From lucrative deals for bonus points on hotel stays to generous sales of airline miles, we're finding plenty of travel deals to help you earn and redeem your points and miles so you can book the vacation of your dreams.
12.01.2024 - 17:03 / skift.com / Delta Comfort / Ed Bastian / Delta Air Lines / Delta Ceo / Delta I (I) / Gordon Smith / Airlines
Delta frequent flyers take note – there’s a brand-new flagship coming your way. The Atlanta-based carrier has confirmed that the Airbus A350-1000 is joining its long-haul flying roster. While specific details are still to be announced, expect this new jet to instantly become Delta’s biggest and best aircraft.
The airline already operates the smaller A350-900, and was the U.S. launch customer for the type. This latest order for its bigger brother suggests the carrier is pleased with what it has seen.
Ed Bastian, the Delta CEO said the A350-1000 will be the “most capable aircraft” in the fleet and hinted that it would enable further international expansion for the carrier. While no specific details were immediately available about the layout and cabins aboard the new jet, Bastian teased that it will offer “an elevated customer experience” with more premium seating and “best-in-class amenities.”
Travelers can expect around 15% more premium seats on the new plane compared to the aircraft it is replacing. For more upscale options, Delta One Suites, Delta Premium Select and Delta Comfort+ will all be available, in addition to the Main Cabin.
The Delta deal is for 20 A350-1000s, plus future options for an additional 20 planes. As the largest commercial jet offered by Airbus, this latest order definitely tilts the balance in favor of the European firm. Delta now has confirmed orders for 36 A350s and expects to have more than 60 of the type in its fleet by the end of the decade.
Looking more broadly, Delta currently operates more than 450 planes from Airbus, covering everything from short-haul jets right up to large transcontinental widebodies. While Delta remains a strong Boeing customer for single-aisle planes, including a major order for the 737 Max in 2022, the outlook for bigger jets is rather different.
For its longer flights, Delta flies a mix of Boeing 757 and 767s, along with Airbus A330s and A350-900s. With most of these Boeing jets reaching retirement age, the prospect of an all-Airbus long-haul fleet in the near future is certainly possible, and made all the more likely with today’s news. Even before this latest order, Delta had almost 200 additional Airbus planes on order.
While this aircraft is going to be an exciting new addition for Delta, the model has been in service with other global carriers for several years. Qatar Airways was the first to fly the A350-1000 in 2018, with other big names such as British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways and Delta’s SkyTeam partner Virgin Atlantic all joining the -1000 club in the years since.
Latest Airbus data shows that the plane, including the smaller -900 variant, has more than 1,206 orders from 58 operators. The Delta news comes just days after
From lucrative deals for bonus points on hotel stays to generous sales of airline miles, we're finding plenty of travel deals to help you earn and redeem your points and miles so you can book the vacation of your dreams.
Editor's note: Japan Airlines provided TPG with a complimentary round-trip ticket between New York and Tokyo so we could be aboard the airline's inaugural A350-1000 flight, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of the author and were not subject to review by the airline or any other external entity.
Air India welcomed its new Airbus A350 in December — a first for the nation's flag carrier — and it's an incredible improvement from the airline's notoriously mediocre product.
Qantas debuted its new air safety video on Wednesday, and it hasn’t gone down well. The Australian flag carrier proudly posted a 10-minute version on social media that instantly sparked criticism. Aside from its length, comments have centered around distracting visuals and vague safety instructions.
If there was any doubt about the health of the transatlantic aviation market, look no further than Phoenix. The city has just announced a new route with Air France, connecting the Arizona state capital with Paris. While air services come and go, to secure a European flag carrier on a new city pairing like this is notable.
The Federal Aviation Administration is asking airlines to visually inspect the door plugs on another type of Boeing 737 jet.
Frequent fliers with American Airlines, British Airways and Cathay Pacific have an exciting new membership benefit. Alongside regular perks such as extra baggage and assigned seating, today marks the official opening of the first dedicated oneworld airport lounge.
Air India is starting the new year with a bold statement of intent. On Thursday, the carrier showcased its new flagship aircraft, as part of a bigger plan to present a re-energized Air India to the world.
Utah’s iconic Great Salt Lake is drying up which will have catastrophic consequences if something isn’t done soon, so state officials are taking unprecedented steps to head off what some are calling an environmental disaster on the order of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
Italy’s €1 ($1.10) house sales created an international media frenzy and inspired hundreds of Americans to relocate their lives to stunning hilltop villages and seaside towns.
Atlanta will have a new transatlantic option this summer. From June 17, SAS Scandinavian Airlines will fly nonstop daily between Copenhagen and the Georgia hub. The timing of the announcement is notable for one main reason.
Last week Lufthansa made history. Weeks ahead of its major European rivals, the airline resumed scheduled services to Israel. As of last Monday, the German carrier is offering four weekly flights between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv and three from Munich. The routes mark the first time the company has operated to the country since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in early October.