Airplanes

Delta Air Lines captain spent a year's salary on making sure his retirement flight was unforgettable

Published on Oct 06, 2025 at 7:51 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall

Last updated on Oct 07, 2025 at 11:49 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

A Delta Air Lines captain spent a whole year’s salary to make sure his retirement flight was as spectacular as possible.

In February 2024, Captain Keith Rosenkranz retired from being a captain with Delta Air Lines, but he wanted to mark the occasion in a big way.

Many of us would likely host a big party or have a few friends around for a get-together to celebrate retirement.

But Rosenkranz decided instead to hire a Delta Airbus A330-900neo and take friends and family on an amazing adventure.

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How the Delta Air Lines captain celebrated retirement

Rosenkranz hired the Airbus so he could take friends and family out for something very special.

He flew 112 friends and family from Dallas-Fort Worth to Los Angeles, and then on to Kona.

The charter was months in the making, with Rosenkranz working with his airline to make it happen.

Delta Air Lines captain one year salary on making sure his retirement flight was unforgettable
Delta/Keith Rosenkranz

It meant the pilot and his guests could have a 24-hour-long celebration.

For someone who had worked in aviation for such a long time, it felt like the perfect sendoff for Rosenkranz.

Taking a small group of friends for a pleasure flight is one thing.

But to hire out an Airbus from the airline you work at is something else entirely.

The trip had a full itinerary of fun and celebration

A water cannon salute at LAX airport was conducted for Rosenkranz as he bid farewell to his career.

There was also a luau in Kona, as well as a surprise wedding vow renewal with his wife.

Incredibly, the event took 16 months for the captain to plan.

It also cost the pilot nearly a year’s salary in total.

One of the reasons that Rosenkranz decided to do it was because many pilots didn’t get a proper farewell thanks to the pandemic.

Fellow aviators also joined the Delta captain for the celebration.

Having grown up near LAX, Rosenkranz would always dip a wing to his high school whenever he was flying out of the airport.

This special flight marked the last time that he would dip the wing towards his school.

It was perhaps the best way possible to say farewell to a long and storied career.

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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.