Delta adds new Venice, Athens routes in summer 2027 expansion

Delta Air Lines will connect two additional hubs with two of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations next summer.

The Atlanta-based carrier on Friday announced new routes to Venice and Athens for 2027.

Both flights will run during the peak summer rush.

With that new service, Delta is certainly doubling down on what’s been a relentless interest in southern Europe for travelers.

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Over the last few years, airlines have responded with a slew of routes to places in Italy, Spain, Greece, France and Portugal.

Now, add these two new Delta routes to the mix:

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Venice, launching on May 7
Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to Athens, launching June 8

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Venice and Athens are both cities Delta already flies to. But now, the carrier will connect more of its hubs with those markets — both, of course, history-rich cities that tourists visit by the millions every year.

For those keeping track, these new Boston-Venice and Detroit-Athens flights will give Delta a total of three new routes to Europe for summer 2027.

The Acropolis of Athens. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

Last month, the carrier revealed new service from Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to Paris — its first long-haul service from its Texas focus city.

“We're giving customers more choice, greater flexibility and more opportunities to travel when and how they want,” Jeff Arinder, Delta’s vice president of international network planning, said in a statement Friday.

Details: New Delta flights to Venice, Athens

Delta will operate its service from BOS to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) four times per week between May 7 and Oct. 29. The carrier will use its Airbus A330-300 on the route.

Boston to Venice

Boston will be the third U.S. airport Delta will link nonstop to Venice, joining Atlanta and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

More nonstop service to Venice means more opportunity to fly directly into the world-famous city instead of taking a flight to Rome (or Milan) and then taking the train. Just be sure to factor a water taxi ride into your trip budget!

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Detroit to Athens

For Delta’s new service from DTW to Athens International Airport (ATH), the carrier will use its slightly smaller Airbus A330-200.

The airline is planning three weekly round-trips through Oct. 28.

Delta currently offers nonstop ATH flights from its Atlanta, Boston and JFK hubs. So this will give the carrier a total of four routes to the Greek capital, which for some travelers is the final destination — and for others a gateway to the Greek islands.

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A longer 'summer' season

The last two summers, Delta opened up all-new destinations in Europe like Catania (Sicily), Olbia (Sardinia), Malta and Porto.

For 2027, the carrier appears to be focusing on stepping up its service to existing European destinations. With this expansion, it's giving Boston and Detroit new links to the continent, along with that new Paris nonstop from Austin.

Expanding into earlier spring

But it's not just new routes.

Delta on Friday also revealed it will lengthen its peak “summer” travel season across the Atlantic.

In recent years, a host of carriers — especially Delta — have noted how a growing number of flyers are visiting Europe earlier in the spring, or later in the fall.

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Conrad Athens The Ilisia. ELLIE NAN STORCK/THE POINTS GUY

This can be a great way to avoid the brutal heat waves and massive crowds that are increasingly a reality for travelers making the trip in June or July.

Plus, the spring and fall “shoulder” seasons are often when prices (and award redemptions) are lower.

Delta on Friday said its seasonal routes from Minneapolis and Detroit to Rome will begin earlier than usual in 2027, with flights starting in early March.

Seattle-Rome service will return in April.

And the carrier is also planning an earlier start for its Catania, Porto, Prague, and Copenhagen flights, along with a handful of other routes.

Bottom line

Delta's Europe plans for 2027 look very different than those of top rival United Airlines. United is using its new, smaller Airbus A321XLR to open up routes to some truly off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Delta, meanwhile, is sticking with service on larger widebody jets — and with this announcement, it's focusing on linking more U.S. cities to some of Europe's most tried-and-true tourist hot-spots.

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