Delta is the fifth-largest carrier with non-stop flights between the US and Asia (excluding the Middle East). It has an average of 12 daily flights between April and June. It is second to United Airlines (Asia is a crucial area of its international dominance) and also behind Japan Airlines, All Nippon, and Korean Air.
Examining months too far in the future will likely give rise to changes, whether in capacity, equipment, or routes. If these three months are considered, Delta plans 13 Asian routes from Atlanta, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Seattle.
Thanks to Seattle-Taipei beginning on June 6, its hub in Washington state, obviously well-placed for North Asia, will have the most routes (four) and the most flights (four daily).
Delta’s Asian network is as follows. Again, it is based on April-June only. In all, there will be between 11 and 14 Asia-bound departures daily. Notice that Detroit-Shanghai Pudong will rise to daily in May, returning to the frequency it last had in the pre-pandemic 2019.
Photo: Karolis Kavolelis | Shutterstock
Notice that six routes are exclusively on the Airbus A350-900. Not surprisingly, all are down to see its standard 306-seat aircraft, not the higher-capacity and less premium ex-LATAM 339-seat equipment, nor the 275-seat premium economy version. The 306-seaters have 32 Delta One seats, 48 in Premium Select, 36 in Comfort+, and 190 in Main Cabin.
This was the situation in early March.
When writing on March 18 and subject to change, only one additional route will begin later in 2024, bringing its total to 14. It is Los Angeles to Shanghai Pudong, with a four-weekly service set to start on October 27 (subject to change), the day northern airlines switch to winter schedules.
It began the 6,485-mile (10,437 km) route in July 2015, when the now-withdrawn 777-200 and -200LR were deployed, with the A350-900 appearing in 2018. Like so many other services, the route was pulled in early 2020. When it returns, it will again use the A350.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Using Cirium to compare Delta’s network in 2019/2020 versus 2024 shows that these routes no longer operate.
They exclude airport switchovers (from Narita to Haneda), Las Vegas charters for the electronics conference, and other routes with fewer than four departures.
None of these non-stop routes operate:
One-stop, same-plane, same-flight-number services also operated. Seattle-Tokyo Narita-Singapore (DL167 out, DL166 back) was probably the most notable, and it mainly used the 767-300ER.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
Honolulu-Tokyo Narita-Manila (DL181/DL180) also stood out and used the 767. It ended because of the closing of Delta’s Narita hub. The carrier had planned to serve Manila via Seoul in early 2020, but the pandemic put paid to that idea.
Which of these do you think will return? Let us know in the comment section.
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