ATLANTA, USA – Aventure’s Hometown Heroes Delta and Atlanta Airport Each Turn 100
A jet airliner high above a highway sign saying “Atlanta” with the skyline of Atlanta in the background
This year marks the centennial anniversary of two cornerstones of Atlanta aviation, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Delta Air Lines.
Aventure’s hometown airport was founded in 1925, when Atlanta Mayor Walter A. Sims acquired an abandoned racetrack formerly owned by the founder of the Coca-Cola Company, for conversion into an airfield.
During World War II, the airfield doubled in size and became known as Atlanta Municipal Airport. In the post-war years, it rapidly grew to become America’s busiest airport, serving over 2 million passengers annually.
In 1971, the airport was renamed Hartsfield Airport in honor of Mayor William B. Hartsfield, whose leadership elevated Atlanta’s aviation industry. In 2003, the city added the name of Mayor Maynard Jackson to acknowledge his role expanding the airport.
Today, the airport stands as a global aviation leader, named the world’s busiest airport every year since 1998—except for 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delta Air Lines started March 1925 in Macon, Georgia, as Huff Daland Dusters, the first aerial crop-dusting company. By 1928, it had evolved into a passenger airline, launching its first flight from Dallas, Texas, to Jackson, Mississippi.
Like Hartsfield-Jackson, Delta experienced tremendous growth during World War II, modifying over 1,000 aircraft and training Army pilots and mechanics.
Delta established its headquarters in Atlanta and resumed commercial operations after the war. Over the decades, the airline expanded its fleet and routes, becoming one of the largest airlines in the world. Its close partnership with Hartsfield-Jackson Airport helped transform Atlanta into a major global travel hub.
Aventure has a longstanding relationship with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and most recently participated in the Mayor’s 5K on the Runway race at the airport.
For over a decade, Aventure has partnered with Delta, earning a feature on its 2024 in-flight entertainment series, Infinite Inclusivity. Delta CEO Ed Bastian recognized Aventure for receiving the prestigious U.S. President’s “E” Award for Exports, the highest honor for contributions to U.S. export growth.
