Summary
- Atlanta and Minneapolis have seen the most increases in November/December.
- All of Delta’s widebodies will be used domestically at times.
- Atlanta to San Francisco will have four daily widebody services around Christmas/New Year.
Delta added a considerable amount of domestic widebody flights to what it had already planned this November and December. Some 3,724 flights are down to operate, up from the 2,851 expected last week. Flights using the 306-seat Airbus A350-900 along with the A330-300 and A330neo have particularly increased. The A330-200, which was not down to be used domestically in these months, now will be.
Seven widebody routes added
Examining schedules shows that Delta has added 41% more widebody flights in the festive month of December (always good for demand) and 21% more in November, some related to Thanksgiving. It is possible that some increases might be extended beyond December, but this is presently unknown.
Photo: Markus Mainka I Shutterstock.
Stay aware: Sign up for my weekly new routes newsletter.
As you’d expect, the increase is from both additional routes and frequency increases on some already down to see them. Seven more domestic routes now have Delta’s widebodies, as follows, all of which have seen them before. Where frequencies vary to a meaningful degree, I’ve put ‘up to’.
|
Routing |
Widebody flights* |
Equipment** |
Comments**** |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Atlanta to San Francisco |
Four daily |
767-300 |
Begins Dec 15th, ends Dec 31st; four daily from 16th |
|
Atlanta to Detroit |
Up to eight weekly |
A350-900***, A330-300 |
Nov 15th-Dec 14th; only one A330 flight (Nov 10th) |
|
Detroit to Orlando |
Up to daily |
A330-300, A330-200 |
Nov 3rd-Dec 31st |
|
Atlanta to Minneapolis |
Just four |
767-300, A330-300 |
Nov 10th, 11th, 13th, 17th |
|
New York JFK to Salt Lake City |
Just three |
767-300 |
Nov 3rd, 15th, 16th |
|
New York JFK to Portland |
Just once |
767-300 |
Nov 2nd |
|
New York JFK to Seattle |
Just one |
767-400ER |
Nov 2nd |
|
* Nov/Dec; can vary |
** Ordered by flights *** 306-seat config |
**** Based on the direction stated in the routing column |
Big increases on five existing routes
They are summarized in the following table. The five now have 664 departing flights across the two months (double for both ways), up from ‘just’ 349 last week. There is no change to Delta’s widebody-operated mainland to Hawaii services, two of which feature in the US’ longest five domestic routes list.
Photo: Wirestock Creators I Shutterstock.
|
Routing |
Widebody flights now planned* |
Equipment now planned** |
Comments^ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Atlanta to Los Angeles |
Mainly four to five daily, but up to six daily |
767-300, A350-900***, 767-400ER, A330-300 |
Six daily on Nov 26th and Dec 8th. Just one A330-300 service (Nov 12th) |
|
Atlanta to Orlando |
Mainly two to three daily, but up to six daily |
767-300, A330-200, 767-400ER |
Six daily on Nov 10th, 17th |
|
Atlanta to Salt Lake City |
Daily, but later triple daily |
767-300, A350-900**** |
Triple daily from Dec 16th-31st |
|
New York JFK to San Francisco |
Mainly daily, but double daily at times |
767-300, A330-300, 767-400ER |
Double daily Nov 1st-4th, 11th, 25th, Dec 2nd, 9th |
|
New York JFK to Atlanta |
Mainly daily, but double daily at times |
767-300, 767-400ER |
Double daily Nov 1st-3rd |
|
* Each way; for Nov/Dec |
** Ordered by flights; *** 306 and 339-seat configs **** 339-seat config only |
^ Based on the direction stated in the routing column |
Will you be flying any of the routes mentioned here? Let us know in the comments.
Sources of information: OAG, Cirium, Delta’s website, Google Flights.