Delta Shares Sixth Long-Haul Route for Airbus A350

It's been a very busy week for Delta's A350. Tuesday, we had a chance to join the very first passenger flight, a two-hour trip 37,000 feet above Atlanta, and this morning Delta CEO Ed Bastian hosted a media breakfast to chat about the airline's new flagship plane.

First, Bastian announced the first European A350 route, from Detroit (DTW) to Amsterdam (AMS), launching next spring. Then, the airline's Chief Communications Officer, Ned Walker, quietly announced the second China route — the A350 will replace Delta's Boeing 777 on the Detroit-Shanghai (PVG) route as of April 19, 2018.

So, in total, Delta has confirmed six routes to be operated by the A350:

• October 30, 2017 — Detroit (DTW)-Tokyo (NRT)
• November 18, 2017 — Detroit-Seoul (ICN)
• January 17, 2018 — Detroit-Beijing (PEK)
• March 2018 — Detroit-Amsterdam (AMS)
• March 24, 2018 — Atlanta (ATL)-Seoul
• April 19, 2018 — Detroit-Shanghai (PVG)

I'll be sharing more impressions of the plane over the days to come, but it's safe to say that Delta has a winner on its hands.

For more on the Delta A350, see:

• Touring Delta One, Premium Select and Coach on Delta’s First Airbus A350
• Delta Announces First Transatlantic Route for the Airbus A350
• Check Out Photos of Delta’s First A350 Arriving in Atlanta