Calling all AvGeeks: 'The Spirit of Delta' is flying once again
For AvGeeks and Delta diehards, yesterday was a monumental day.
On Friday morning, Delta officially created "a new Spirit" to celebrate its employees, paying homage to the airline's first Boeing 767, named The Spirit of Delta.
View this post on Instagram
Ship 3502, an Airbus A350 — one of the airline's new flagship aircraft — is now called the Delta Spirit, and is being dedicated to Delta employees around the world, who demonstrated "continued resilience and indomitable spirit during the coronavirus pandemic."
The idea to rededicate The Spirit of Delta originated in November with Joe McDermott, the managing director of people development and culture in technical operations.
"It's about resetting as an airline — reflecting where we were and what we're going to be as we move forward," McDermott said in a statement. "This recognizes the work everyone has put in to guide this airline to successfully emerge stronger and better than before."
This tribute is an exciting new chapter in The Spirit of Delta mythos, which originated in 1982 — a turbulent time of deregulation, surging fuel prices and a weak economy, according to the Delta Museum.
That's when current and former Delta employees and friends of the airline banded together to raise $30 million to purchase the airline's first Boeing 767. Ship 102 was christened The Spirit of Delta on Dec. 15, 1982, nearly four decades ago.
The original Spirit of Delta was retired exactly 15 years ago, on Feb. 12, 2006, following a 12-stop farewell tour. The iconic aircraft now resides at the Delta Museum in Historic Hangar 2.
Two years later, Delta took delivery of its first Boeing 777-200LR jet, Ship 7101, which was named the Delta Spirit in a nod to the airline's employees and accomplishments. Delta retired its final Boeing 777 in November, an early demise triggered by the onset of the pandemic.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.