Compensation and benefits
Delta Air Lines Compensation and benefits decreased by 1.1% to $4.54B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 11.2%, from $4.08B to $4.54B. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Compensation and benefits shows an upward trend with a 15.8% CAGR. This increase may warrant attention — for this metric, lower values are generally preferred.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase often reflects headcount growth or higher performance-based incentives, while a decrease may indicate efficiency initiatives or workforce reductions.
Detailed definition
Includes all salaries, wages, bonuses, stock-based compensation, and employee benefit costs for the workforce. This is t...
Peer comparison
Highly comparable across all sectors; usually found under 'Personnel' or 'Staffing' expenses.
compensation_and_benefitsHistorical Data
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $2.33B | $2.57B | $2.63B | $2.83B | $2.96B | $3.05B | $3.07B | $3.39B | $3.69B | $3.76B | $3.77B | $3.79B | $4.01B | $4.23B | $4.13B | $4.08B | $4.40B | $4.44B | $4.59B | $4.54B |
| QoQ Change | — | +10.2% | +2.6% | +7.4% | +4.6% | +3.2% | +0.7% | +10.3% | +9.0% | +1.8% | +0.2% | +0.6% | +5.8% | +5.5% | -2.5% | -1.1% | +7.8% | +0.9% | +3.4% | -1.1% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +26.9% | +18.9% | +16.7% | +19.8% | +24.9% | +23.3% | +22.7% | +12.0% | +8.7% | +12.5% | +9.5% | +7.7% | +9.7% | +5.0% | +11.3% | +11.2% |
Business Segments
| Segment | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline | $4.08B | $4.40B | $4.44B | $4.59B | $4.54B |
| Total | $4.08B | $4.40B | $4.44B | $4.59B | $4.54B |
Compensation and benefits at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Delta Air Lines's compensation and benefits?
- Delta Air Lines (DAL) reported compensation and benefits of $4.54B in Q1 2026.
- How has Delta Air Lines's compensation and benefits changed year-over-year?
- Delta Air Lines's compensation and benefits increased by 11.2% year-over-year, from $4.08B to $4.54B.
- What is the long-term trend for Delta Air Lines's compensation and benefits?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Delta Air Lines's compensation and benefits has grown at a 15.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $9.73B to $17.52B.
- What does compensation and benefits mean?
- The total cost of employee salaries, bonuses, and benefits.