Overview
- .delta is a brand generic top-level domain (gTLD) applied for and managed by Delta Air Lines under ICANN's New gTLD Program.
- The string is classified as a brand TLD and has been delegated to the DNS root.
- Registry/operator information in source materials references Delta Air Lines as the applicant/manager; registry metadata also lists Afilias.
History
- The .delta application was submitted as part of ICANN's New gTLD round (Reveal Day referenced 13 June 2012).
- The application succeeded and .delta was delegated to the root zone on 11 July 2015.
- The application drew a GAC (Governmental Advisory Committee) Early Warning from Nigeria, which recommended withdrawal on the basis that the string coincides with the name of a Nigerian region/state.
Usage and Audience
- The TLD is intended as a closed/brand namespace for Delta Air Lines:
- Registrants are described as Delta Air Lines, its subsidiaries, and employees authorized to use an address or sub-domain under .delta.
- "Internet users" in the application context include Delta employees, customers, and stakeholders legitimately interested in Delta-related communications.
- "Others" cited by the applicant include potential clients, industry organisations and regulators/governments with interests related to Delta.
- The applicant emphasizes using .delta to support Delta's global operations (noting service to over 160 million customers and reach to ~340 destinations in nearly 60 countries).
Registration Rules
- The applicant states a closed registry model: registrant rights are effectively limited to Delta Air Lines and authorized affiliates/employees.
- The application frames .delta as not an open public-space gTLD but a controlled namespace for Delta-related use.
SEO and Brand Impact
- As a brand gTLD, .delta is positioned to reinforce Delta Air Lines' brand identity, secure corporate communications, and support customer-facing services.
- The applicant committed to high service levels, performance, reliability and ICANN contract compliance to maintain trust and operational quality for the TLD.
Notable Cases or Examples
- GAC Early Warning from Nigeria concerning geographic name overlap was a notable issue during the application process.
- Delegation to the root zone on 11 July 2015 marks the primary milestone for the TLD's activation.
Operator
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Whois
% IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object
domain: DELTA
organisation: Delta Air Lines, Inc.
address: 1030 Delta Blvd
address: Atlanta GA 30320
address: United States of America (the)
contact: administrative
name: Director of Digital Brand Services
organisation: Corsearch Inc.
address: 6060 N Central Expy Ste 344
address: Dallas TX 75206-5251
address: United States of America (the)
phone: +1 800 732 7241
e-mail: domains-dotdelta@corsearch.com
contact: technical
name: Senior Director, DNS Infrastructure Group
organisation: Afilias
address: 300 Welsh Road
address: Building 3, Suite 105
address: Horsham PA 19044
address: United States of America (the)
phone: +1 215 706 5700
fax-no: +1 215 706 5701
e-mail: tld-tech-poc@afilias.info
nserver: A0.NIC.DELTA 2a01:8840:da:0:0:0:0:25 65.22.224.25
nserver: A2.NIC.DELTA 2a01:8840:dd:0:0:0:0:25 65.22.227.25
nserver: B0.NIC.DELTA 2a01:8840:db:0:0:0:0:25 65.22.225.25
nserver: C0.NIC.DELTA 2a01:8840:dc:0:0:0:0:25 65.22.226.25
ds-rdata: 64069 8 2 88613e5643f713d61b4e642f2638bd959492c3e0d116fbe27af764dc6c0ed75b
whois: whois.nic.delta
status: ACTIVE
remarks: Registration information: http://www.delta.com
created: 2015-06-25
changed: 2023-08-07
source: IANA
