Delta Air Lines is partnering with Maeve Aerospace to advance the development of Maeve’s hybrid electric aircraft for regional flights. Compared to today's regional aircraft designs, the MAEVE Jet is designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions using conventional jet fuel, with further lifecycle emissions reductions possible when using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This collaboration is the latest milestone in Delta’s ongoing journey to identify potential alternative and more fuel-efficient aircraft solutions, drive fuel savings, elevate the customer experience and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.  

As Maeve's North American global airline partner, Delta will lend its operational expertise to support the MAEVE Jet’s development. The design of the MAEVE Jet is a first-of-its-kind interpretation of a regional aircraft that brings the economics and comfort of a narrow-body aircraft to short-haul operations. With a five-abreast, single-aisle seat configuration, the regional solution will set a new standard for more sustainable regional flights. 

Maeve joins Delta’s Sustainable Skies Lab as the fifth fleet partner, advancing a key milestone in Delta’s 2023 Sustainability Roadmap to accelerate innovative solutions for a more sustainable future of travel. As a regional, hybrid-electric solution, Maeve’s exclusive partnership with Delta’s Sustainable Skies Lab strategically rounds out Delta’s portfolio of revolutionary fleet partners across short, medium and long-haul markets. Other fleet partners include JetZero with its blended wing body mainline aircraft; Joby with their home-to-airport air offering; and Airbus and Boeing, both of which are exploring aerodynamic design solutions.   

This collaboration builds on Delta’s broader sustainability strategy, which focuses on three key pillars: “what we fly, how we fly, and the fuel we use". From investing in next-generation aircraft and scaling SAF usage to optimizing flight operations and reducing weight onboard to save on jet fuel, Delta is taking a holistic approach to decarbonizing air travel. 

The carrier is also partnering with Green Taxi Aerospace through its Sustainable Skies Lab to develop electric aircraft taxiing technology that aims to reduce fuel use, operating costs, taxi time and carbon emissions. Delta’s Sustainable Skies Lab is contributing decades of airline operating experience to help Green Taxi optimize its electric taxiing system at airports for regional aircraft, though the vision extends far behind a single aircraft model or airline. The partnership is another example of airline’s approach to impact what it can control today while innovating future technologies like scaling sustainable aviation fuel and revolutionary fleet development.