Defined Benefit (Pension) · DOL Form 5500 · 2022

Delta Air Lines, Inc. Pension Plan

Data updated 2026-08-11

$4.3B
Total assets
1,560
Participants
100th
Percentile by assets
$2.7M
Avg per participant
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Official DOL plan name: Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees · Sponsored by Delta Air Lines, Inc. · Georgia · Transportation & Warehousing

$4.3B in assets, 1,560 participants

Delta Air Lines, Inc.'s Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees reported $4.3B in total assets and 1,560 participants in its 2022 DOL Form 5500 filing, ranking in the 100th percentile by assets among filed plans. Figures are as reported by the plan sponsor to the Department of Labor, not audited or endorsed by PlainRetire.

  • 100th percentile by assets (of 139,126 plans)
  • #3,857 in Transportation & Warehousing (3,876 peers)

Where Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees sits by assets

Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees sits among the largest 1% of all filed plans, $4.3B for 1,560 participants (~$2.7M/participant), down 3.2% in 2022.

$4.3B
total plan assets (2022 EOY)
1,560
covered participants
100th
percentile by assets (of 139,126 plans)
$2.7M
avg assets per participant

The plan reported a net loss of $141M for the year, a single-year figure driven by markets and benefit payments, not a measure of plan health.

Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees vs the 2022 asset distribution

By assets, Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees outranks nearly all the 139,126 plans that filed a Form 5500 for the 2022 plan year, and holds roughly 43x the national average plan size of $100M (721 average participants).

Scale-class filing particulars (2022)

Total Assets (Beginning of Year)$4.4B
Net Assets (End of Year)$4.3B
Net Income-$141M
Employer EIN580218548
Plan Effective Date1956-04-01
Filing StatusFILING RECEIVED

Sponsor Plan History (Delta Air Lines, Inc.)

$35B$40B$45B$50B$55B 202220232024 $40.2B $51.4B ▲ +27.8%
Total plan assets by year, all Delta Air Lines, Inc. plans on file
Year Plans Participants Total Assets
2022 11 112,289 $40.2B
2023 12 136,516 $46.0B
2024 12 145,368 $51.4B

Nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) Plans in Georgia

Peer Defined Benefit (Pension) plans, same state, same plan type, ranked by total assets.

Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Georgia, assets vs. participants

Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Georgia, assets vs. participants Scatter plot of 6 data points. -50000050000100000150000200000 0510152025 Total assets ($B) Participants Northwest Airlines P…UPS Retirement PlanThe Southern Company…UPS/Ibt Full-Time Em…UPS Pension PlanDelta Retirement Plan
Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Georgia, assets vs. participants

Similar-Sized Defined Benefit (Pension) Plans Nationally

Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in other states closest to Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees by total assets, not by location.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees assets move in 2022?
Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees edged down modestly - down 3.2% during 2022, from $4.4B to $4.3B. Reported net income was -$141M.
How have Delta Air Lines, Inc. plan assets changed over time?
Across 3 plan years on file (2022-2024), Delta Air Lines, Inc.'s sponsor-wide assets grew 27.8%, from $40.2B to $51.4B.
Where does Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees rank by assets among Form 5500 filers?
Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees ranks in the 100th percentile by end-of-year assets among 139,126 plans that reported assets for plan year 2022 (among the largest 1% of all filed plans).
Which Defined Benefit (Pension) plans are similar in size to Northwest Airlines Pension Plan for Pilot Employees?
Among Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in other states, the closest by assets is United States Steel Corporation Plan for Employee Pension Benefits (Revision of 2003) in PA ($4.3B, 3,484 participants).

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