Delta honors woman behind its name during Women’s History Month

By Joyce Lupiani

As Delta Air Lines celebrates its 100th anniversary, the company is paying tribute during Women’s History Month to Catherine Fitzgerald, a key figure in its history and the woman credited with suggesting its name.

Fitzgerald was a trusted associate of one of Delta’s founders and played a pivotal role in the airline’s early leadership. She named the airline “Delta” in honor of the Mississippi Delta region, where its predecessor, Huff Daland Dusters, was founded as a crop-dusting operation in 1925 (it began carrying passengers in 1929). She later became one of the few women in leadership at the company and served on Delta’s board of directors from 1930 to 1934—an uncommon achievement for women at the time.

Delta, now the world’s largest airline by revenue, employs about 100,000 people and serves more than 800 destinations in 190 countries and territories. Its largest hub, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is also the busiest airport in the world.

To mark its centennial, Delta has unveiled a special aircraft livery, introduced a refreshed cabin design for its Boeing 757 fleet, and launched Delta Concierge, an AI-powered tool within the Fly Delta app. The airline kicked off its celebrations with a special presentation and a performance by Lenny Kravitz at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.