5 Milestones From Delta Air Lines’ 45 Years Of Flights To Germany

This summer, 45 years ago, Delta Air Lines launched its transatlantic flights to Germany. Since then, Germany has consistently been a key destination in Delta’s international route network, with operations between the two countries growing significantly over the last 45 years.

1

Inaugural flight to Germany

The first flight took off for Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

Delta’s inaugural flight to Germany took off for Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in the summer of 1979. To cover the transatlantic distance, the Atlanta-based carrier operated its widebody aircraft, the three-engined Lockheed L-1011 TriStar that accommodated 241 seats across three cabin classes: first class, which featured sleeper seats, Medallion Service (business class), and economy class.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Presently, Delta operates this route using an Airbus A330 widebody, which features all four cabin classes: Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+, and Main Cabin.

Frankfurt (FRA) was not only Delta’s first German destination but also played a crucial role in expanding the airline’s international network beyond the United States. After operating four weekly flights between FRA and Atlanta (ATL) for a considerable amount of time, Frankfurt Airport became a Delta hub between 1991 and 1997 when the carrier acquired a nonstop network from Pan Am, which included services to:

• Athens
• Mumbai
• Budapest
• New Delhi
• Istanbul
• Moscow
• Prague
• St. Petersburg (seasonal)
• Vienna
• Warsaw

According to the airline, Delta operated nonstop flights from FRA airport to 19 cities across Europe, North America, and Western Asia by March 1993. Delta even used to have its own planes at FRA.

2

Four German destinations

Current German destinations: Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart

Throughout the years, Delta Air Lines considerably expanded its service between the United States and Germany. As mentioned above, the airline started with just one destination and four weekly flights to Germany.

Photo: Bjoern Wylezich | Shutterstock

Today, Delta operates to four German destinations, including:

• Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)
• Frankfurt International Airport (FRA)
• Munich Airport (MUC)
• Stuttgart Aiport (STR) (STR to ATL route is the carrier’s seasonal route)

Notably, not all European flights are operated from Delta’s main hub at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. In addition, the carrier offers nonstop flights to German destinations from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Detroit International Airport (DTW).

3

Considerable expansion

Delta operates 46 weekly flights to Germany this summer

According to Delta Air Lines, this summer, the carrier will operate 46 weekly flights to German destinations from its three main operating hubs.

Photo: Vytautas Kielaitis | Shutterstock

It is worth noting that Frankfurt remains the leading German destination, as Delta Air Lines operates direct nonstop flights to the city from all three operating bases. According to the airline, the carrier operates 21 weekly flights between the three operating bases in the US and Frankfurt Airport (FRA). The carrier typically deploys its Airbus A330 and Boeing 767 widebody jets on German routes. The table below showcases Delta’s widebody fleet.

In an interview with TravelTalk, Delta Europe CEO Matteo Curcio explained why Germany is a popular destination within Delta’s European network:

“Germany is a popular destination for American business and leisure travellers and we continue to see strong demand for travel between Germany and the US. The German market, like the UK, is very interesting and important to Delta and remains one of the largest corporate markets for the US in Europe, driven primarily by the automotive and technology sectors.”

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4

Elevated service

Delivering a restaurant-style experience in the sky still remains

According to the airline, customers on Delta’s flights to Frankfurt enjoyed complimentary in-flight dining in 1979, a tradition that continues today. Delta’s Medallion Service aimed to enhance the business travel experience by offering gourmet entrées served on china, accompanied by cocktails, wines, and champagne.

Photo: Delta Air Lines 

Delta continues to strive for a restaurant-style experience in the sky. In Delta One, the airline offers a chef-curated, multi-course meal paired with selected fine wines by a sommelier, followed by desserts, including Delta’s signature ice cream sundae.

Additionally, entrées in Delta One and Delta Premium Select can be pre-selected up to seven days before travel, offering a more personalized experience for customers.

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5

Constantly innovating

First visual in-flight entertainment back in the 1970s

Delta Air Lines introduced its first visual in-flight entertainment (IFE) system a year after it began flights to Germany. Initially, movies were projected onto large, shared screens for long-haul flights.

Photo: Joseph Creamer | Shutterstock

Times have changed, and now every customer has their own in-flight entertainment screen, not just on flights to Germany but on all international routes. Passengers can enjoy over 1,000 hours of complimentary Delta Studio content, with entertainment on demand available on individual screens at every seat.

When Delta’s first flight to Frankfurt took off, in-flight internet connectivity was unimaginable. Today, Delta states that passengers can stay connected at all times with free mobile messaging through iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.

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