This month, Delta celebrated 25 years of its DREAM flight — providing 145 aspiring aviators the chance to travel with and learn from current industry leaders. Since its inception in 2000, this unique charter flight, organized in collaboration with the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), has transported students aged 13 to 18 to various aviation-themed destinations, exposing them to the diverse opportunities in aerospace. By showing young people a broad spectrum of roles—such as flight crews, pilots, gate agents, and flight dispatchers—the DREAM flight creates a pathway to possibilities in aviation.

For the first time, the DREAM flight landed in Merritt Island, FL, where students engaged in activities at the Kennedy Space Center. The schedule featured facility tours, hands-on experiences, and a Delta panel with a pilot, flight attendant, and corporate leaders, who provided insights into various career paths in aviation, both in the air and on the ground.

“Helping others soar is part of Delta’s DNA, and that’s what makes this flight so special,” said Kurt Ford, Managing Director of Flight Training at Delta. “By connecting students to aviation leaders, the DREAM Flight allows students to envision futures they might never have imagined and helps shape the future of our industry.”

The vision that brought the DREAM flight to life In 1973, newly hired Delta pilot and U.S. Air Force veteran John Bailey often flew round-robin charters around Boston for terminally ill children. Inspired by the spirit and purpose of these flights, he envisioned creating similar opportunities for kids aspiring to become future pilots.

Twenty-five years later, Bailey suggested hosting a week-long aviation exposure program for teenagers at Delta’s campus and proposed a round-trip flight for participants and community flight organizations.

The following year, 1999, the first OBAP Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy camps were held at Delta headquarters, welcoming 45 students. While planning the program’s second year, Bailey received a call from Charlie Tutt, a senior leader in Flight Operations, approving the flight on two conditions: it couldn’t be a round-robin flight and it had to return by 6:30 p.m.

In July 2000, the inaugural DREAM Flight took off for the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., with Bailey as its pilot. He and his Delta and OBAP colleagues hosted 150 kids from Atlanta City Schools and other aviation-themed camps in an unforgettable flight.

Delta’s commitment to fostering aviation careers The DREAM flight reflects Delta’s commitment to exposing students from underrepresented groups to aviation as part of a broader strategy to nurture the most qualified future talent. This ongoing partnership with OBAP has provided over 4,000 youths with immersive learning opportunities that enhance their understanding of aviation careers. The main objective is to promote interest in aviation through engaging and educational instances while connecting students with mentors.

Additionally, Delta expanded invitations this year to students from local Atlanta schools and STEM organizations, including Morrow High School, Kindezi School, Rex Mill Middle, Elite Scholars Academy, Tuskegee Airmen, and Aviation Career Enrichment. A diverse group of volunteers engaged with students, sharing their journeys within Delta.

DREAM Flight is one of many initiatives Delta adopts to expand its talent pipeline and recruit the best candidates. Earlier this fall, Delta hosted its tenth annual WING (Women Inspiring the Next Generation) Flight, which transported 130 young women from Atlanta to Florida’s Space Coast in celebration of Girls in Aviation Day.