Delta Air Lines, hopeful that the lifting of travel restrictions, potential vaccine availability and the gradual return of demand is a good sign, is adding more trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights to top business and leisure destinations for the winter 2020-2021 and summer 2021 seasons.
While the airline expects pre-COVID level recovery for international flying lags over domestic travel, Delta nonetheless plans to add over 50 transoceanic flights next summer, compared to the summer 2020 schedule.
Delta said in a statement it will focus its strengths in its core markets.
“While significant hurdles remain in the global fight against the pandemic, we are ready to connect customers to the people, places, opportunities and experiences they’re longing for,” Joe Esposito, S.V.P. – Network Planning for Delta, said in a statement. “Customers flying internationally can look forward to a modernized fleet featuring our latest cabin products and a travel experience that prioritizes their health and the health of our employees from check-in to baggage claim.”
Delta’s schedule remains subject to change due to the evolving nature of COVID-19, customer demand, government travel regulations and federal health guidelines. Specific restart dates may vary for previously suspended routes due to travel restrictions and other operational requirements. Delta will make decisions about resuming additional service on other routes at a later date.
For trans-Pacific travel, Delta is maintaining its global presence and investment in Seattle over the next year, which continues to be a premier gateway for travel to Asia. Continued daily service next year from Sea-Tac to Tokyo-Haneda, Seoul-Incheon, Beijing and Shanghai will allow customers to connect further within the region through Delta’s partners, Korean Air and China Eastern.
Delta also remains committed to the Japan market and by summer 2021, will offer service from seven U.S. cities to Haneda, Tokyo’s closest and most convenient airport. Currently, the airline offers up to 14 weekly flights across its Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles and Seattle gateways. Beginning in December 2020, Delta plans to add up to four-times-weekly services between Haneda and Honolulu.
To Australia, Delta plans to maintain a minimum of thrice-weekly service between Los Angeles and Sydney before resuming daily service in 2021. The flight will be operated on Airbus 350-900 aircraft beginning in November, which offers more luxury and comfort with the Delta One suite, Delta Premium Select cabin, large in-flight entertainment screens and more personal stowage.
For trans-Atlantic flights, between September and October, Delta will resume service to several major business and leisure markets, including a buildup at its hub in New York-JFK.
From New York, flights will go to Accra, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt and Zurich. Delta will also resume flights from Atlanta to Lagos, Boston to London and Seattle to Paris.
Following this resumption of service in the fall, Delta expects to maintain a similar schedule across the Atlantic through winter 2021…
