Delta unveils five exciting new routes, including a special LaGuardia service

Delta Airlines has made a new announcement, and this one includes a plethora of exciting new flight options. Instead of expanding service from its major hub airports, the Atlanta-based carrier is focusing on improving point-to-point connections.

Drake Castañeda, a spokesman for the airline, has confirmed the following five routes would be added by the end of the year, according to The Points Guy.

• Austin — Orlando

• Austin — Las Vegas

• Las Vegas — Sacramento

• Las Vegas — San Diego

• New York — Nassau, Bahamas

Starting on October 9, a number of routes pointed out earlier are set to take flight, with one notable exception of the new LaGuardia service. This particular route is scheduled to launch on December 16, strategically timed to coincide with the extremely busy winter holiday season.

Delta will provide twice-daily service between Las Vegas and San Diego, while the other new routes will operate once-daily. Delta will add the extra flights to its schedule this weekend, and customers will be able to book them beginning Monday, July 10.

The airline’s expansion into Austin and Las Vegas does not involve any hub cities. Point-to-point flights, on the other hand, link bustling O&D markets with high demand for nonstop service. This is also the reason why Delta will face intense competition on these routes from the likes of American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and other carriers.

It’s significant to note that one of the biggest aviation markets in recent years has been Austin. The Texas capital experienced enhanced service from a variety of airlines throughout the pandemic, especially American Airlines, which expanded its presence in the city by adding a number of new routes in successive waves.

Prior to the pandemic, Austin was one of Delta’s five focus cities, along with Cincinnati, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham, and San Jose, CA. Since then, the list has been reduced to just two important airports: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).

As a result, it shouldn’t be unexpected that Delta is expanding in Austin as it is still the airline’s focus city. According to Cirium schedules, the airline’s last flight between Austin and Orlando was in January 2015, while its route to Las Vegas is a brand-new route.

Austin has experienced a consistent influx of businesses due to it being one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas. It’s also a well-liked destination for tourist groups thanks to the city’s thriving arts and entertainment sector.

Recently, new flights from American, Alaska, Allegiant Air, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, and Southwest have all been announced. Millions of tourists and business travelers visit Vegas every year, and Delta’s new routes there should help the airline expand its presence in Las Vegas and throughout the West Coast. (According to Cirium schedules, the Vegas to San Diego service is a resumption from April 2020.)

Last but certainly not least, on December 16 to April 7, 2024, a unique new seasonal daily trip will begin operating from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York to Nassau.

Since LGA lacks a federal inspection station for customs and immigration requirements, new foreign services to and from the airport aren’t frequently seen. As a result, only pre-cleared international flights that offer U.S. customs and immigration before departure are permitted to land at LaGuardia. Nassau International Airport is one such airport, so when you get to LaGuardia, you’ll effectively be treated like you just got off a domestic flight.

JetBlue’s current flight in this market will face off against the addition of this new route from New York. Since LaGuardia is the airport of choice for many New Yorkers, Delta should have no trouble promoting this new service to people wishing to enjoy some summertime vibes this winter.

Delta stopped operating flights between the two locations in January 2017, and this change will not affect the airline’s current service from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to Nassau.

Evie Blanco, a seasoned entertainment journalist who has transitioned to travel writing, has a distinguished career spanning almost ten years. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the vibrant and diverse city of Queens, New York, she has experienced the best of both worlds. She is passionate about many forms of aesthetic expression, including contemporary architecture, and is also quite knowledgeable about hip-hop music, culture, and its history. Evie enjoys writing about various travel-related topics, including exciting new foreign places to visit, festivals, new family-owned restaurants, and even recently renovated hotels. She can be reached at evieblanco@detourxp.com.

This story was originally published July 10, 2023 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Delta unveils five exciting new routes, including a special LaGuardia service."