Rep. McCollum Recognizes Delta Air Lines’ 100th Anniversary
Ms. McCollum: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 100th anniversary of Delta Air Lines, a remarkable milestone for one of the world’s most innovative and enduring airlines.
As Delta commemorates a century of service in 2025, we in Minnesota are especially proud to reflect on the deep roots this company has in our state through the history and legacy of Northwest Airlines. Founded in 1926, Northwest Airlines grew from humble beginnings into a global carrier headquartered in the Twin Cities. Northwest played a central role in shaping Minnesota’s economy, creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and connecting our communities to the nation and the world. Its story is inextricably linked to our state’s modern history.
One of the earliest chapters of that story is written at Holman Field in Saint Paul, the city’s historic downtown airport. Holman Field bears the name of Charles “Speed” Holman, the pioneering aviator and Minnesota native who was hired as Northwest’s first pilot in 1926. Holman’s legacy as a fearless pilot and a trailblazer in American aviation is preserved every time a plane lands at that field along the Mississippi River.
In 2008, when Delta and Northwest Airlines merged, it marked not the end of Northwest’s legacy, but its continuation. Delta wisely built upon Northwest’s deep roots in Minnesota and throughout the Upper Midwest, ensuring that the Twin Cities would remain a vital hub for international travel and commerce. Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) now stands as one of Delta’s largest hubs, carrying forward a proud tradition of service, safety, and innovation that began nearly a century ago.
That same spirit of innovation continues today through the Minnesota Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Hub at MSP. This partnership, led by Greater MSP, brings together partners such as Delta, Ecolab, Xcel Energy, and the Metropolitan Airports Commission in the nation’s first large-scale hub committed to scaling production of sustainable aviation fuel to replace conventional jet fuel. As an anchor partner of the Minnesota SAF Hub, Delta is helping to create an industrial-scale supply chain for sustainable aviation fuel, anchored in Minnesota.
Mr. Speaker, Delta’s 100th anniversary is not only a milestone for the company, but also a moment to honor the people who make up Delta’s legacy and current workforce. From Charles “Speed” Holman and the thousands of dedicated Northwest employees who made aviation history in Minnesota, to the tens of thousands of Delta’s current employees—many of whom belong to a union—pilots, flight attendants, customer service agents, and the skilled technicians, engineers, and mechanics who ensure Delta flights are safe and enjoyable—this centennial reflects a shared story of vision, resilience, and progress.
On behalf of the people of Minnesota’s Fourth Congressional District, I extend my warmest congratulations to Delta Air Lines on 100 years of service and innovation, and I look forward to its continued success in the century ahead.
Thank you. I yield back.