YouTube Strengthens Entertainment Dominance and Expands Into In-Flight Experience with Delta Air Lines
YouTube cements its place as a dominant TV entertainment platform and partners with Delta Air Lines to revolutionize in-flight viewing experiences.
- • YouTube captured 13.4% of all TV viewing time in August 2025, surpassing Disney.
- • The platform offers over 1 billion hours of daily TV content views in the U.S., including live sports and interactive programming.
- • YouTube partners with Delta Air Lines to provide exclusive content on seatback screens and via in-flight Wi-Fi.
- • SkyMiles members receive a 14-day free trial of YouTube Premium on domestic flights, enhancing passenger entertainment options.
Key details
YouTube continues to solidify its leadership position in the entertainment industry, increasingly becoming synonymous with television viewing. As of August 2025, YouTube accounted for 13.4% of all TV viewing time, surpassing traditional networks such as Disney, according to insights from CEO Neal Mohan. The platform boasts over 1 billion hours of content viewed daily on TVs, marking television as the primary device for consuming YouTube in the United States. Its diverse content slate includes interactive Shorts, podcasts, live broadcasts, along with traditional programming like sports and interviews, and the NFL Sunday Ticket has established YouTube as a major player in live TV. Mohan also predicts that scripted content will grow in popularity on YouTube, enhancing its legitimacy as a platform for emerging talent.
In a strategic move to extend its entertainment presence, YouTube has partnered with Delta Air Lines to transform the in-flight experience. Officially launched at CES 2025, this partnership integrates exclusive YouTube content into seatback screens and Delta Sync Wi-Fi, allowing passengers to enjoy ad-free videos, podcasts, and music playlists from YouTube and YouTube Music. Delta’s Vice President of In-Flight Entertainment, Julieta McCurry, highlighted that this initiative responds to YouTube's popularity among travelers and aims to provide a seamless entertainment experience. U.S.-based SkyMiles members benefit from a 14-day free trial of YouTube Premium on domestic flights without needing payment information, further enhancing passenger experience. Miguel Quiroga, YouTube's Vice President of Product Partnerships, described this collaboration as bringing “the best of YouTube to new screens,” emphasizing connectivity across over 930 Wi-Fi-enabled Delta aircraft.
These developments underscore YouTube's expanding influence across entertainment platforms and environments, from living rooms to the skies, reshaping how audiences engage with content globally.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.