NEW YORK, N.Y.- Delta Air Lines and the Whitney Museum of American Art announced a new sponsorship designating Delta as the official and exclusive airline of the Whitney Museum, the iconic art and cultural hub in New York City. The Whitney is the newest addition – and first in the arts category – to Delta's extensive sponsorship portfolio in New York, which includes Madison Square Garden, The James Beard Foundation, 9/11 Memorial Fund, Food Bank for New York City, the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. The partnership aligns Delta with the world's foremost collection of contemporary American art.

As part of the agreement, Delta customers will receive benefits and discounts including complimentary access to the Whitney for members of the airline's SkyMiles Medallion program. Starting Aug. 5, 2011, Diamond Medallion members will receive complimentary admission to the Whitney for themselves and one guest any day of the week. Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallion members and their guest receive admission the first Friday of every month.

"Delta's sponsorship of one of New York's most renowned art institutions is a natural extension of our commitment to New York which already includes partnerships with preeminent organizations, institutions and professional sports teams," said Gail Grimmett, Delta senior vice president – New York. "This sponsorship enables us to help bring the arts and culture of one of the city's great museums to residents and art lovers alike, while also providing our customers with additional benefits."

"We are thrilled that Delta has become the official airline of the Whitney," said Adam D. Weinberg, the Whitney's Alice Pratt Brown director. "As the Whitney is one of the world's foremost contemporary art museums, travel is essential to us. Delta will help us to fulfill our mission to collect, present and interpret the art of the United States in the broadest global context, while raising the Whitney's profile for countless travelers and art enthusiasts the world over."

In May 2011, the Whitney, located at 945 Madison Ave. at 75th St. in New York City, broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot building in the Meatpacking district scheduled to open in 2015. Delta's partnership includes travel for the architecture, design and building teams which will help the Whitney develop, build and launch the new downtown space.