Delta president Glen Hauenstein to retire: Travel Weekly

Delta president Glen Hauenstein will retire on Feb. 28, CEO Ed Bastian said in a memo to employees, and serve as a strategic advisor through the end of 2026.

With Hauenstein’s retirement, Joe Esposito has been promoted to executive vice president and chief commercial officer, overseeing network planning, revenue management, sales and loyalty.

Hauenstein has been with Delta for 20 years. Bastian credited him with “leading the team that transformed our network from a primarily domestic operation to one with a global footprint.”

Bastian added that Delta is a U.S. leader in premium air travel because of the commercial teams Hauenstein built.  

“Glen and his teams have been central to building our global network and driving our revenue premium compared to our competitors, enabling us to achieve consistent profitability from year to year,” Bastian said. “His impact on Delta, and the industry overall, cannot be overstated.”

Hauenstein said he was “incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the people and customers of Delta over the past two decades.”

Esposito a 35-year Delta vet

Bastian noted that Esposito has spent a chunk of his 35-year Delta career alongside Hauenstein, developing and leading teams that have built Delta’s revenue premium and global network.

“No one is better positioned to lead these critical functions as we move into Delta’s second century of flight,” Bastian said. Delta celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025.

Esposito began his career at Delta in 1990 in airport customer service in Orlando. In 1995, he moved to Atlanta to work in strategic planning and later joined network planning as an analyst. Today, he serves as Delta’s senior vice president of network planning, pricing and revenue management.

Esposito said Hauenstein “leaves behind a powerful legacy of innovation and bold thinking that has transformed our industry. It’s been a tremendous privilege to work alongside him for the past 20 years, and I’m humbled and inspired to lead the outstanding teams he developed.”