Delta has shelved plans to operate Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro Galeão next summer, and there is presently no indication of whether it'll return next winter. This cut (or further suspension) means its summer 2022 Brazilian network shrinks by one-third. While Rio is no more, Atlanta and New York JFK to São Paulo Guarulhos are still bookable.

What's happening?

Delta had expected to operate five-weekly outbound flights from Atlanta to Rio next summer for a total of 154, with all now removed, Cirium data indicates. DL61 was to depart Atlanta on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 18:49 and arrive in Brazil at 05:15 local time the following morning.

Returning, DL62 was to depart at 21:50 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It was to arrive back on day three at 06:45. The aircraft: 226-seat B767-300ERs, with the type's lowest-premium configuration, reflecting the leisure-driven and lower-yielding nature of the market.

Delta opened Atlanta to Rio in December 2000, according to the Department of Transportation's T-100 dataset. Following 9/11, it continued to operate until November 2002, before being pulled. It reemerged in October 2005 and ran until March 2020. It will operate in February and March 2022 and will end southbound on March 23rd.

DL B767
Air Tahiti Nui and Air France also fly direct from LA to Tahiti. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

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Over 90% of Rio passengers transited Atlanta

Delta had an estimated seat load factor (SLF) of 89% on Atlanta to Rio in 2019, according to the DOT. That was marginally higher than both the carrier's overall SLF and also its average from Atlanta. What this doesn't show is the yield situation.

According to the same source, the SLF is based on approximately 152,000 round-trip passengers, along with nearly 171,000 seats. Booking data shows that over eight in ten passengers (82%) transited Atlanta, rising to more than nine in ten (93%) when those 'bridging' are included.

Bridging passengers connected in both Rio and Atlanta, such as Brasilia-Rio-Atlanta-Chicago. Delta's relationship with GOL was crucial and meant more bridging passengers than point-to-point Atlanta-Rio traffic. While Delta has ended its partnership with the Brazilian operator, it has created an increasingly deepening joint venture with LATAM.

Delta Rio connecting markets
This map indicates the largest twenty O&Ds in 2019 via Atlanta. One-fifth of Delta's Rio passengers started or ended in Florida despite backtracking. Image: GCMap.

Rio to Orlando was the largest market

With more than 16,000 two-way passengers, Rio over Atlanta to Orlando was the most significant origin and destination (O&D) at airport-level. As you'd expect, it was New York at a city-pair level. Delta had the second-highest share of Rio-Orlando traffic after Panama's Copa via its 'Hub of The Americas'.

Orlando traffic was followed by JFK, Los Angeles, LaGuardia, and Boston. The only non-US airport to make it into the top-10 was Toronto, coming in seventh. Meanwhile, the largest bridging market was Boston-Atlanta-Rio-Vitoria.

Have you flown Atlanta to Rio? Share your experiences in the comments.