Delta says goodbye to the Boeing 777 on Saturday, the one-time 'queen of our fleet'
After a four-and-a-half hour flight from Seattle, the pilots flying Delta Air Lines' first Boeing 777 flew low over the runway at the carrier's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport home -- rocking their wings back and forth in a symbolic greeting to the crowds below.
"This is obviously the new queen of our fleet," Delta's then CEO Leo Mullin told journalists The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The day was March 26, 1999. The 777-200 that landed was the first of what would grow to an 18-strong fleet of the venerable Boeing wide-body over the next two decades.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free new biweekly Aviation newsletter!
But the 777 will never see its silver anniversary at Delta. The last of Delta's 777s flies off to the desert after a final passenger flight on Halloween.
The wide-body was an early -- and unexpected -- victim of the coronavirus pandemic. Delta is retiring all 18 of its 777s and bringing the "future of the fleet forward" -- as chief customer experience Bill Lentsch put it on Friday -- with a flagship long-haul wide-body fleet centered on the Airbus A350.
"It will be a favorable cost impact and a favorable customer service impact," Lentsch told reporters on the accelerated shift towards a primarily Airbus fleet. Replacing the 777s with A350s alone will cut fuel burn by 21% on flights where the latter jet flies.
In addition, flyers can expect a more consistent inflight experience with fewer airplane types in the fleet, he added.
Related: Delta Air Lines will retire its Boeing 777s in latest coronavirus fallout
Delta's final passenger 777 flight, DL8777, is due to depart New York JFK at 1 p.m. local time and arrive at Los Angeles (LAX) at 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 31. The flight will be operated with one of its newer 777-200LRs that were just recently outfitted with the airline's latest onboard offerings, including Delta One business class suites and Premium Select premium economy seats.
From LAX, the plane and several others are bound for storage in the desert at Victorville, California, before they are either sold or scrapped, said Lentsch.
Delta may continue to use several of its 777s for charters and cargo flights through the end of the year.
Related: Why Delta disclosed Boeing 717, 767 retirement plans 5 years in advance
The 777 is just one of six mainline types at Delta, including Boeing 717s and McDonnell Douglas MD-88s, whose retirement was accelerated by COVID. When all said and done -- something that is not slated until 2025 -- the carrier will operate primarily Airbus jets with only 737s and a select number of 757s and 767-400ERs remaining from Boeing.
Other airlines have also removed jets by the dozen. Alaska Airlines retired its Airbus A319s and American Airlines accelerated the removal of its Airbus A330s, 757s, 767s and Embraer E190s since March. And across the Atlantic, Air France said au revoir to its Airbus A380s while British Airways has flown its Boeing 747s off to a retirement in Wales.
Trade group Airlines for America (A4A) estimates that nearly 20% of U.S. airline fleets -- nearly 1,000 aircraft -- were in long-term storage, or anything over six months, as of Oct. 25.
Related: US airlines may retire as many as 1,000 jets due to the coronavirus
Delta's 777 retirement in favor of Airbus jets is tinged with irony. The Boeing wide-body having edged out the competing Airbus A330 for the order in 1997.
Boeing originally pitched the 777 as a replacement for Delta's Lockheed L-1011 fleet in 1996, according to reporting by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While the jet was viewed as too large for the L-1011s primarily U.S. domestic routes, the planemakers decision to stretch the 767 -- what became the 767-400ER -- to replace the Lockheed tri-jet ultimately landed it an order for more than 100 737s, 767s and ultimately 777s.
The first 777-200s flew primarily between Delta's U.S. hubs and large European cities like Frankfurt, London and Paris. The addition of the 777-200LRs with a longer range allowed the airline to add new far flung destinations like Johannesburg, South Africa, and Sydney, Australia, to its map.
"The 777 played an important role with Delta since 1999, allowing us to open new long-haul markets and grow our international network as we transformed into a global airline," said Delta CEO Ed Bastian in a statement. "I've flown on that plane often and I love the customer experience it has delivered over the years."
Related: Delta CEO talks recovery, says we 'have no documented transmissions onboard our aircraft'
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees