Delta Air Lines vs United Airlines

Overview

Delta Air Lines is a major US carrier headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in December 1928 as Delta Air Service and began passenger operations on 17 June 1929. It is a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It reported revenue of US$63.4 billion for 2025 and about 103,000 employees.

Network and hubs

Delta operates nine hubs: Atlanta (its largest), Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York JFK, New York LaGuardia, Salt Lake City and Seattle/Tacoma. As of April 2026, Wikipedia says it flies to 64 countries on more than 1,000 routes across the Americas, Europe, Africa, West and East Asia and Oceania. Regional services under the Delta Connection brand are flown by Endeavor Air, Republic Airways and SkyWest. Delta holds stakes in partners including Virgin Atlantic (49%), LATAM and Aeroméxico, and codeshares with many SkyTeam and other airlines.

Fleet

Wikipedia, citing Delta's 2025 Form 10-K, gives a mainline fleet of 987 aircraft, with an average age of 14.8 years at December 2024. Delta operates the world's largest passenger fleets of the Airbus A220, Boeing 717, 757, 767 and Airbus A330. Wide-bodies (A330, A350, Boeing 767) serve long-haul routes. Delta's Form 10-Q for March 2026 has a detailed fleet table.

On board

Cabins vary by route and aircraft:

• Delta One: lie-flat business class on long-haul and some transcontinental flights, with meals, an amenity kit and bedding.
• First: on domestic and some short- and medium-haul international flights, with 37–40 in of pitch.
• Premium Select: premium economy on many long-haul aircraft.
• Delta Comfort+: 34–36 in of pitch, priority boarding and complimentary drinks on flights of 250 miles or more.
• Main Cabin: 30–33 in of pitch, with free snacks and soft drinks on flights of 250 miles or more. Meals are free on long-haul international routes and sold on some other flights of 900 miles or more.
• Basic Economy: same service with fewer flexibility options, no ticket changes and seats assigned at check-in.

Delta Studio entertainment is available on many aircraft. Wikipedia reports free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members on most domestic flights from 2025.

Good to know

• Baggage allowances and fees depend on fare, route and status. Check the Delta website before travelling.
• Basic Economy fares do not earn miles or Medallion qualifying miles (since December 2021) and cannot be upgraded.
• Delta Sky Club lounge access comes through membership, top-tier status, certain American Express cards or international Delta One tickets. Day passes ended in January 2019.
• The SkyMiles loyalty programme says miles do not expire.
• Punctuality: Cirium data cited by Wikipedia put Delta at 84.72% on time in 2023. Wikipedia also notes Delta's domestic cancellation rate exceeded the industry average in 2026, with pilot availability cited as a factor.

Overview

United Airlines is a major airline headquartered at Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. According to Wikipedia, it was formed in 1931 as a subsidiary of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation, which controlled a group of airmail carriers assembled by William Boeing. It is a subsidiary of United Airlines Holdings (Nasdaq: UAL) and was one of the five founding members of Star Alliance. Scott Kirby is chief executive. The airline reported revenue of US$59.1 billion for 2025.

Network and hubs

United serves around 405 destinations across six continents. Its hubs are Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Guam, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington–Dulles. Regional services are flown by independent carriers under the United Express brand. Through Star Alliance and its partners, the network extends further worldwide. Over the years United acquired Pan Am's Pacific routes (1985), its London Heathrow operation (1991) and its Latin America and Caribbean routes.

Fleet

As of September 2026, the United Airlines fleet consists of 1,137 mainline aircraft, the largest of any airline worldwide, according to Wikipedia citing Cirium. It operates a mix of Airbus and Boeing narrow-bodies and an all-Boeing wide-body fleet, with more wide-bodies than any other North American airline. Regional aircraft operated by United Express partners are not included in that figure.

On board

Cabin layouts, seat pitch, entertainment and Wi-Fi vary by aircraft type and route. These details were not verified for this profile, so check the United website for the aircraft on your flight.

Good to know

• Frequent-flyer programme: MileagePlus, which is linked to Star Alliance status benefits.
• Baggage allowances, change fees and lounge access depend on fare, route and status. Check the current rules on united.com before booking.
• Star Alliance membership allows connections and lounge access with partner airlines for eligible passengers.