In June I wrote that Delta Air Lines was expected to announce Austin – Paris non-stop for summer 2027. This has been in the works for some time, but aviation watchdog JonNYC said they were finally pulling the trigger.
Now Enilria reports that they’ll be making an Austin route announcement on August 13. The August announcement timing makes a summer 2027 Europe route likely.
Delta is investing to ‘win’ Austin because it’s a lucrative expansion market for their credit card portfolio, as they detailed in their earnings call last October.
A year ago I exclusively revealed that they would build a brand new 30,000 square foot Sky Club at the Austin airport and potentially keep their current Sky Club, too which sits beside the international gates. Then I broke the news in February that they had committed to this plan exactly.
- Delta has surpassed American to become the second largest airline in Austin behind Southwest.
- With the new concourse in the 2030s they will grow to 15 gates.
- The existing club, by the international gates, is meant to be repurposed as a Delta One business class lounge and support international long haul flight growth.
Delta Sky Club Austin
Delta Sky Club Austin
Today, Delta’s joint venture partner KLM flies Austin – Amsterdam three times weekly. That complements competitor flights to Europe on British Airways (London) and Lufthansa (Frankfurt).
There’s been talk about Delta long haul growth in Austin since before the pandemic. And while Paris was likely to come first, there was an outside chance it would be Seoul. Delta, Korean Air and Samsung have been in discussions about Austin – Seoul. The airport is offering subsidies for both destinations.
Austin was poised for a Paris flight in summer 2020 on Norwegian, cancelled when Covid-19 led to the permanent elimination of all of Norwegian’s long haul flying. At the time it would have made far more sense for a SkyTeam Paris flight to be operated by Air France, because that wouldn’t have involved positioning crew to operate it (given that Air France’s main hub is on one side of the route).
But with Delta crew bases in Austin, this becomes more operationally feasible and less costly for them, and they increasingly have a local customer base as well.
Well, tell us, Gary… when you going to Paris?
“Operationally feasible” but no wide body pilots are based in Austin, so even though they can pull from the Austin-based FA’s, they are still going to have to fly in pilots (most likely dead head). Similar to RDU, this route would be much better served by Air France.
@Sam — Yes, AF for the food alone.
Will Delta fly their oh-so-not premium ancient 767s on this route? Or the equally outdated A330-200/300?
It would have to be A330/350, as I believe that CDG-AUS is at the far edge of the operating range of the 767-300ER. There would need to be significant payload restrictions, either in the form of passengers or cargo.
@lavanderialarry — LOL. Those ole DL clunkers! Would be wild if UA or AA brought in their new 789 with the suites with doors, even if just for a few dates, to flood the market and rain on the parade (I know, I know, nearly impossible, but still.) Then DL may have to put its 339 with Suites to complete!
The A330CEO cabin mods will crank up this fall. It could well be a 330CEO w/ modded cabins or a 339 which came from the factory with suites
and DL often rotates pilots to from international cities that do no thave pilots at that city. Neither SLC or MSP are A350 pilot bases but have A350 flights; having FAs there cuts the costs significantly and also makes the AUS base much more attractive.
and there likely will be other domestic destinations added
Evil airline, garbage airplanes metaphorically flocking back to Capistrano on their pilgrimage home, but Paris is wonderful, having been multiple times. I just wish it wasn’t served by DieTeam.
@Tim Dunn — Ah, so, 339 it is (if Gary’s lucky!) Ah, so that’s how DL gets MSP/SLC-ICN done, huh. (Triangulating it to/from ATL/DTW/HND/AMS?) Ya know, why should ATL, LAX, DTW, and SEA have all the fun…
yes… and MSP-HND and sometimes AMS
BOS is only a 330 pilot base but has other types there.
@Tim Dunn,
I wonder if the A330’s are “too much airplane” for now. Also, the Austin economy might be cooling down. That being said, its still growing.
“Austin’s economy in mid‑2026 is still growing, with low unemployment, rising wages, and strong population inflows, but facing cooling housing prices, higher industrial vacancy, and slower job creation compared to its explosive 2020–2022 period.”*
“Overall Economic Direction (Spring–Summer 2026)
Austin’s economy is:
✔ Growing (jobs + wages + population)
✔ Stable (low unemployment, strong government/health sectors)
✔ Cooling (housing prices, industrial vacancy, tech hiring slowdown)
✔ Pivoting toward AI‑related manufacturing & logistics
It’s not the explosive boom of 2020–2022, but it’s still one of the healthiest metros in the U.S.””*
*-CoPilot AI
@Sam,
Whatchu talking ‘bout Willis?
I used to fly the 767-300ER LHR to LAX. The 300ER has plenty of range to do AUS CDG. So, yes DL will probably use it. Paid for asset, good on a new unproven route with unknown yield.
@Tim Dunn — Enjoyed the 339 from BOS-CDG last year. Great D1 dining.
@jacobin777 — Oh, buddy, it ain’t just Austin. Turbulence ahead.
@Pilot93434 — Gary Coleman couldn’t have said it better, himself…
Since they exited their small
un profitable DFW hub Jan 2005, they are wanting a new focus city(really hub) back into TX
Where they are 1 , not 2 like they were in DFW.
@1990
Indeed.
If they were to fly the 767-300ER, the cabins on the ones fitted with premium select are decent. But yes the A330NEO or the A350 are the best by far.