The Walshe Group is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, marking five decades at the forefront of destination and aviation representation across Australia and New Zealand. Founded in 1976 by Rodney Walshe, the company has evolved from a small entrepreneurial venture into a globally respected airline GSA and tourism representation business, playing a pivotal role in shaping travel demand, forging trusted partnerships and supporting the sustainable growth of airline and tourism brands worldwide.
Today, The Walshe Group represents a diverse portfolio of international airlines and national and regional destinations, and operates a dedicated inbound tourism arm, underpinned by a commitment to long-term partnerships, results-driven performance and industry leadership.
We put the spotlight on Delta Air Lines as we chat to Nicole Laurie, Sales Manager Australia (Agency) for Delta Air Lines.
Delta Air Lines is one of the world’s largest carriers. What do you believe are the key reasons Australian travel agents should consider Delta when booking travel to the United States?
For Australian travel agents, Delta offers a compelling combination of reliability, extensive U.S. connectivity and a premium travel experience.
As America’s most awarded airline and one of the world’s largest carriers, we provide seamless access to hundreds of destinations across the United States through our major hubs, Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Detroit, New York City and Boston, making it easy for agents to build multi-city itineraries beyond the traditional gateways.
Reliability is also essential. This year, Delta was named North America’s most on-time airline by Cirium for the fifth consecutive year, giving travellers confidence when connecting across our network.
Combined with ongoing investment in our onboard product, airport experience and range of cabin options, travel agents can book Delta knowing their clients will enjoy a consistently high-quality journey from Australia to destinations across the United States.
The United States remains one of the most popular long-haul destinations for Australians. What travel trends is Delta currently seeing from the Australian market?
We’re seeing Australian travellers continue to prioritise meaningful experiences and value from their long-haul journeys. While premium travel and upgraded cabin experiences remain a strong growth area, we’re also seeing increased demand for flexibility, longer stays and trips that combine multiple experiences rather than focusing on a single destination.
We’re seeing strong interest across leisure segments, including holidays, visiting friends and relatives, and special occasion travel, with customers looking for comfort, convenience and a seamless travel experience. For travel advisors, this presents opportunities to create higher-value itineraries that meet the evolving needs of Australian travellers.
Beyond the major gateway cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Seattle, how does Delta’s extensive domestic network help travellers explore more of the United States?
Delta’s extensive U.S. domestic network makes it easy for Australian travellers to go beyond the traditional gateways and discover more of what the United States has to offer. Through our hubs, Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Detroit, New York City and Boston, travellers can connect seamlessly to hundreds of destinations across the country.
This opens opportunities for travellers to explore iconic national parks, food and wine regions, music capitals and smaller cities that are often overlooked. For travel advisors, this means greater flexibility when creating bespoke itineraries. Delta’s network allows travellers to reach destinations efficiently without relying on multiple carriers.
Delta has invested heavily in its onboard experience across all cabins. What are some of the standout features travel agents should be highlighting to clients when selling the airline?
Delta has invested significantly in enhancing the customer experience across all cabins, giving travel advisors more opportunities to match the right product to each traveller’s needs and budget.
For premium customers, Delta One Suites offer a true long-haul premium experience with the privacy of full-height doors that slide closed, spacious flat-bed seating, elevated dining and personalised service. Meanwhile, Delta Premium Select offers a true premium economy experience with elevated touches and dedicated cabin crew.
Delta Comfort provides more legroom, dedicated overhead bin space, earlier boarding and premium snacks and drinks. In Delta Main, customers enjoy comfortable seating, room for a carry-on bag and a personal item, and complimentary beer, wine and spirits on transoceanic flights.
All cabins have in-seat power and 1,000+ hours of free seatback entertainment through Delta Studio, including movies, series, live satellite TV, curated playlists, podcasts and a wide selection of games. Fast, free (with SkyMiles membership) Delta Sync Wi-Fi is rolling out to all Delta aircraft, with coverage for trans-Pacific flights expected in late 2026.
For travel advisors, the key message is that Delta delivers a consistently high-quality experience at every level, whether customers are travelling for business, leisure or a special occasion. This helps them arrive in the U.S. comfortable, connected and ready to explore.
Premium travel continues to be a growing segment. How is Delta catering to luxury and premium travellers through products such as Delta One and its airport lounge experience?
Delta has invested significantly in creating a seamless premium experience, both in the air and on the ground, for travellers seeking a complete end-to-end journey.
In addition to the Delta One in-flight experience noted above, the premium experience begins on the ground with dedicated Delta One check-in at select locations and our growing portfolio of Delta One Lounges, currently available at JFK, Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle, alongside our expanding Delta Sky Club network. These spaces offer premium dining, comfort and personalised service before departure.
For travel advisors, Delta provides the opportunity to offer premium customers a complete journey built around comfort, convenience and attention to detail, from the airport experience through to arrival.
How is Delta supporting the Australian travel trade through training programmes, sales support, marketing initiatives and industry partnerships?
Supporting the Australian travel trade is a key priority for Delta, and we’re focused on providing agents with the tools, knowledge and support they need to confidently sell the airline. Delta Professional provides agents access to the latest policies and resources at www.pro.delta.com.
We have recently expanded our team to include a Sales Executive in NSW, Victoria and Queensland to better support our travel agency partners with training, webinars and support when needed.
Through ongoing training initiatives, sales engagement and product updates, we help our trade partners understand Delta’s network, cabin offerings and the experiences available to their customers. We also work closely with industry partners on marketing initiatives and joint campaigns that drive awareness and demand for travel to the United States.
Strong partnerships are at the heart of everything we do. By maintaining close relationships with travel advisors, industry organisations and our key partners, we can continue to provide relevant insights, timely support and opportunities that help agents grow their U.S. travel business.
Our goal is to make it easier for agents to sell Delta by ensuring they have the confidence, resources and support they need to create exceptional customer experiences.
Looking ahead, what developments, new products or network enhancements should Australian travel agents be excited about from Delta Air Lines?
Looking ahead, we’re excited about the continued opportunities to grow travel between Australia and the United States through our network, products and investment in the customer experience. In December 2025, we launched our inaugural Melbourne to Los Angeles service. Frequency of this year-round service will increase to daily in December, making our Australian network the largest it has ever been.
Our strong trans-Pacific services, including our joint venture with Korean Air, and extensive U.S. domestic network provide travel advisors with more opportunities to create diverse itineraries beyond the traditional gateways. We’re also continuing to enhance the customer journey through investments in our fleet, including the introduction of the Airbus A350-1000 in the coming years, as well as new Delta One Lounges and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs.
For our trade partners, this means more opportunities to deliver seamless, premium experiences for their customers while growing their U.S. travel business with Delta.
Finally, what advice would you give to travel agents looking to increase their Delta bookings and create seamless USA itineraries for their clients?
Travel advisors should think beyond the traditional gateway cities and use Delta’s extensive network to create seamless U.S. itineraries that showcase more of what the country has to offer.
By combining our trans-Pacific services with our broad U.S. domestic connectivity and range of cabin options, advisors can tailor journeys to suit every traveller, from premium experiences with Delta One to well-connected leisure itineraries.
We encourage agents to stay connected with Delta’s latest products, network updates and sales resources so they can confidently showcase the opportunities available. By understanding the Delta difference, advisors can create higher-value bookings and memorable experiences for their customers.
