Analyzing Porter’s 5 Forces Model on Delta Air Lines

Discover which forces pose the biggest threat to Delta

Fact checked by Timothy Li
Reviewed by Chip Stapleton

As one of the largest airline carriers in the world, Delta Air Lines faces competitive challenges and threats that can impact its performance and profitability. However, the shrewdest investors will go beyond looking at Delta’s financial position and will study the potential effects of external forces on the company’s health. One of the most effective tools for this is Porter’s Five Forces.

Key Takeaways

• Porter’s Five Forces is an analytical framework that helps investors evaluate a company based on its position within an industry and the kinds of horizontal and vertical threats it might face in the future.
• A horizontal threat is a competitive threat, such as a new company entering the marketplace and gaining market share.
• A vertical threat puts a company at a competitive disadvantage, such as buyers or suppliers gaining bargaining power.
• In the airline industry, buyers have tremendous bargaining power because they can quickly and easily switch from one carrier to another using third-party trip-booking websites and apps.

Overview of Porter’s Five Forces Method

Porter’s Five Forces is an analytical framework developed in 1979 by Harvard Business School professor, Michael E. Porter. Porter’s goal was to develop a thorough system for evaluating a company’s position within its industry and to consider the types of horizontal and vertical threats the company might face in the future.

Horizontal Threats and Vertical Threats

A horizontal threat is a competitive threat, such as customers switching to a substitute product or service, or a new company entering the marketplace and appropriating market share. A vertical threat is a threat along the supply chain, such as buyers or suppliers gaining bargaining power, that can put a company at a competitive disadvantage.

The Five Forces model evaluates three potential horizontal threats and two vertical threats. Industry competition, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitutes represent the horizontal threats. The vertical threats come from the increased bargaining power of suppliers and the increased bargaining power of buyers. Using the Five Forces framework, investors can determine the most viable threats to a company. With this information, they can evaluate whether the company has the resources and protocol in place to respond to likely challenges.

An Overview of Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) is the oldest airline still in operation in the United States. The company was founded in 1928 and has its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. From December 2023 to November 2024, Delta ranked first in domestic market share for U.S. airlines at 17.8%. Delta’s sheer size and status as a longtime leader in the airline industry have helped ensure its continued success.

Industry Competition

The level of competition in the airline industry is high. The big airlines essentially fly to the same places out of the same airports for about the same prices. The amenities, or lack of amenities, they offer are similar, and the seats in coach are just as cramped no matter which airline you choose. Delta’s traditional rivals include United and American, but the company also faces major competition from the growing popularity of value carriers, most notably Southwest, but also JetBlue and Spirit.

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Delta reported 141.75 billion billions of “domestic revenue passenger miles”.

Because the air travel experience for customers is remarkably similar no matter which airline they take, airlines are constantly threatened by the prospect of losing passengers to competitors. Delta is no exception. If a customer is planning to book a flight from Houston to Phoenix on Delta but a third-party price aggregator, such as Priceline, reveals a better deal from United, the customer can make the switch with a simple click of the mouse. Delta manages these competitive threats with extensive marketing campaigns that focus on brand awareness and the company’s longstanding reputation.

Bargaining Power of Buyers

Buyers have some bargaining power over airlines because the cost and effort required to switch from one carrier to another is often minimal, and there are several airlines to choose from. The popularity of third-party trip-booking websites and smartphone apps exacerbates this issue for the airlines. Most travelers do not contact an airline, such as Delta, directly to book a flight. They access sites or apps that compare rates across all carriers, enter their trip itineraries, and then choose the least expensive deal that accommodates their schedules.

However, there are millions of consumers and a limited number of airlines, which gives those airlines more power. While consumer choice can force airlines to maintain competitive pricing, consumers do not actually have the power to set air travel prices. Moreover, if Delta is one of the only airlines offering flights on a particular route, that further limits the bargaining power of buyers, who may have no choice but to take the Delta flight that gets them to their destination—no matter the price.

In response to the challenge of consumer choice and the emergence of third-party travel websites, Delta can conduct market research and offer more direct flights at low prices to the destinations fliers search for most frequently on third-party platforms. Additionally, the company could strengthen relationships with credit card companies and strive to offer the best reward programs; customers may be less likely to switch carriers when they have accumulated what they view as “free” miles with a particular airline.

The Threat of New Entrants

Potential new entrants to the marketplace represent a minimal threat to Delta. The barriers to entry in the airline industry are remarkably high. The operating costs are massive, and the government regulations a company must navigate are numerous and exceedingly complex. JetBlue, founded in 1998, represents a newer airline to make a dent in the industry, and the company’s market share is still less than one-third of Delta’s.

Bargaining Power of Suppliers

The list of airline suppliers is actually quite long. The list of airlines for suppliers to sell to, however, is short. This asymmetry places the bargaining power directly in the hands of the airlines. Bargaining power is particularly strong for Delta, given its position as the world’s largest airline by passenger revenue. Put simply, Delta’s suppliers have a strong incentive to keep the relationship on good terms. Delta can likely find a replacement supplier without a problem if the relationship goes bad. The supplier, by contrast, is unlikely to find another buyer capable of replacing the sales volume represented by Delta.

Threat of Substitutes

A substitute, as defined by the Five Forces model, is not a product or service that competes directly with the company’s offerings but acts as a substitute for it. Thus, a United flight from New York to Los Angeles is not considered a substitute for a Delta flight with the same start and endpoints. Examples of substitutes are making the trip by train, car, or bus. Unless a trip is very short, such as traveling from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, no methods of travel rate as viable substitutes for air travel. New York to Los Angeles is a 6.5-hour flight. The trip takes 41 hours by car or bus, and a train cannot get you there much faster. Until a new technology comes along that supplants air travel as the fastest and most convenient way to travel long distances, Delta faces little threat from substitute methods of travel.

What Is Porter’s Five Forces Model?

Porter’s Five Forces is a framework developed by Michael Porter to analyze industry competition. It examines five key forces that shape profitability: competitive rivalry, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitutes. This model helps companies assess their strategic position and identify factors that could impact their profitability and market standing.

How Does Porter’s Five Forces Apply to Delta Airlines?

Delta Airlines, as part of the airline industry, faces intense competition, high operational costs, and external pressures that shape its profitability. The airline’s ability to manage these forces—such as negotiating with powerful aircraft manufacturers and dealing with price-sensitive customers—determines its competitive advantage.

What Is Competitive Rivalry Like in the Airline Industry?

The airline industry is highly competitive, with major players like American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines competing on routes, pricing, and service. Since air travel is a largely standardized service, price wars and loyalty programs are common. These types of airlines have to differentiate themselves with quality of service and operational efficiency.

Do Customers Have High Bargaining Power in the Airline Industry?

Yes, customers have considerable bargaining power due to the availability of online price comparison tools and the relatively low switching costs between airlines. Price-sensitive travelers often choose the cheapest available option, making customer loyalty difficult to maintain.

The Bottom Line

Delta Airlines faces intense competitive rivalry, with major airlines competing on pricing, routes, and customer loyalty programs. The bargaining power of suppliers is high due to reliance on a few aircraft manufacturers and fuel providers. Buyer power is also strong since customers can easily compare prices and switch airlines. There are high barriers to entry that limit new competition, but the threat of substitutes poses a challenge for Delta.