I still have the coffee cup that DL gave me at the time of the merger. It has the logos of the two airlines, and the tag line "The Best get Better". IIRC at that time DL was rated the #1 domestic airline, and WA was #2. Very similar cultures and great service. It really disappointed me to see SLC gradually turned into an RJ hub. I can handle a CRJ200 for less that an hour but not 2+ hours. This has gradually improved with the newer generation of RJ's plus some SLC routes that were all RJ for a good while now have the occasional mainline flight. The other legacy of the merger is that I had bought a lifetime membership in the Horizon Club (for $600, and that included a companion ticket), and DL honored that for a number of years.