Delta unveils service to Taiwan for the 1st time in 7 years
Seven years later, Delta Air Lines is officially returning to Taiwan.
The Atlanta-based carrier announced on Thursday that it would once again fly to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) beginning on June 6, 2024.
This time, however, Delta will operate its Taiwan flights nonstop from the U.S., with daily year-round service from the airline's Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) hub.
Delta's new Seattle-to-Taipei flight will be operated by the Airbus A330-900neo, which features 29 Delta One Suites, 28 Premium Select recliners, 56 Comfort+ economy seats and 168 standard economy seats.
Delta hasn't served Taiwan since May 2017, Cirium schedules show, when the airline used to fly there from its Pacific gateway hub at Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT). Customers could fly Delta to Tokyo and then connect onwards on Delta planes to Taipei.
Delta inherited the Narita hub (and Taipei service) from Northwest during the merger, and it had high hopes for what it would do to its Pacific network. Before the merger, Delta lacked a significant presence in Asia, but adding significant service to Narita in 2008 helped the airline boost service from the U.S. to Tokyo and beyond.
From Narita, Delta served 19 cities in October 2008 (the month when the merger closed), Cirium schedules show. This included transpacific routes to cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle and service to regional destinations like Busan and Singapore.
More: Sayonara, Narita: The rise and fall of Delta’s Tokyo hub
Taipei was a destination that Northwest and then Delta served from Narita, but it ended in May 2017 as Delta shuttered its hub in Narita.
In the years since the Northwest merger, Narita became less important of a gateway airport for travelers headed to Tokyo and beyond. Transpacific slots for service to the far more convenient Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) became available, and U.S. airlines, Delta included, rushed to fill them with service from across the U.S.
As Haneda got bigger and more important, Delta and its rivals pulled back from Narita, so much so that Delta abandoned the airport entirely in March 2020 (and it hasn't gone back since).
Instead of returning, the airline has instead turned Seoul into its primary transpacific gateway city. That's because the airline's Pacific joint venture partner Korean Air operates a hub there, and the airline is seeing lots of strength in the market.
"We're very excited about the success of our Incheon hub with Korean, and that has really even exceeded our expectations. We think it's the best place to connect to get to Southeast Asia from any one of our hubs or as a double connect," said Delta president Glen Hauenstein on the company's third-quarter earnings call.
As for Taiwan, Delta seems to think it'll be able to fill its wide-body jets without the need for a connection in Seoul.
Once the new service launches, the airline will go head-to-head against EVA Air, one of the Taiwanese mega-carriers that operates daily service on the 6,074-mile route from Seattle to Taipei.
New luxury carrier Starlux also plans to launch service between the two cities next year.
“This route not only opens new doors to Taipei’s captivating skyline, vibrant night markets, and rich cultural heritage, but it also marks a significant stride in enhancing Seattle's global connectivity. This strategic addition to Delta's Trans-Pacific portfolio is poised to make a profound impact on the Seattle market, fostering increased business and leisure travel opportunities for our discerning customers,” said Joan Wang, Delta's managing director of global sales for the Seattle market, in a statement.
Delta's new Taipei flight schedule
Seattle to Taipei: Departs 11:15 a.m., arrives 3:15 p.m. (next day)
Taipei to Seattle: Departs 5:25 p.m., arrives 2:05 p.m. (same day)
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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. (Partner offer)Pros
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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.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $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.