Samantha (Kiernan) Bradford '92

Delta Air Lines Captain

Education: Hamilton College (B.A.), French

What I’m Doing Now: Studying abroad in Paris for a year during college opened up a whole world to me. I knew travel was going to be a part of my life somehow. The summer after my senior year, I did an internship in advertising, but quickly realized an office setting was not for me. I was terrified — what else was there? Not long after that internship, I was on a flight back to Newark from San Francisco when I put on my headphones and heard the voice of a female pilot. I didn’t know girls could fly planes! It was as if someone had lifted a curtain. From that point on it wasn’t even a question. I wanted to become a pilot and see the world. I enrolled in a year and a half of flight school, got my first job at a small regional airline in 1999, and joined Delta in 2010. In the fall of 2022, I became a Delta captain. 

Early on in my career, my schedule was challenging and inflexible. But at my level now, with some seniority, it’s very flexible. For example, I’ll work four to five days in a row — captaining flights across the U.S., Europe, Africa, and Hawaii — and have a week off. I don’t bring work home with me. What I love most is that I get to travel the world, visiting friends and family, while getting paid to do so. I recently had lunch with a girlfriend in Los Angeles, met up with a friend during the Olympics in Paris, and I regularly see my aunt in Zurich. 

How KPS Influenced Me: Since I began flight school, I have felt my KPS foundation behind me all the way, especially the confidence and fortitude to keep going in a male-dominated field. There were so few women when I started flying. Even today, only 5 percent of commercial airline pilots in the U.S. are female; and as a Delta captain, it’s just 1 percent. The man who ran the flight school I attended was an airline captain, and I remember he questioned me my first day — what was I doing there? I encountered attitudes like that throughout my career, but I didn’t let them stop me. I was so determined. Kent Place gave me the courage to follow my dream. 

My Proudest Accomplishment: Becoming a captain at Delta. My ultimate dream was to captain the biggest possible aircraft into Charles de Gaulle Airport — an homage to my study abroad year — and I did that just a few months ago. Actually, I currently fly the Boeing 767, which is big, but not the biggest aircraft. Next year I’ll do some additional training to be able to pilot the Airbus. Then, I’ll be able to fly one of the largest aircraft. I have flown to Europe hundreds of times but I had never landed in Paris, so it was very exciting for me. 

I’ve also had the opportunity to mentor several people — the son of a friend of mine, newly hired at Delta, as well as a fellow Hamilton alumnus, who was changing careers to become a pilot. We just flew a trip together where he was my copilot! It’s gratifying to be able to help someone achieve their dream. 

Advice for My KPS Sisters: Be open-minded — don’t assume you need to stick to a traditional career path. I come from a family of lawyers, but decided to follow my heart. Stick to your instincts; they won’t steer you wrong.