Delta Air Lines gives employees 5% more pay, raises starting salary

On December 22, 2021, a Delta Air Lines jet appeared on the taxiway of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta.

Elijah Novelage | Elijah Novelage Reuters

Delta Airlines The country’s most profitable airline said it would raise employee pay by another 5% this year as it prepares for the busy summer travel season.

The pay increase will begin on June 1 and will apply to flight attendants, ground staff, mechanics and some office workers. It does not apply to pilots, who are unionized and had contracts approved last year with significant pay increases as wages stagnated during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Cabin Crew Association (CWA) launched the Delta Air Lines cabin crew union movement in late 2019.

Delta raised employee pay by 5% last year, and the raise announced Monday is the third announced by the Atlanta-based airline since 2022. Starting wages will increase from $16.55 to $19 an hour.

“With increases in base and starting salaries, we remain committed to providing Delta employees with industry-leading total compensation to achieve industry-leading performance,” CEO Ed Bastian said in a memo to employees on Monday.