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In the 1980s, Delta Air Lines initiated operations at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, establishing a hub at the location with two terminals and 22 gates. Over time, Delta made significant investments in its infrastructure, building Delta Connection routes and investing $550 million to develop the site.
By 2005, the airport had become Delta's second-largest hub and the fourth-largest for any airline globally, with over 600 daily flights reaching 150 destinations. However, a series of unfortunate developments led to route reductions at CVG between 2005 and 2008. The closure of all operations by Delta's subsidiary, Comair, in 2012 marked a decline, and five years later, the hub was downgraded to a "focus city." This status was removed in 2021.
"Really got to work, put together a strategic plan that was diversifying our operations. That’s what it comes down to — diversification. We had all our eggs in one basket. Where we relied on one airline, you see what happens," stated Mindy Kershner, a CVG spokesperson, as airport officials were aware of the need to reinvent CVG post-reductions.
