Delta unveils 39 new and expanded routes to 22 destinations in major route-map shakeup
With a travel rebound on the horizon, Delta's gearing up for a very busy summer in the (domestic) skies.
On Friday, the Atlanta-based carrier shared a major network adjustment, adding numerous new routes and expanding service on many others to a host of outdoor-friendly destinations.
National Parks of the West
Delta is boosting service to nearly every major national park in the West, including on four routes to Bozeman (BZN) — a major gateway to Yellowstone — from hubs in New York-JFK, Los Angeles (LAX), Seattle (SEA) and Detroit (DTW).
The carrier also is adding flights to Glacier, Grand Teton and Yosemite national parks.
Kalispell, Montana (FCA) — the closest airport to Glacier — will get three additional Delta routes beginning in late May, from Los Angeles, Seattle and Atlanta (ATL).
Jackson (JAC), famed for its skiing, hiking and proximity to Grand Teton National Park, will be served from five Delta cities this summer.
Flyers headed to Yosemite can take Delta's new Saturday-only service to Fresno (FAT) from Seattle.
Other additions include new service to both Rapid City (RAP) and Reno (RNO). The full list of new mountain service is below.
| Origin | Destination | Status | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| BZN | JFK | New | 3x weekly starting May 7; daily starting May 28 |
| BZN | LAX | Resuming | Daily starting May 5 |
| BZN | SEA | Resuming | Daily starting May 28 |
| BZN | DTW | Resuming | Saturday-only starting May 29 |
| FCA | LAX | Resuming | Daily service beginning May 28 |
| FCA | SEA | New | Weekends starting May 29 |
| FCA | ATL | Resuming | Weekends starting May 29 |
| MSO | LAX | Resuming | Weekends starting May 8 |
| MSO | ATL | Resuming | Weekends starting May 29 |
| JAC | ATL | Resuming | 8x weekly starting May 29 |
| JAC | LAX | Resuming | Daily starting May 28 |
| JAC | MSP | Resuming | Daily starting May 28 |
| JAC | DTW | New | Saturday-only starting May 29 |
| JAC | SEA | Resuming | Weekends starting May 29 |
| FAT | SEA | New | Saturday-only starting May 29 |
| RAP | ATL | Resuming | Weekends starting May 8; then daily on May 29 |
| RAP | DTW | New | Weekends starting May 29 |
| RNO | SEA | New | Weekends starting May 8 |
Beaches on the East Coast
If you prefer a more relaxed beach vacation, Delta has you covered.
The carrier is adding flights across the Eastern Seaboard, including new service from Boston (BOS) to Hilton Head (HHH) and Myrtle Beach (MYR), both of which will operate on the weekends beginning May 8.
Other East Coast additions include flights to Wilmington, North Carolina (ILM), Norfolk (ORF), Savannah (SAV) and Asheville (AVL).
Interestingly, Delta is the latest U.S. airline to double down on Traverse City, Michigan (TVC). The airport has seen impressive growth during the pandemic, with American Airlines adding new routes there. This summer, Delta will fly to TVC from five of its largest airports — ATL, BOS and LGA , MSP and DTW.
You'll find the full list of Delta's East Coast adjustments below.
| Origin | Destination | Status | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| HHH | BOS | New | Saturday-only starting May 8 |
| TVC | ATL | Resuming | Daily starting May 29 |
| TVC | LGA | Resuming | Seasonal daily starting May 5 |
| TVC | BOS | New | Saturday-only starting May 29 |
| MYR | BOS | Resuming | Weekends starting May 8 |
| ILM | LGA | Resuming | Daily service starting May 5 |
| ORF | BOS | Resuming | Saturday-only starting May 8 |
| SAV | BOS | Resuming | Saturday-only starting May 8 |
| AVL | LGA | Resuming | Daily beginning May 5 |
Summer fun in New England
New England doesn't just boast a plethora of outdoor adventures. It'll soon have expanded Delta service, too.
For those traveling to Acadia National Park, Delta will offer daily flights from Boston, as well as Saturday-only service from Atlanta and Detroit to the nearby Bangor (BGR) airport.
Two popular Massachusetts islands — Nantucket (ACK) and Martha's Vineyard (MVY) — will also get more flights from New York's LaGuardia (LGA) and JFK airports.
Finally, Burlington, Vermont (BTV), will be served from three Delta cities: Atlanta, Detroit and New York-JFK.
| Origin | Destination | Status | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGR | BOS | Resuming (last flew in 2009) | Daily beginning May 5 |
| BGR | ATL | Resuming (last flew in 2008) | Saturday-only beginning May 8 |
| ACK | JFK | Resuming | 2x daily beginning May 28 |
| ACK | LGA | Resuming | Weekends starting May 29 |
| BTV | ATL | Resuming | Daily beginning May 5 |
| MVY | JFK | Resuming | 2x daily starting May 28 |
An international escape
For a bit more adventure, Delta is adding flights to four destinations in the Caribbean.
Beginning June 5, Delta will fly to Grand Cayman (GCM) and St. Kitts (SKB) from both Atlanta and JFK. It'll also serve Bonaire (BON) and Roatan Island (RTB) with twice-weekly flights from Atlanta.
Delta's big leisure play
Friday's move is the latest in Delta's broader strategy to boost leisure flying.
In January, the carrier charged into leisure markets, including Key West and Hilton Head. February was all-in on the Salt Lake City hub, with new flights loaded to Moab, Utah and Durango, Colorado — two outdoor-friendly cities in the west. Then, last week, the carrier announced a major expansion in Alaska, with added flights to five cities in the Last Frontier.
With demand for business-oriented routes down significantly, Delta — and its major competitors — have plenty of spare aircraft that can be used on routes where people are actually flying.
Related: Delta charges into leisure markets with latest route shakeup
Right now, most travelers taking to the skies are looking for an outdoor-friendly escape or visiting family and friends. That's why we've seen airlines double down on leisure markets.
In fact, Delta is seemingly playing "catch up" with its rivals.
Both Big 3 competitors, American Airlines and United, have been playing offense in recent months, quickly adding flights to many of the cities included in Delta's Friday announcement. Southwest Airlines hasn't taken a break either. The carrier has added or announced a whopping 17 new destinations since the pandemic began to affect the United States.
Related: Southwest adds 3 more cities to its ever-growing route map
Alaska and JetBlue are also pivoting to leisure markets. The former recently announced new Bozeman flights, while the latter's new Northeast alliance with AA has fueled leisure-oriented growth, including a nonstop flight from JFK to Kalispell (FCA), sure to compete with Delta's new service.
Nevertheless, Delta is sticking to its longstanding hub-and-spoke strategy. The spokes are now just more outdoor-friendly cities. On the other hand, American and United have each experimented with point-to-point routes bypassing hubs.
Regardless of the underlying strategy, one thing is clear: if you're traveling this summer, every major U.S. airline is vying for your business.
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| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
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Why We Chose It
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.