Delta is Upgrading its in-flight Screens to 4K HDR

In order to provide customers with ultra-high quality entertainment at extremely high altitudes, Delta Air Lines announced plans to install new 4K HDR QLED panels in its commercial aircraft.

The announcement was made during Delta’s CES keynote address at the Sphere in Las Vegas, where the airline also had a musical performance by Lenny Kravitz scheduled to commemorate its centenary. The airline unveiled a number of new features for passengers, such as new collaborations with YouTube and Uber and a new chatbot driven by artificial intelligence for customer support.

Delta explained it’s working with Thales Avionics, an in-flight technology company that is also helping to install high-definition screens in Emirates’ Airbus A350-900s. But don’t go looking for the new screens just yet: Delta says it won’t start delivering the upgrades in aircraft until 2026.

Delta has also been testing out Bluetooth connectivity for its in-flight entertainment for several years and has even started quietly rolling it out to some planes, as discovered by a TikTok user. Now, the airline explained it plans to offer Bluetooth “in all cabins so travelers can pair their personal wireless devices” starting in 2026.

Additionally, “an advanced recommendation engine” that is customised to each passenger’s individual preferences will be a part of Delta’s in-flight entertainment. However, in late 2025, we will have better “connectivity” because to a deal with Hughes, a Wi-Fi provider that took Intelsat’s place in 2023. As explained by Delta, this will enable “multi-network connectivity,” resulting in more “stable” and “reliable” in-flight internet.

That will undoubtedly be helpful when streaming YouTube, which SkyMiles members can do without any ads owing to the platform’s recent collaboration with Delta. Additionally, passengers will be able to sleep soundly thanks to a new “Do Not Disturb” feature on their seat-back screen.

An AI-powered “Concierge” chatbot and a “multi-modal” capability that may ultimately integrate Uber and Joby air taxis are two new features added to Delta’s app.

The Concierge feature will use the traveler’s location and arrival and departure information to suggest more efficient routes and will notify users about upcoming passport expirations or visa requirements. And “in the years to come,” Delta explained the feature will be able to make more specific recommendations around packing and weather planning.

In order to earn miles and other benefits, Delta is also allowing SkyMiles users to link their Uber account. These consist of:

Finally, Delta reveals that it is collaborating with Airbus to create aircraft that use less fuel. As explained by Delta, by 2050, at least 95% of its fuel will come from sustainable aviation sources. But for an airline, reaching net-zero emissions will be a difficult undertaking that will necessitate reevaluating every aspect of the company.

Delta has now announced that it will collaborate with Airbus to expand the use of sustainable aviation fuel, mostly biofuels derived from plants or animals. Additionally, explains Delta, the two businesses will work together on hydrogen-powered aircraft projects and new designs, including as fuel-efficient wings or novel formations that promote “wake energy retrieval.”