Summary

  • Fresno to Atlanta direct flight boosts city visibility, and connects to key destinations.
  • Delta Flight 561 extends Fresno’s reach to the East Coast.
  • Fresno anticipates a surge in passenger traffic with the new ATL flight, and expects to surpass last year’s numbers.

Delta Air Lines’ first nonstop flight from Fresno to Atlanta departed on Friday. The flight marks the beginning of a new long-distance direct route that will continue all year long. Establishing the direct flight will have an important impact on the city of Fresno and its population.

Direct flights to ATL

Delta Air Lines will operate Flight 561, departing from Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) at 2230 PDT and arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) after roughly four hours and nearly 2,000 miles.

 Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-900ER (N834DN) taking off from Los Angeles International Airport.

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

The flight reaches farther east than any other at FAT, surpassing United Airlines’ seasonal service to Chicago, which is 1,750 miles. The return flight is scheduled for a 1945 EST departure from ATL and will reach FAT at 2100 PDT. There is a three-hour time difference between the two airports.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer spoke to The Fresno Bee about what the move meant to the city:

“This is truly an exciting time for air travel here in Fresno. The growth here is undeniable, and it’s leading to bigger and better things for our entire city. By connecting to Atlanta, we’re increasing Fresno’s visibility as an attractive and progressive city with diverse service to major transportation hubs.”

The route will help connect passengers to a variety of destinations, including, but not limited to, central San Joaquin Valley, the East Coast, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

The airline will utilize the Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 on these routes, which offer roughly 160 seats per departure.

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Far-reaching effects

The flight was announced in Q3 of 2023. Fresno expects the route to increase the number of passengers traveling to FAT and hopes to leverage it to exceed the 2.4 million passengers served last year.

A Closeup of a Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800 on an airport apron.

Photo: Delta Air Lines

Dyer also spoke about the expected increase in passenger traffic to the city:

“We are trending to beat that number this calendar year. I’m confident that we’re going to blow past the number we had last year. A direct flight like this makes all the sense in the world.”

Atlanta is one of the top ten destinations for travelers from Fresno, and the route will be offered all year round.

Delta has been present in FAT for many years through its regional arm, Delta Connection. This arm operates flights to Salt Lake City, Utah, courtesy of SkyWest Airlines. The city is the fifth-ranked destination for travelers from Fresno.

Fresno is seeing an expansion in airline service. Delta isn’t the only airline bringing routes to the airport. United Airlines resumed its seasonal nonstop flights between FAT and Chicago O-Hare International Airport in May and will continue until the end of October.

Southwest Airlines is also set to begin a new summer route between FAT and Dallas’ Love Field (DAL) with a weekly flight that will end in September. American Airlines also connects passengers from FAT to Texas through Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

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