Delta has designed a new storytelling platform featuring itineraries created by inspirational residents across four destinations including Los Angeles, Tokyo, Patagonia and Sicily, with Austin, Curaçao and Dublin set to be added in the coming months. Olivia Palamountain reports

Delta has launched a digital storytelling platform designed to provide travellers with destination recommendations curated by local residents, accessible both online and through in-flight entertainment.

Delta Locals, announced at CES 2025 during the airline's centennial year, features immersive video content and itineraries created by residents of each destination. The platform covers art, entertainment, food and adventure recommendations across four initial destinations: Los Angeles, Tokyo, Patagonia and Sicily. Austin, Curaçao and Dublin are set to be added in the coming months, with additional destinations planned throughout 2026.

The platform was developed in partnership with creative agency Kin and virtual shopping platform Obsess. Users access the content through DeltaLocals.com, which features an interactive globe allowing them to explore destinations by clicking on location pins. Each destination includes profiles of local residents who share recommendations through video guides.

As reported by MediaPost, Delta’s local guides include painter Alice Valenti curating local culture in Sicily, digital producer Sara Giusto exploring mini pig cafes and sake tastings “deep into the coolest neighborhoods of Tokyo,” and entertainer Michael Donte and vegan chef Jocelyn Ramirez diving into the Black House music and Mexican food scenes of Los Angeles.

“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,” Kin co-founder Kwame Taylor-Hayford said in a statement.

The platform effectively replaces the print magazines previously found in seatbacks, allowing passengers to explore cities as they fly. Delta serves more than 300 destinations.

Alicia Tillman, chief marketing officer at Delta, says: "Delta's goal for our next 100 years of travel is to be so much more than just your airline. We're your one-stop shop for dreaming, planning, booking and arriving at a city on your bucket list. We are ready to take you where you want to go but to also help ensure you're fully exploring the best that places have to offer with insights that most tourists would never know about."