Delta Delivers First-Ever CES Keynote in Sphere

Want to know a surefire way to get nearly 18,000 people to drop everything they are doing and attend your keynote speech during CES? Host it at Sphere, the groundbreaking, technological marvel that has redefined live and filmed experiences with its wholly immersive presentation.

Delta Airlines is celebrating a landmark 100 years in operation, the longest-running U.S. airlines, and CEO Ed Bastian presented the first-ever CES keynote at Sphere. Bastion used the time to discuss Delta’s past, present, and future, and describe Delta’s vision for using technology to enrich human experiences. Instead of just another keynote, Delta used all the immersive capabilities of Sphere, which not only included the floor-to-ceiling video and incredible audio, but also wind, aroma, and tactile in-seat effects to take viewers on an immersive virtual journey that included a massive Airbus A350-900 taxiing into Sphere, followed by a take-off, in-flight cockpit view, and landing spaced throughout the evening.

Gary Shapiro, CEO of Consumer Technology Association (CTA), kicked off the event, saying this was Bastian’s third CES keynote, then EGOT-winning celebrity Viola Davis narrated a short video, reminding the audience that it wasn’t long ago that flight itself was considered impossible. Davis then took the stage, asking us to imagine where the next 100 years will take us before introducing Bastian.

Bastian began by saying that Delta’s story began a century ago at the dawn of commercial flight, starting as a tiny crop duster in the deep south. But the company always puts people first, and much of Delta’s success is due to its employees, and Bastian took time out to personally recognize several key employees, including Delta’s first-ever female black pilot, a pilot who had over five decades of service, and a flight attendant in her 65th year of service.

Bastian stressed that customers are at the center of Delta’s business, and while new technology has the power to change the world by bringing people together, the entire point of innovation is to lift people up. Delta is looking to utilize technology to create seamless and premium travel experiences with humanity at the core.

Experience is the currency of business today, and with nearly 200 million people traveling on Delta each year, Delta is using AI to analyze data to better understand and anticipate the needs of its customers and improve their experiences, with the ultimate goal of making every moment spent on Delta feel special. For example, approximately 65 people each day cross the one-million-mile threshold, and Delta is looking at ways to deliver special experiences and make passengers feel seen from check-in, to boarding, to sitting on the plane. Delta realizes this connectivity between customer and employee creates “moments of magic” with human connection at the center, and the company is looking to preserve these moments, not disrupt them.

Bastian said that the Fly Delta app has more than 1.3 billion interactions annually and is used by over 97% of Sky Miles members. He announced the upcoming release of “Delta Concierge,” which will use voice and AI to assist in planning and executing travel plans. This will ultimately help travelers in all aspects of their trips, from pre-planning, to getting to the airport, to expediting security, check-in, and boarding processes, to navigating and personalizing on-board entertainment, and ultimately getting to their final destinations.

Delta has more than 165,000 seatback screens flying daily with Delta Sync, the company’s cloud-based in-flight entertainment system, and Bastian announced a new exclusive partnership with YouTube starting this year that will deliver an ad-free experience on Delta either on customer’s personal devices or seatback screens.

Delta is also developing a program titled “Well Traveled” that will be hosted by NFL legend Tom Brady and available later this year through Delta Sync that help will wellness during and after travel. To introduce this, Bastian brought out the GOAT himself. Brady admitted that he’s a very frequent traveler that travels nearly every weekend, and that he has three tips for staying healthy while traveling: [1] Stay hydrated. [2] Take care of your physical health whether walking, hiking, swimming, or biking. [3] Use time on the plane to be productive, with long flights giving you a chance to lock-in and do some work.

Bastian introduced Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, to the stage who stated that 50% of the company’s bookings begin or end at an airport, and they announced a new exclusive partnership with Uber that will allow Sky Miles members to earn miles on Uber and Uber Eats transactions starting this spring. Ultimately there will be instructions in the Uber app that will guide users from the plane to the curb to help facilitate transport on arrival.

Looking to the future, Bastian said that the power of travel is making the world smaller and bringing people together face-to-face, and the next century of flight will be about uniting the world and moving people quickly and safely around the planet. He stated that only one-fifth of the world’s population has experienced air travel, and that air travel needs to be accessible and affordable for everyone.

Finally, Bastian announced that Delta will be a key partner with Airbus in developing next-generation aircraft that will have improved aerodynamics and reduced fuel consumption, along with scaling production of sustainable aviation fuel technologies. Airbus’ chief sustainability officer, Julie Kitcher, said that the company is working towards aircraft that use 100% biofuel.

Bastian noted, “The future is filled with limitless possibilities. The sky is no longer the limit — it is just the beginning.”