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If you concentrate, you can catch a whiff of that fresh paint smell. At long last, AvGeeks are being treated to the first images of a fully painted Airbus A220-100 in Delta livery.

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Delta’s first Airbus A220-100 rolls out of the paint shop in Mirabel, Quebec in September 2018. (Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Just Thursday night, the carrier’s first A220 rolled out of the paint shop at the A220 assembly line in Mirabel, Quebec. The painting process took nine days, 200 rolls of masking tape and 165 gallons (!) of paint to complete.

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So fresh, so clean. Delta’s first Airbus A220-100 at the paint shop in Mirabel, Quebec. (Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

The aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier CS100, is scheduled to begin service in early 2019, and will initially be used to fly some of Delta’s longer Delta Connection routes. Delta will be the first US airline to take delivery of the A220.

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Delta’s first A220-100 sees the light of day. (Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Julie Léveillé, an Airbus supervisor in the Mirabel paint shop, had this to say about the occasion: “It’s a tremendous feeling of accomplishment to know we just outfitted North America’s first A220 from tail to tip. I’ve been working in the paint shop for 15 years. It can be a challenging job, but seeing the finished product makes it worth it.”

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Delta’s first Airbus A220-100 moving on to final assembly, then taking passengers to destinations in early 2019. (Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

Larry Cato, a program manager on Delta’s Fleet Management team, added on: “There’s nothing like seeing years of planning come together in the shape of a freshly painted aircraft. It’s a major milestone for the future of our fleet.”

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The sun smiles on a freshly painted Airbus A220-100 in Delta livery. (Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines)

As for the next step in the process? Once we’ve all had a moment to gawk, it will move on to final assembly in Mirabel before taking off for its first test flight later this fall.

If you’re looking to be among the first to ride a Delta A220 using points and miles, now’s a good time to boost your balances. Consider the Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express which provides an additional 10,000 MQMs after reaching a certain level of spend. For avid Delta flyers, be sure to pore over our guide to choosing the best credit card for Delta loyalists.

Darren Murph holds a Guinness World Record as the planet's most prolific professional blogger. He's an explorer at heart, having traversed nearly 50 countries and all 50 US states. He's flown over one million miles on Delta alone, and serves as a senior writer at TPG.

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