Delta Air Lines Is Releasing A Credit Card Made From A Bit Of Boeing 747

Delta Air Lines has teamed up with American Express to offer a limited-edition credit card made in part from one of the airline’s retired Boeing 747-400s. The aircraft in question is N667US, also known as Delta Ship #6307.

Customers can apply for the Boeing 747 Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business card from June 16th through August 3rd, 2022. The first-of-its-kind credit card is bound to prove popular with aviation enthusiasts and fans of Delta Air Lines looking to keep a unique bit of history in their wallets.

Delta Air Lines is offering customers the chance to keep a part of the Queen of the Skies in their wallets. Photo: Delta Air Lines

Senior vice president of customer engagement and loyalty at Delta Air Lines and CEO at Delta Vacations, Dwight James, said,

“The idea of making a metal credit card out of actual airplane metal began years ago, and the creativity and innovation that was required to achieve this is incredibly meaningful. We've partnered with Amex to transform a piece of Delta's history into a collector's item you can use in your everyday. The 747's legacy lives on for a new generation of Delta flyers through this first-of-its-kind credit card that our members will be proud to keep in their wallets."

The transformation from passenger plane to credit card

Following a year of research and development to ensure that metal from the Boeing 747 could withstand the daily wear and tear of a credit card, a team of metalworkers began to disassemble the aircraft. The aluminum was then cleaned, processed, and rolled into thin sheets ready to be cut to shape. The cards themselves have a polymer coating to protect the aluminum, and also contain an antenna to enable contactless payments.

The credit card is made from 25 % metal from one of Delta Air Lines' retired Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Photo: Delta Air Lines

In addition to exclusive travel benefits, cardholders will also receive a welcome kit that includes access to interviews with Delta Air Lines crew members and a special look at Delta Ship #6307’s transformation from a passenger plane into a credit card.

A brief history of Delta Ship #6307

According to ch-aviation.com, the Boeing 747-400 registered as N667US (also known as Delta Ship #6307) was delivered to Northwest Airlines in July 1990. The aircraft was subsequently transferred to Delta Air Lines following the merger of the two carriers in October 2008.

In 2012, it was reconfigured to carry a total of 376 passengers in a three-class configuration – 48 in business class, 42 in premium economy, and 286 in economy class.

Delta Ship #6307 (N667US) fact sheet. Photo: Delta Air Lines

Throughout its 27-year active life, the aircraft flew over 116,548 flying hours, before taking its last commercial flight in November 2017. It was then stored in the Mojave Desert, California, before being broken up in July 2021.

Delta Ship #6307 was one of 16 Boeing 747-400s to feature in Delta Air Lines’ fleet, and has a special place in the hearts of many Delta Air Lines passengers and employees. This particular aircraft has provided transport for US service personnel and evacuated travelers from Florida during Hurricane Irma, in addition to its regular commercial services all around the world.

This is not the first time that we have seen airlines offer customers a chance to get their hands on a piece of aviation history. Thai Airways, for example, has recently been holding a series of online auctions for aircraft parts and cabin interiors.

What do you think of Delta Air Lines’ new credit card made from a bit of Boeing 747? Share your thoughts by commenting below.