Move Over FedEx: Delta's Been Doing This Since 1970

Delta Cargo's DASH service has been delivering packages coast-to-coast same-day for over 55 years. They've sent everything from organs, wedding dresses, movie props, emergency medical equipment and now they deliver door-to-door with Roadie. Here's how it works.

When most people think about same-day delivery they think about apps, gig drivers, and the constant battle between Amazon, FedEx, and whoever else is trying to get something to your door in under an hour. In fact, some of the traditional players will deliver packages, at least within driving distance. But for longer distances?

Most people wouldn't think of Delta Air Lines, which has quietly been running same-day shipping operations since 1970. Delta Cargo's DASH service celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020, and over 40% of the domestic cargo Delta transports annually moves as DASH.

What DASH Actually Is

DASH is Delta Cargo's small package express service, with shipments given the highest priority and guaranteed to be available within one hour of the flight's arrival time. The service covers all 50 US states and Puerto Rico.

Essentially, their basic offering covers packages under 100 pounds and 90 linear inches. DASH Heavy on the other hand covers the larger items. Finally DASH Critical is for the most time-sensitive domestic packages, carrying everything from emergency medical equipment to legal documents to essential machinery parts.

That Critical tier is among the more interesting. Delta Cargo carries a weekly average of 800 life-saving human organs for transplant. Talk about an airline with some heart!

The Door-to-Door Version

The more recent addition is Delta's DASH Door-to-Door. Delta partnered with Roadie, an Atlanta-based logistics service with more than 150,000 verified drivers nationwide.

The model works like this: a Roadie driver picks up your package and drives it to the airport, where it's loaded onto a Delta flight. At the destination, a second Roadie driver picks it up and delivers it to the final address.

Why This Is More Interesting Than It Looks

The average traveler has no reason to think about Delta Cargo unless their checked bag doesn't show up. But DASH is a meaningful business that's been running longer than FedEx!

Delta Cargo originally premiered its GPS-enabled DASH Critical service in March 2017, but the core DASH service has been a staple of the network for decades.

Every Delta flight has belly capacity, and DASH puts that capacity to work on time-critical shipments that commercial carriers like FedEx are often too slow or too expensive to handle. The airline's hub-and-spoke network turns out to be very well suited to same-day cargo too.

It's a fascinating glimpse into some of the other business operations — like freight — offered by the big three US airlines.

Source: Delta Cargo

Related: Delta Boarding Zones Explained 2026