Delta to Become Official Airline for Disneyland in Marketing Deal

By MARIA L. La GANGA

June 4, 1988 12 AM PT

They won’t be painting Mickey’s ears on the tails of Delta Air Lines jets, but the Atlanta-based air carrier announced Friday that it soon will become the official airline of the Anaheim amusement park.

It is a relationship based entirely on marketing, one that will give Delta exclusive rights to sell Delta/Disney travel packages. Delta already is the official airline of Walt Disney World, a designation that helped Delta triple its flight operations in Orlando, Fla., in just two years, said Delta spokesman William Berry.

“This is the first time we have had the same airline represent Disneyland and Disney World,” said Disney spokesman Bob Roth. “It will be great when say, we target a market like Chicago (for promotions), and travelers need information on both destinations.”

Actually, for the Happiest Place on Earth it is more than just a marriage of convenience. Delta is paying for the privilege of packing its jumbo jets with would-be Mouseketeers. Berry said the transaction, which should be completed this summer, “is a major investment” for Delta. He refused to discuss the deal’s specifics but said that “it will cost millions” over the term of the agreement.

Travel & Experiences Business

Maria L. La Ganga

Maria L. La Ganga is the deputy managing editor for California and Metro, overseeing the Los Angeles Times’ largest editorial department. She joined The Times in 1981 as an academic intern, splitting her time between the former Metro section and National Dragster, the official publication of the National Hot Rod Assn. She has served as Seattle bureau chief, San Francisco bureau chief, edited in the Business section and pitched in on six presidential elections, five for The Times and one for the Guardian. La Ganga left The Times in 2015 and returned in 2018 after a brief hiatus during which she wrote for the Guardian and the Idaho Statesman. She was named city editor in 2022 and promoted to her current role in 2024. La Ganga graduated from Granada Hills High School in the San Fernando Valley and Cal State Northridge, where she studied English literature and journalism.

Delta to Become Official Airline for Disneyland in Marketing Deal

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