Who is Delta partnered with?
Delta Air Lines Partnerships Delta Airlines has strategic partnerships and cooperation with a vast number of other airlines and travel-related organizations globally. These affiliations help Delta to increase the scope of the network and offer more useful options, advantages, and opportunities for customers.
Here is an overview of some of Delta's major partnerships:
SkyTeam Alliance Delta is part of SkyTeam which is an international airline marketing company that was formed by Delta Airlines , Aeromexico, Air France, and Korean Air. SkyTeam began in 2000 and includes over a dozen members including KLM, Alitalia, China Airlines, Aeroflot, and more. Altogether, the SkyTeam members reach more than 170 countries carrying more than 481 million passengers annually operating over 14 500 flights per day.
The interchangeability of SkyTeam: Delta frequent flyer program members can earn and redeem miles on any partner airline. Members of the SkyTeam alliance give login rights to each other’s lounges and integrate airport services at international hubs to make connections between flights smoother. SkyTeam also has affiliates – airlines that are not officially members of the alliance but have codeshare agreements with those in SkyTeam, such as Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, and China Eastern.
Air France-KLM Joint Venture It is also important to note that Delta has a closer strategic alliance with AF and KLM being members of the SkyTeam alliance and members of the transatlantic joint venture with Delta formed in 2009. This kind of cooperation enables the three airlines to work as if they are a single company on the North American Europe route and yet each operates under its brand, equipment, and people.
Delta, Air France, and KLM are integrated in all aspects of their network, schedule, price, sales, and inventory management of their joint venture. This tight coordination makes it possible to have better interaction between the airlines, and in the same way, it provides more opportunities for North Atlantic passengers. I can confirm that all their intercontinental flights have a loyalty program, and passengers get bonuses and elite privileges.
Virgin Atlantic Cooperation Delta increases its transatlantic link using a 49% controlling stake in Virgin Atlantic, a British airline. Virgin Atlantic is not a part of SkyTeam, but the two have a code-share arrangement, which is as noteworthy. In this sense, one might reach a synchronizing of schedules, networks, and pricing as in the Air France-KLM situation. Virgin Atlantic offers elite status and the members of the Delta frequent flying program may earn and redeem their points on Virgin Atlantic, under a code-sharing arrangement with Delta.
WestJet Partnership Even though there is a very low overlap in terms of routes, Delta recently entered into a deal with the Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet in the year 2018. Several airlines got into a Transborder Joint Business for the flights between for United States and Canada. This partnership entails that WestJet operates flights that are coded under Delta on some of the routes. This is because WestJet has a mutual frequent flyer rewards program with Delta and integrates the Delta connection to provide onward connectivity within Canada.
Aeroméxico Partnership Delta owns 49 percent of a Mexican global airline named Aeroméxico while both carriers remain as separate entities. Both carriers are SkyTeam allies and have a codeshare agreement; moreover, Delta and Aeroméxico have a bilateral strategic alliance focusing on the routes connecting the United States with Mexico. This kind of integration facilitates the chance for a great pairing of flight schedules to improve connectivity. Interchangeability of accruals is also true as is seen in frequent flyer reciprocity.
GOL Partnership Delta has a codeshare partnership with GOL, a low-cost Brazilian airline, but GOL is not a member of any worldwide airline alliance. Codeshare is a kind of strategic alliance where Delta puts its flight number and sells tickets in several GOL routes to and within Brazil. With GOL, Delta frequent flyers are allowed to earn SkyMiles. Both are in the process of creating a planned code-sharing agreement to enhance cooperation for a proposed JV.
Virgin Australia Partnership Even though Virgin Australia discontinued its codeshare arrangement with Delta in 2020, both airlines continue to have a partnership and interline cooperation. Currently, Australia partners with Delta and it is possible to connect flights on the two airlines and use SkyMiles to pay for the award flights. For Virgin Australia, the following are the perks that come with traveling under the SkyMiles program for the elite members; It serves to offer access to many destinations all over Australia to customers of Delta.
Korean Air Joint Venture SkyTeam members, Delta and Korean Air agreed to deepen the partnership between them in the year 2018 by forming a joint venture. This means that the transpacific joint venture enables the airlines to work together on routes between Asia and the USA, however, both the airlines exist independently. This cooperation combines nets, coordinates tariffs and timetables, offers mutual frequent flyer bonuses, and unites the customer approach.
Other Partnerships Interlining is another mechanism that enables socialization of operation; through this method, Delta has contracts with other regional airlines such as Alaska Airlines, Silver Airways, and Compass Airlines means of extending services from hubs and selected airports. Other affiliates of Delta include China Eastern, Jet Airways of India, LATAM of Latin America, Virgin Atlantic, and WestJet also fall in the same category.
Other than the airline partnerships, Delta has many affiliations with many hotels, rent-a-car, trains, airport transportation, and many more. Delta also has co-branding arrangements on credit cards with American Express, where cardholders earn SkyMiles. Such partnerships can help Delta enhance the travel industry value chain by providing passengers with a more satisfying experience.
In conclusion, Delta heavily uses JV, equity, partnerships, and MOUs with airlines and travel firms to reach more international destinations for its passengers. Some of the key airline partners and members of the codeshare and joint venture with Delta are in the SkyTeam alliance, Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Aeroméxico, WestJet, and Korean Air. Together with Delta’s large route map, it has access to some of the largest international connections thanks to the partnerships.
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