Delta received the first of its Airbus A330neos over two years ago in May 2019. Registered N401DZ, it is now one of 11 in its fleet, with a further 27 on order. Where is the A330-900 flying this summer?

Delta's A330-900s (code: 339) have 281 seats spread across:

  • 168 in economy with a 2-4-2 layout
  • 56 in Comfort+ with extra legroom: 2-4-2
  • 28 Premium Select recliners: 2-3-2
  • 29 Delta One suites: 1-2-1

Where are Delta's A330neos to fly?

Between July 20th and October 30th, the day before IATA's northern hemisphere winter season begins, Delta has scheduled the type to operate 16 routes. That's based on its schedule submission to OAG. The 5,677-mile service from New York JFK to Tel Aviv leads the type's top-10 routes by the most seat capacity.

  1. JFK to Tel Aviv
  2. Seattle-Tokyo Haneda
  3. JFK-Amsterdam
  4. Seattle-Amsterdam
  5. Seattle-Seoul Incheon
  6. JFK-Rome Fiumicino
  7. JFK-Paris CDG
  8. Honolulu-Seattle
  9. Seattle-Shanghai Pudong (note: served three-weekly via Seoul)
  10. Atlanta-Seattle

Two routes just about slip into the list of 16 this summer. Both Los Angeles to Tokyo Haneda and Minneapolis to Seoul Incheon are due to resume on October 30th. However, non-stop Seattle-Shanghai has been pushed back to November 3rd. This is a timely reminder of how things can and do change.

Delta's A330-900neo network July 20th to October 30th
These are the routes that Delta has scheduled its A330-900neos to operate between June 20th and October 30th. Seattle is the top airport by total seats, although only narrowly beating JFK. Image: GCMap.

JFK to Tel Aviv

Delta restarted JFK to Tel Aviv in 2018 after ending it in the wake of the attacks on September 11th. In 2018, it was operated by the then-205-seat B767-300ER before the B777 (including the B777-200LR) joined the fray the following year. Things changed again, with the 777 gone – temporarily, anyway.

In 2010, the B747-400 operated to Tel Aviv alongside the B767, and the four-engine widebody remained on the route until 2014. Then, the 777 returned, which was eventually joined by, and replaced by, the A330-300.

Delta JFK to Tel Aviv
This flight was in the air while this article was written. It was operated by N404DX, which was delivered in September 2019. Image: RadarBox.com.

Up to twice-daily to Tel Aviv

Now, in summer 2021, Delta's Tel Aviv service, which climbs to twice-daily from late September, is almost fully by the A330-900. The exception: 13 flights by the marginally larger 293-seat A330-300. The carrier's Israel schedule is as follows:

  1. DL232: leaving JFK at 15:35 and arriving the following day at 09:35
  2. DL233: leaving Tel Aviv at 11:50 and returning to JFK at 17:05 the same day
  3. DL234: departing JFK at 23:45 and arriving the next day at 17:35
  4. DL235: departing Tel Aviv at 23:55 and returning at 05:15 the following day
DL A330-300
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

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Three domestic routes by the A330-900

While the bulk of Delta's A330-900s are obviously deployed internationally even amid a pandemic, it does have three domestic services for the peak summer. 

  1. Atlanta-Seattle: 21 flights from August 5th until September 9th
  2. Seattle-Honolulu: already started; 33 flights from June 20th until September 12th
  3. JFK-Seattle: 20 flights from June 22nd until September 6th

DL364 will leave Seattle at 13:55 and arrive in Atlanta at 21:40. Returning, DL661 will depart at 23:04 and arrive at 01:17. While the return flight seems to have an ungodly schedule, it is simply because the 22:00-22:59 period at Atlanta has Delta's second-highest number of departures across the day, fed by huge numbers of inbound flights.

Have you flown the A330neo yet? Let us know in the comments.