Delta trims routes, adds A350 news

Delta Air Lines is cutting six long-haul routes as it adds new international flying and prepares a new flagship business-class cabin for 2027. (simpleflying.com) Using OAG schedule data, Simple Flying reported that Delta has dropped six long-haul routes since January 2025, including Orlando–London Heathrow in March 2025, Boston–São Paulo in March 2025, and Los Angeles–Papeete in June 2025. Delta also said in December that summer 2026 will bring more than 650 weekly transatlantic flights to nearly 30 European destinations, its largest transatlantic schedule on record. (simpleflying.com, news.delta.com) That expansion includes new service from Atlanta to Riyadh starting in 2026, alongside added summer flying aimed at Europe’s peak season. Delta said those summer 2026 additions include service to places such as Catania, Sicily, as it leans further into seasonal international demand. (news.delta.com, simpleflying.com) The reshuffle comes after a record year for Delta’s long-haul business. The carrier flew 16.1 million long-haul passengers in 2025, up 5% from its prior record in 2024, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data cited by Simple Flying. (simpleflying.com) Delta’s own financial guidance points to the same strategy: keep capacity tight and sell more higher-fare seats. In its April 8 earnings release, the airline said it expected low-teens revenue growth in the June quarter on flat capacity growth, citing “strong demand momentum” and “meaningful capacity reductions.” (news.delta.com) At the front of the plane, Delta on April 13 unveiled its next Delta One suite for Airbus A350-1000 deliveries beginning in early 2027. Delta said the aircraft will have 314 seats, including 53 Delta One suites, 48 Premium Select seats, 51 Comfort seats and 162 Main Cabin seats. (news.delta.com, news.delta.com) Delta said the new suites will also be installed on refurbished Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 jets, extending the carrier’s suite product beyond new aircraft. Its A350-1000 media kit says the type will be used on long-haul international and hub-to-hub missions and will deliver more than 20% lower fuel burn per available seat mile than retiring aircraft. (news.delta.com, news.delta.com) The onboard product changes are not limited to seats. On April 2, Delta rolled out a spring menu refresh that added Tito’s Handmade Vodka on domestic flights from April 1, with international expansion planned for early summer, plus a new gluten-free MadeGood granola bar in the complimentary snack lineup. (news.delta.com) The same spring update added new meals in Delta One, Delta Premium Select and Delta First on domestic and international routes, including French toast, roasted chicken salad, shrimp and grits, and spinach and ricotta ravioli. Delta left some existing staples in place, including the Shake Shack cheeseburger on limited flights and its Belgian-style waffles. (news.delta.com) Taken together, the moves show Delta trimming weaker long-haul flying, keeping summer Europe growth, and spending on premium cabins and onboard service at the same time. The next visible test comes in 2026 as the new routes start, before the A350-1000 enters the fleet in early 2027. (simpleflying.com, news.delta.com, news.delta.com)