Delta Brings Back Popular Nonstop Route to Nigeria From This U.S. Hub

02.05.2024 - 17:44 / travelandleisure.com / Delta I (I) / Joe Esposito / Airlines

Delta has big route expansion plans this year to Nigeria, Ghana, and beyond, reaffirming its position as “the largest U.S. carrier in Africa.” 

Starting Dec. 1, the airline will bring back daily service between New York-JFK and Lagos after it was paused in 2022, Delta recently announced. The airline will fly its Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the route with 223 seats, featuring Delta One, Premium Select, Comfort+, and Main Cabin classes.

Delta’s newest flight will complement daily Lagos service out of its Atlanta mega hub. While the airline will then reduce route frequencies from New York to 3x weekly on Jan. 16, 2025, Delta says it will operate an impressive 10x weekly flights between the U.S. and Nigeria. 

Along with the announcement, Delta has shared that it will upgrade its long-haul fleet on other routes to Africa to accommodate more passengers than ever. Starting this summer, the airline will swap its larger Airbus A350-900 into service on routes from Atlanta to Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa. 

Delta will also upgrade its daily New York-to-Ghana route in late October on an Airbus A330-900neo, which is dedicated to “transoceanic flights between higher-traffic airports,” according to the airline. With the ability to serve nearly 1,000 more passengers every week, this newer aircraft even features the airline’s Delta One suite product with privacy doors. 

All of these flights are bookable on Delta’s website, with the new aircraft types reflected online.

“These enhancements reflect our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our customers,” Delta’s senior vice president of network planning, Joe Esposito, said in a statement. “We’re expanding our options for customers to experience the premium service and elevated hospitality they expect from Delta.” 

In total, the airline says these fleet adjustments and route expansion plans will bring more than half a million customers between the U.S. and Africa. The news builds upon Delta’s codeshare partnership with Kenya Airways announced last year, helping travelers reach nearly three dozen destinations across the African continent.