Delta's shortest NYC route among 3 cuts, 1 add in latest update
Delta Air Lines is making several noteworthy network changes at its New York hubs.
The first is that the airline is scrapping its shortest route from New York City's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
This 101-mile route from LGA to Bradley International Airport (BDL) near Hartford, Connecticut, will officially end Oct. 6.
Delta's regional affiliate Endeavor Air launched this service in 2022 with up to three daily flights. It was downgraded to daily service last June, and now it's being cut entirely.
Value check: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?
When it launched, Delta's New York-to-Hartford route was the shortest at LaGuardia. That title has since been transferred to American Airlines' New York-to-Philadelphia route, which clocks in at just 95 miles.
While Delta's flight provided the fastest commercial option for travelers getting from Hartford to New York City, several aviation observers considered it to be "slot squatting."
LaGuardia is a slot-controlled airport, meaning the number of daily departures and arrivals is capped via slots. These slots are typically distributed on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, so airlines must use all the slots in their portfolio or risk losing them to a competitor.
During peak periods, airline schedules are optimized to efficiently use all the slots in their portfolio. However, during weaker demand periods, airlines sometimes find lower-cost regional flights to "slot squat." Instead of selling or abandoning a valuable slot, carriers will fill their schedule during weaker demand seasons with cheaper regional operations to utilize all their slots.
While Delta may have originally thought that there would be enough travelers to profitably fill a 70-seat plane multiple times a day between New York and Hartford, that experiment seems to have failed.
Now that the airline has freed up some slots that were originally assigned to the Hartford route, Delta will launch service between LGA and Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) beginning Oct. 7.
Endeavor Air will operate the 734-mile route with up to five weekly flights on board the 76-seat CRJ-900 regional jet.
Delta last flew between LaGuardia and Chattanooga in March 2020, so this technically represents a resumption for the airline.
In addition to the changes at LGA, Delta is cutting two regional routes from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Slots and perimeter rules, explained: The little-understood government rule that allows airlines to dominate certain airports
Delta will scrap service from JFK to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) on Oct. 26.
Except for a short break during the coronavirus pandemic, Delta's New York-to-Montreal route has been operated consecutively since 2006. Meanwhile, the service between New York and Baltimore has been operated for more than two decades, Cirium schedules show.
The Baltimore service provided travelers in the region with hundreds of one-stop itineraries connecting via New York. JFK is Delta's main transatlantic gateway, so travelers based in Baltimore could take a short flight to New York and then connect to Delta and SkyTeam partner service to Europe and beyond.
Like LGA, JFK is a slot-controlled airport. Delta didn't file any new routes (yet) from JFK to use the slots that are being freed by cutting these two routes.
It remains to be seen if Delta will add new routes or increase frequencies on existing ones to utilize the slots. As always, stay tuned to TPG for the latest.
Related reading:
- Delta SkyMiles: Your complete guide to earning, redeeming and elite status
- Best Delta credit cards
- Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- How to survive basic economy on Delta Air Lines
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app