US airline Delta has launched a new platform that connects users with destinations around the world through the locals that call these places home. Delta Locals merges trip planning with ‘destination discovery’, and provides a new, immersive way to experience life abroad from the comfort of your home.
Designed in partnership with advertising agency Kin, the platform represents the airline’s first venture into the travel content realm, capitalising on its large customer base of travellers – including frequent flyers and occasional travellers.
“On one level, Delta Locals is a way to discover destinations and connect you to new places, people, and perspectives,” says Kin co-founder Sophie Ozoux. “It’s also putting Delta at the forefront of what travel content and planning could look like in the future as more people lean into sustainable travel and veer away from travel tourist traps. And the scalability of this platform is exciting – the opportunities to highlight more destinations across Delta’s network are endless.”
To kick things off, Delta and Kin settled on four different destinations to spotlight on Delta Locals: Los Angeles, Tokyo, Patagonia and Sicily. Worlds apart in a literal sense, these cities and regions reflect the full spectrum of traveller preferences – from buzzy city trips to mountainous escapes.
In each location, Delta has curated a small group of locals that act as tour guides for their hometowns, offering deep and nuanced perspectives on the area that only a local can give. In Los Angeles, for instance, vegan chef Jocelyn Ramirez introduces us to the city’s famed Mexican food scene, while in Patagonia, filmmaker Antar Machado takes us on a stunning journey through the region’s rugged mountain range and beautiful national parks.
While these immersive tours are easily enjoyed from home through the screens of your phone or laptop, the idea behind Delta Locals is to encourage users to get off the couch and book their dream trips.
“Delta Locals uses technology to shape the future of travel – but at its core, it’s about people. It’s about the lived experiences, stories, and connections shared by our local guides,” explains Kin co-founder Kwame Taylor-Hayford. “There’s an undeniable sense of authenticity at the core of this project — one that’s emblematic of Delta’s care and commitment to making travel a more meaningful experience.”
