Delta adds 2 new long-haul routes from Seattle, ups ante against rival Alaska
Editor's Note
Even though this summer season is just kicking off, Delta Air Lines is already thinking about next summer (and its big competitor in Seattle).
Delta announced Tuesday that it'll add two new long-haul routes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
The airline will commence service from Seattle to Barcelona and Rome next summer. Four-times weekly flights from SEA to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) will begin May 6, while service from SEA to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) will take off one day later on a three-times weekly basis.
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It wasn't immediately clear if Delta plans to operate both routes year-round or just seasonally, but the airline did say that the flights will operate daily.
Both routes will operate on an Airbus A330-900neo aircraft — one of Delta's newest and most premium international planes.
It features 29 Delta One suites, 28 Premium Select recliners, 56 Comfort+ extra-legroom economy seats and 168 standard coach seats.
Over the past decade, Delta has launched 28 new markets in Seattle and now operates nearly 180 peak-day departures to more than 60 destinations worldwide.
While the news is undoubtedly exciting for Seattle-based flyers, it comes on the heels of hometown carrier Alaska Airlines announcing its first-ever European route launching next summer.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Alaska plans to connect Seattle with Rome, meaning that the Pacific Northwest will go from never having a nonstop connection to Rome to having two daily nonstop flights next summer.
While Rome and Barcelona are two popular European destinations, it seems like more than just market demand is dictating which service Delta is adding from Seattle.
For years, Delta and Alaska have been going head to head in Seattle. Ever since the two carriers called off their codeshare alliance in 2017 and Delta decided to open a hub in Seattle, the two airlines have continued to one-up each other in the Pacific Northwest.
Airline rivalry: A history of Delta in Seattle, Alaska Airlines' hometown
Delta has been adding new routes, running local marketing campaigns and even building swanky lounges to woo locals to choose it over the competition.
In fact, this new network expansion was announced in tandem with the opening of the all-new Delta One Lounge at SEA, as well as the airport's second Sky Club.
"With the addition of Rome and Barcelona, we'll serve eight of the top 10 long-haul international destinations from Seattle," explained Paul Baldoni, Delta's senior vice president of network planning, in an interview with TPG. (The missing two: Delhi and Manila)
Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines has ambitions to grow from a regional carrier to a global one. The airline acquired Hawaiian Airlines last year and has committed to turning Seattle into a global gateway, thanks in part to the wide-body aircraft it'll inherit from Hawaiian.
Alaska Airlines has already started flying from Seattle to Tokyo with Hawaiian planes, and the airline wants to add at least 12 long-haul destinations from Seattle by 2030.
At the end of the day, it's the local population that'll benefit from the increased competition in Seattle. Delta (and Alaska) are pulling out all the stops in the competition, and — in the process — are dramatically expanding the number of routes flown from Seattle.
"We compete with a lot of carriers in a lot of different places. New York is competitive. Boston is competitive. Seattle is competitive. What we focus on is how do we make the customer experience the best that it possibly can be. If we do that, we know that customers will come to us," Baldoni said.
Delta's new flights are expected to go on sale by Monday, June 30.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.