Summary
- Delta Air Lines will temporarily suspend its service from Seattle to Juneau, reducing scheduled flights from 30 to only three in November.
- The suspension will last until June 2024, when Delta plans to resume daily service for the summer, following its typical seasonal operation.
- Delta Air Lines is also reducing its service to Fairbanks International Airport, with a reduction of 25 flights and over 2,700 seats scheduled for November and onward.
The service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Juneau International Airport (JNU) will temporarily see one less operator. Cirium data has revealed that Delta Air Lines will be temporarily suspending its service on this route.
Seattle-Juneau service to return mid-next year
Per Cirium data, Delta Air Lines has significantly reduced the number of flights for November of this year. Originally, the airline had scheduled 30 flights from Seattle to Juneau in November. This was a large increase from the eight flights it conducted in November 2022. It was also an increase of 3,600 seats. However, the current number of scheduled flights from Seattle to Juneau in November is only three. These three flights are capable of a total of 480 seats.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Beginning in December, Delta Air Lines does not have any flights currently listed. This reduction of all flights per month is set to last until May 2024. Previously, the airline had scheduled service on this route daily. Over the next six months, this accounts for 4,640-4,960 seats per month. Over these months in 2022, Delta Air Lines operated eight flights per month before increasing the flights to a daily service in June for the summer months.
Cirium data shows that the airline will resume flights again in June of next year. This aligns with the typical seasonal operation that the airline has run in the past. The airline will look to run a daily service for the summer of 2024. Delta Air Lines released a statement about the suspension of the routes, saying,
“Due to commercial and operational constraints, Delta will suspend its daily service from Seattle to Juneau beginning November 4, 2023, until June 6, 2024. As always, we monitor and adjust our route network based on customer demand, and we regret any inconvenience as we work to reaccommodate booked customers. Delta is committed to the Alaska market – we just announced the return of nonstop daily service between Detroit and Anchorage next June, complementing year-round service to Anchorage from Seattle and Minneapolis St. Paul and summer seasonal service from Atlanta and Salt Lake City. Delta also serves three other cities throughout the state: Fairbanks, Ketchikan, and Sitka. We look forward to resuming operations to Juneau next summer.”
Delta Air Lines has previously operated its Seattle-Juneau service seasonally and year-round. The route was typically operated by one of Delta’s Boeing 737 aircraft in the past. The service was most recently changed from a seasonal service to a year-round service in 2022. Before that, Delta had operated the route as a seasonal service since 2016.
Other Alaskan flight reductions
In addition to cutting all flights from Seattle to Juneau for the next several months, Delta Air Lines will also be reducing its service to Fairbanks International Airport (FAI). The reduction in flights also begins in November this year. Delta was originally set to operate 59 flights during the month. However, per Cirium data, the airline now has 34 flights scheduled. This is a reduction of 25 flights or over 2,700 seats.
The reduced number of flights continues for the rest of the year and into 2024. The airline will reduce its service to a daily flight for the months of December through May 2024. In June, Delta will increase its operations back to nearly twice a day, as it has 54 flights scheduled that month. This schedule aligns with summer operations similar to its Seattle-Juneau route.