Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has announced a significant schedule increase for July. The airline will add almost 1,000 flights across its system next month. This includes an addition in services to popular vacation destinations and major business markets. This comes as the carrier doubles down on blocking seats and maintaining capacity restrictions.

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Delta has worked to make its loyalty program attractive to younger passengers or those new to the airline, and so far, it appears to have worked. Photo: Getty Images

Adding more flights

In a press release viewed by Simple Flying, Delta Air Lines announced that it was adding some capacity owing to the "modest growth in demand." Still, in July, Delta's schedule will be 70% smaller systemwide than it was in the same month last year. Domestically, reductions are at 65% while its nearly 75% for international flights. Here are the markets where Delta is adding capacity.

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The industry has seen record numbers of flight delays this summer. Photo: Getty Images

US and Canada

In the US, Delta is focusing on major hub growth. The hubs that will see some of the most increases in flights are the airline's largest hub in Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Salt Lake City. In leisure markets, Delta is growing the number of flights to Florida and the West Coast. For transcontinental business travelers, additional flights are opening up– especially out of New York-JFK. The consolidated operations in key metro areas and suspended services to select airports will continue.

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Delta Air Lines has a significant presence out of New York-JFK. Photo: Getty Images

Canada still has some restrictions for US travelers. However, Delta will maintain some flights for "critical travel needs." This includes operations to Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Vancouver out of various hubs.

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Latin America and the Caribbean

Here, Delta is operating about 25% of its summer schedule compared to 2019. For comparison, June was at less than 10% of 2019's scheduled capacity. This means that next month, there will be plenty of options for passengers to fly Delta out of the US. Cancun, Los Cabos, Montego Bay, Nassau, St. Thomas, and Punta Cana are some of the destinations where Delta is either adding frequencies or resuming operations.

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Garbuno – Simple Flying

To South America, service to Atlanta is currently planned to resume. Meanwhile, in further destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America, Delta is eyeing a return to Aruba, St. Maarten, and Costa Rica.

Transatlantic operations are pending border restrictions

Current border restrictions are limiting Delta's transatlantic operations. If governments do open up borders for international travelers, Delta plans on reinstating four weekly flights between New York-JFK and Lisbon and daily flights from JFK to Athens. Out of both Boston and Seattle, Delta wants to resume flights to Amsterdam– a key partner hub. Boston to Amsterdam flights will operate four times a week while Seattle to Amsterdam will fly daily. Detroit to Paris-CDG, another major partner hub, is also planned to restart.

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A330s will continue to fly some transatlantic routes. Photo: Jay Singh - Simple Flying

To Africa, Delta is waiting to receive government approval. Currently on the list of resumptions are New York-JFK to Accra, Ghana, and Atlanta to Lagos, Nigeria.

Limited transpacific reinstatements

Weekly service between Los Angeles and Sydney is slated to resume in July. This is Delta's only gateway to Australia. Meanwhile, the carrier also plans to add weekly flights from Atlanta to Seoul–Incheon while maintaining service to Korean Air's largest hub from both Detroit and Seattle.

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Delta only had 18 Boeing 777s in its fleet. Photo: Getty Images

Pending government approval, Delta also is seeking to resume flights to Shanghai via Seoul.

Resuming flights to core markets

Much like American Airlines, Delta is choosing its core markets to start flying again. It is not surprising to see the carrier reinstate flights to partner hubs. In recent years, the SkyTeam member has focused on shuffling passengers through partner hubs over launching its own international routes.

As for some more niche routes, expect Delta to resume those services as demand allows. Some may not come until 2021, while others may take even longer to return. While demand is improving and people are traveling again, there is still plenty of room for growth to pre-crisis levels.

The travel experience is different. Simple Flying recently had a chance to fly Delta and found that the airline has significantly scaled back all meal services and has mandated masks– something that airlines are cracking down on.

Do you plan on taking any of these flights? Let us know in the comments!