Delta Air Lines Expands Beyond Flight With Sphere Partnership

Delta Air Lines DAL strengthens its brand beyond air travel by becoming the Official Airline of Sphere Entertainment SPHR, the U.S. entertainment and media company founded by the Charles Dolan family, signaling a clear shift toward experience-driven hospitality. By introducing the Delta SKY360° Club as Sphere’s first branded hospitality space, Delta delivers exclusive, premium environments that deepen engagement with SkyMiles members. The partnership positions Delta as a lifestyle brand that connects customers to meaningful moments, not just destinations.

Delta and Sphere align naturally through their shared focus on innovation and immersive experiences. DAL’s integration across the Exosphere, onsite signage and digital platforms places the airline at the center of one of the world’s most technologically advanced entertainment venues. This visibility amplifies Delta’s global brand presence while embedding it into Las Vegas’ most iconic attraction.

Delta also enhances the value of SkyMiles by offering curated Sphere experiences through the SkyMiles Experiences platform. By giving members access to high-demand events and exclusive packages, Delta strengthens loyalty and encourages deeper, long-term customer relationships built around memorable experiences rather than transactional rewards.

The partnership gains further momentum around CES 2026, as Delta expands flights to Las Vegas and adds or restores key international routes. The announcement of the deal with Sphere comes one year after Delta’s CES keynote at Sphere, which was the first-ever CES keynote to be delivered at the venue.

By pairing increased connectivity with a landmark entertainment partnership, Delta positions itself as the preferred airline for global innovators, reinforcing its role at the intersection of travel, technology and culture.

Share Price Performance

Driven by such initiatives, the company’s share price has risen 41.3% over the past six-month period compared with the Transportation - Airline industry’s 31% growth.

DAL’s Zacks Rank

DAL currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stocks to Consider

Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may consider Expeditors International of Washington EXPD and Global Ship Lease GSL.

EXPD currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

EXPD has an expected earnings growth rate of 3.50% for the current year.  The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 13.9%.

Global Ship Lease currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

GSL has an expected earnings growth rate of 2.60% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 16.8%.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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