Delta Wants Its Frequent Flyers to Double as an Ad Audience

Delta Air Lines is building a media network to monetize its customer base and first-party data. It hired Keri Paison, who previously led retail media development at Deloitte Digital, to run the new division, according to eMarketer.

Delta is far from the first travel company to try this. Marriott launched its network in 2022 and rebranded it Marriott Media in June 2025, United created Kinective Media in 2024 and licensed the technology to JetBlue, and Expedia Group launched its own network in 2024.

Delta brings plenty of data to the table: it carried more than 200 million passengers in 2025, grew loyalty revenue 19 percent last quarter, and its American Express partnership generated $2.4 billion in the second quarter alone, up 16 percent. eMarketer projects US travel commerce media spending will reach $2.38 billion this year and grow 22.4 percent annually through 2028.

Analyst Sarah Marzano says the real challenge is reach, meaning whether Delta can create enough ad opportunities to put those signals to work at scale. For flyers, expect more targeted offers in the app and on seatback screens, so it’s worth checking your privacy and marketing settings.

Sources: eMarketer, Upgraded Points