I’ve already reported that Delta plans to announce service to Singapore and Manila. They’re also planning to launch New York JFK and Los Angeles to Seoul, which leverages their joint venture with Korean Air and Korean’s Seoul-Incheon hub for onward connections in Asia according to aviation watchdog JonNYC.
Jon tells us that Delta isn’t done with additional non-stop Asia routes from the Continental U.S. – and those will come from both Los Angeles and from Seattle:
So with regard to Delta’s next moves internationally; SIN, MNL, and LAX/JFK-ICN are definitely in the immediate future. It’s further stated that future Asia expansion will launch out of LA -and- Seattle, mentioning ICN as an ideal hub for onward Asian travel but mentioning that…
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) November 4, 2025
They aren’t done with their Seattle hub, even though or perhaps because Alaska is getting aggressive and beginning to go international from Seattle. On the other hand, Delta views its European network as “pretty full.” They fly extensively to Europe now. So we should look to Asia and the Mideast/Africa – but especially Asia – for new routes they’ll add as they bring on more widebody aircraft.
Expressing that the DL European network "is pretty full" and future expansion would be to Asia and Middle East/Africa (emphasis on Asia.)
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) November 4, 2025
U.S. – Asia has been strong. That’s been good for United. And we haven’t seen a building back of U.S. – China flying, which before the pandemic had way too much capacity in large measure due to Chinese government policies which encouraged airlines to ‘squat’ on routes, flying them without demand today in case they wanted to fly them in the future (only one Chinese carrier is allow to fly each route).
Those China routes significantly depressed yields on flights between the U.S. and Asia generally, because Chinese carriers sold connecting itineraries at a discount in order to fill seats on empty planes. However trade tensions between the U.S. and China, China’s slow opening from Covid, and lobbying by U.S. airlines has kept those flights at bay.
With Delta looking towards Asia that suggests we won’t see secondary U.S. cities getting flights to Europe, such as:
- Pittsburgh – Paris: summer seasonal ended in 2018
- Indianapolis – Paris: launched Ma 2018, suspended for Covid and never returned
- Hartford – Amsterdam: legacy Northwest route 15 years ago
- Memphis – Amsterdam: ended in 2012 (Memphis was a Northwest hub)
I always assume though that for operational efficiencies you’ll see flights between non-Delta hubs and Europe on Air France or KLM (or Virgin Atlantic) rather than on Delta. That’s because the flights wouldn’t have a Delta hub on either end (while Air France, KLM, et al have hubs in Paris, Amsterdam). Delta would need to position both planes and crew for the flights, adding cost, on routes that start out as likely more marginal to begin with (which is why they aren’t being flown already).
And we have plenty of evidence that Europe ‘isn’t hot’ with Delta dropping New York JFK – Brussels, Geneva and London Gatwich and with Munich not having returned this year.
well, first, DL has dropped precisely ONE European destination – Geneva – with the rest of the destinations being reshuffled between other hubs. LGW is being consolidated to LHR which multiple carriers are doing.
and, I have said for years that DL would rebuild its TPAC system and would use its A350s to cost efficiently do what a hub in Tokyo or even ICN could never do. NW’s hub was built around a Asian hub; DL realized that you have to fly nonstop from the mainland US to many destinations in Asia.
DL already has more flights from the Eastern US to more cities in E. Asia. Growth will heavily come from the west coast to Asia – from both SEA and LAX – and also from JFK.
DL has never been shy about growing its network but it does it methodically. The A350-1000s will be a game changer in terms of economics and capability; nothing AA or UA has will rival the 35K and even most other airlines that operate the 35K will not have airplanes w/ the range and cargo capability – which matters to Asia – that DL will have.
The delays from Airbus in delivering the 35Ks just means that DL will be receiving many more aircraft much faster than they planned which means that new routes will come faster than anyone has ever seen DL do across the Pacific.
I’ve been saying for years this would be coming… it is great to see it happening now.
Delta used to fly New York to Tokyo. They eliminated that long before the pandemic. New York’s self-styled premium airline should be flying to Tokyo.
I assume Delta could resume Japan to Hawaii flights. They used to have a strong network there too.
Maybe Delta can get in bed with Trump’s DOT and out of “national interest” start flying Los Angeles to Guam. I’m sure they’d get a subsidy out of it.
I would imagine Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, which Northwest and later Delta once served, have to be on the table too. The question is whether you can fill a Los Angeles or New York to Kuala Lumpur flight seven days a week. I don’t know the answer to that question. We know the Seattle to Taipei flight has not been good, although the flight times are awful for anyone who needs to fly to Seattle for the connection.
This is good to see. My question is kind of an aside – why hasn’t Delta been able to make Geneva work? It’s a major business hub & European HQ for many US companies.
It’s inexcusable for the World’s Most Premium™ Air Line to not have a daily direct flight on a Flagship Premium™ Signature™ A350 equipped with Premium™ Delta One™ Suites™ departing from Atlanta gate T8 to an airstrip on the roof of factory that makes Ed Bastian’s sneakers in Bangladesh or Viet Nam or whatever.
About time! Here in Amsterdam & Paris in a terrible Airbnb never again! Can’t even turn around in the shower lol hotel & even hostels offer a better shower experience.
Mike,
GVA is not a major business center. It has heavy amounts of NGO traffic but it is also a Star Alliance hub in a medium sized market which allows LX and UA to dominate the market, not unlike what DL is able to do in DTW, MSP and SLC.
FNT,
DL operated JFK-NRT as part of the NRT hub. It did not choose to apply for JFK-HND when the option became available but DL does still fly HNL-HND – although I would bet they could trade HNL for JFK if they could.
part of DL’s methodical approach to rebuilding its TPAC network will be to add JFK to E. Asia flights.
Consider, though, that if these rumors of LAX-MNL and LAX-SIN plus LAX-ICN are true, DL will become the largest international carrier at LAX, matching DL’s position as the largest domestic carrier and also likely eliminating any possibility for UA to claim the title of largest int’l airport at both LAX and SFO.
and nearly all of the growth from DL is coming on flights outside of HND – which is a replacement for everything that was left after the NRT hub was pulled down – as well as ICN which is well on its way to becoming the largest hub in Asia.
in other words, over the space of about 10 years, DL will have rebuilt its TPAC system from a failed NRT hub system to one that is composed of multiple nonstop flights from LAX, SEA and JFK to major non-DL or JV hubs in E. Asia plus flights from DL’s interior US hubs plus what will probably be the largest US carrier operation in Asia at ICN.
If even half of the stuff that is rumored takes place over the next 5 years, a whole lot of people who were convinced DL could not compete with UA will have no choice but to admit they were wrong.
I’m all for more TPAC. I hope we will be pleasantly surprised with a350 base at JFK sooner than expected; though, for now, the focus on LAX and SEA is understandable. Tim, clearly DAL’s long-haul, nonstop capabilities and investments are far superior to NWA, namely because the technology (the aircraft) have gotten better; and, the a35K is indeed the ‘game-changer’ to enable it.