Delta cuts nearly 20% of NYC flying during peak winter schedule
The largest airline in New York will hibernate a little bit during the winter.
Delta Air Lines is cutting nearly 20% of its flying from its two hubs in New York City during one of the slowest winter months. Delta filed plans to pull 16% and 19% of its flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in January and February, respectively, Cirium schedules show.
Other winter months will also see some significant pullbacks, including a roughly 10% reduction in the number of scheduled flights in November, December, March and April.
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Delta says that it is removing about 50 peak-day trips per month in November, the first half of December and from March 2026 through October 2026. That number jumps to 75 peak-day trips in the deep-winter months, which Delta defines as January and February.
The good news is that the airline isn't (currently) cutting any routes from New York. Every route scheduled for the winter season will continue to operate.
Instead, the airline is significantly reducing the number of frequencies it flies on a given route during the winter. For instance, routes from LGA to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; and Des Moines, Iowa, will go from three-times-daily service to once daily.
Asked about the cuts, a Delta spokesperson explained that "following the FAA’s extension of the NYC slot utilization waiver through Summer 2026, Delta is making select adjustments to our winter schedule at LaGuardia (LGA) and John F. Kennedy (JFK) airports. ... We apologize for any inconvenience that these schedule changes may cause. Delta remains committed to minimizing travel disruptions while ensuring a smooth transition for all impacted travelers."
When Delta originally built its winter schedule, it was seemingly operating under the assumption that it would need to operate every slot-pair that it owns or has access to.
That's because slots, or takeoff and landing permissions, typically include a use-it-or-lose-it provision. If Delta didn't fly all the slots in its portfolio, some might return to the free market for a competitor to potentially acquire.
As you can expect, losing valuable slots in New York City isn't on any network planner's agenda — so much so that there are employees at the biggest airlines whose sole job is to monitor slot usage — and as such, Delta was originally planning to fully utilize its entire slot portfolio this winter.
However, the Federal Aviation Administration extended the utilization waiver through summer 2026, which essentially means that airlines can keep their slots at the capacity-constrained airports in New York City even if they don't use all of them.
And in an environment where airline CEOs and commercial teams say that demand, especially domestically in off-peak times, isn't as robust as they would've hoped, Delta can slash potentially unprofitable flights without worrying about losing its far more valuable long-term slots.
Unfortunately, the traveler typically loses in this situation. That's because there are fewer flight frequencies to choose from, and with less competition, airlines enjoy a bit more pricing power in the market.
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- 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.
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- $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.
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- 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.