Delta Air Lines announced plans to install new 4K HDR QLED screens aboard its commercial airplanes, so passengers can experience ultra high-definition entertainment at high altitudes.
This news comes as part of Delta CES Keynote at The Sphere in Las VegasWhere it also planned to celebrate its centennial with a musical performance by Lenny Kravitz. The airline announced several new features for air travelers, including new partnerships with YouTube and Uber, as well as a new AI-powered chatbot for customer service.
But the decision to add 4K screens to its airplanes is certainly going to tickle any air traveler who's ever balked at the mediocre quality of the current crop of seat-back displays.
The news came as part of Delta's CES keynote at the Sphere in Las Vegas
Delta says it is working with in-flight technology company Thales Avionics, which is also helping install high-definition screens in Emirates' Airbus A350-900s. But don't go looking for new screens just yet: Delta says it won't start offering the upgrade on planes until 2026.
However, who actually gets access to the screen will answer the question of whether Delta sees this as technology for all passengers or just first class passengers. A Delta spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about access.
Delta has also been Bluetooth connectivity test for its in-flight entertainment for several years and has even begun quietly implementing it into some aircraft, as revealed by a tiktok userNow, the airline says it plans to “offer Bluetooth in all cabins so passengers can connect their personal wireless devices” — though it didn't offer any specifics beyond that.
Delta's in-flight entertainment will also feature an “advanced recommendation engine” tailored to each passenger's unique tastes. Again, we lack details about what's powering this engine and how it will recognize your particular taste. But in late 2025, we're improving “connectivity” through a partnership with Wi-Fi provider Hughes, which replaced Intelsat in 2023. Delta says this will allow for “multi-network connectivity” for more “reliable” and “stable.” Internet in flight.
This will certainly help when streaming YouTube, which SkyMiles members will be able to do ad-free, thanks to the platform's new partnership with Delta. And a new “do not disturb” mode for their seat-back screens will ensure passengers can sleep without any disturbance.
Delta is improving its app to include an AI-powered “concierge” chatbot as well as a “multi-modal” feature that will eventually include Uber and Uber. Air Taxis from Joby,
The Concierge feature will use the traveler's location and arrival and departure information to suggest more efficient routes and notify users about upcoming passport expirations or visa requirements. And “in the coming years,” Delta says the feature will be able to make more specific recommendations about packing and weather planning.
Delta SkyMiles is also offering customers the ability to link their Uber account to earn miles and other perks. These include:
SkyMiles members can earn 1 mile per dollar spent on UberX rides, 2 miles per dollar on Premium rides and 3 miles per dollar on Uber Reserve rides to and from airports. Plus, 1 mile per dollar spent on qualifying restaurant and grocery orders.
And finally, Delta says it is working with Airbus to design more fuel-efficient airplanes. Delta has said it aims to make sustainable aviation fuel at least 95 percent of its fuel consumption by 2050. But achieving net-zero emissions will be a difficult task for an airline and will require rethinking every part of the business.
Now, Delta says it will work with Airbus to increase its use of sustainable aviation fuel, which is biofuel made mostly from plant or animal materials. Delta says the two companies will collaborate on hydrogen-powered flight projects as well as new designs such as more fuel-efficient wings or new structures to power “waking energy recovery.”