbonisation.

Delta and Airbus are long-term partners, but they have now announced a raft of joint initiatives to accelerate the decarbonisation of the sector. 

Through the new agreement, Delta will offer continuous feedback on wing performance, fuel efficiency, superconductivity and advanced aircraft assistance technologies being developed by Airbus within its innovation lab.

The airline will also test a new flying technique being developed by Airbus called ‘fello’fly’, through which two aircraft fly together to draw from each other’s uplifts to create fuel savings. The first flight tests for this technique inspired by geese are scheduled to take place in the second half of 2025.

Advancing SAF development

Thirdly, Airbus will join the Minnesota SAF Hub, a coalition of buyers launched in 2023 to accelerate demand for sustainable aviation fuel.

“At Airbus, we pioneer sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world," said 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.”

Delta Air Lines’ efforts to achieve net zero

Delta Air Lines is targeting net zero emissions by 2050 – a goal it has committed to submit to the SBTi for verification. In November 2024, it joined a multi-airline agreement with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to grow the state’s SAF supply tenfold by 2035.

“SAF is the best-known lever we have to decarbonise aviation, and with around 90% of Delta’s carbon emissions coming from jet fuel, we need as much SAF as we can get. That’s why we’re proud to have current offtake agreements in place to support our use of SAF in California, and why we will continue to work with value chain players and government partners like CARB to accelerate the development of SAF for the future,” Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer at Delta Air Lines, said at the time.