Comparably takes to the skies for today’s Culture Showdown: Southwest Airlines vs. Delta Airlines. Both are well-rated for their company cultures, so we wanted to dig in a bit for specifics on how a company as large as an airline treats employees on the ground level. Are employees satisfed with Southwest? Does Delta have offer a solid benefits package? Let’s see what the employee-submitted data tells us.
OVERALL CULTURE
One Southwest Airlines employee writes, “It’s wonderful. I absolutely love working at Southwest. I love the company culture and how they value diversity and inclusion and how they see us as people and the pay scale and the benefits are great.” Others say, “I work with great people and have fun despite how busy it is,” and “I love this company! So full of energy and positive motivation.”
A Delta worker writes that “people come to work happy and are proud to be there.” Another writes that the company offers “classes on how to be compassionate, how to care, listen, connect, and use your heart.” That said, another employee writes that “we need to remove some of the red tape and let people innovate more.”
CEO
An employee from Southwest writes, “Our leaders are some of the most authentic & honest. Their industry knowledge is second to none. They are excellent mentors & coaches helping build our benches throughout the company.” Another says company leadership “puts employees first and rewards accomplishments.”
Delta employees call their bosses “open, transparent, effective, friendly, profitable” as well as “innovative, progressive, practical and relatable.”
COMPENSATION
One Southwest worker writes that the company offers “a good hourly wage.” Another says the pay is “as good or better than any in the industry.” From the tarmac, one worker writes that “better pay for the rampers would be nice.”
A Delta employee also refers to a “high hourly rate.” Others call it “fair pay for fair work.” However, one worker is critical of the company’s “ready reserve” policy: “Most start off hired as a ready reserve, which is literally part time but delta doesn’t want to call it that. A ready reserve will only get one, one year pay raise and go no further until a part time or full time spot open. Working for Delta is great, if you’re not a ready reserve.”
PERKS & BENEFITS
Southwest workers cite “excellent healthcare benefits, vision, dental, 401K, etc.” as well as “profit sharing, which makes us all have the same goal.”
While one Delta worker cites “Great health benefits, vacation time, personal time off, holidays, overtime, 401k matching, insurance, and flight benefits,” the sentiment is not across-the-board: “Give us better healthcare” and “We need better health benefits and sick time” write other employees.
GENDER
DIVERSITY
From Southwest, one employee praises the “diverse culture” and “fairness.”
A Delta employee calls the airline’s workforce “very diverse.” Another cites the “diverse culture and the best environment.”
