Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian made $13.2 million last year, according to company documents filed Friday afternoon.

Bastian's total compensation in 2017 included an $800,004 salary, $6.7 million in stock awards, $3.3 million in stock options, $2.1 million in incentives, and other compensation including retirement contributions, tax reimbursement and other perks, according to an annual filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bastian's pay was up from nearly $12.6 million in 2016. He has been CEO of Atlanta-based Delta since May 2016.

Delta President Glen Hauenstein made $8.2 million last year, while Chief Operating Officer Gil West made nearly $7.5 million.

The airline’s Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson brought in $5.7 million, while chief legal officer Peter Carter made $4 million. All of Delta’s top five executives saw increases in their total compensation in 2017 compared with 2016.

Delta also gives complimentary travel and Sky Club privileges to executives and their spouses, children and parents. The airline reimburses the executives for taxes on the complimentary travel and may buy private jet flights from subsidiary Delta Private Jets.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian made $13.2 million last year, according to company documents filed Friday afternoon.
icon to expand image

But Bastian wasn’t the highest paid metro Atlanta CEO last year.

UPS CEO David Abney had $14.6 million in total compensation last year, according to the company’s proxy statement filed with the SEC. The Sandy Springs-based shipping giant paid him a salary of nearly $1.2 million, more than $9.3 million in stock awards and $1 million in stock options, along with incentives, increased pension value and other compensation.

Muhtar Kent, who was CEO of Coca-Cola until May 1, 2017 when he became chairman of the board, got $14.8 million in total compensation in 2017. according to SEC filings. That included a $1.2 million salary, $6.8 million in stock awards, $1.9 million in stock options, a more than $2.3 million change in pension value and other incentives and compensation.

Coke’s current CEO, James Quincey, had nearly $10.6 million in total compensation last year.

Home Depot CEO Craig Menear made $11.6 million in total compensation last year, including a 1.3 million salary, nearly $6 million in stock awards, $1.5 million in stock options and more than $2.8 million in incentives, the company’s proxy statement shows.

About the Author

Keep Reading

This is an aerial photo of property along Peachtree Road and Bennett Street that the Atlanta Beltline acquired in August 2025. (Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline/LoKnows Drones)

Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline / LoKnows Drones

Featured

In 2022, Georgia Power projected its winter peak electricity demand would grow by about 400 megawatts by 2031. Since then, Georgia has experienced a boom of data centers, which require a large load of electricty to run, and Georgia Power's recent forecast shows peak demand growing by 20 times the 400-megawatt estimate from just three years ago. (Illustration by Philip Robibero/AJC)

Credit: Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC