Delta Air Lines will retire its Boeing 777 aircraft by the end of 2020. It has been a popular aircraft with passengers and has been made even better since the recent full refit was completed. If you want to fly on it before retirement, look to the long haul routes now being restarted.

Retiring the 777 by the fall

The news that Delta was to retire it's entire 777-200 fleet came as something of a surprise when it was announced on May 14th. Talking about the retirement in a company statement, Gil West, Delta's Chief Operating Officer, said,

"We're making strategic, cost-effective changes to our fleet to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while also ensuring Delta is well-positioned for the recovery on the backside of the crisis. The 777 has been a reliable part of Delta's success since it joined the fleet in 1999 and because of its unique operating characteristics, opened new non-stop, ultra-long-haul markets that only it could fly at that time."

On June 18th, Delta went further and indicated that the last 777 flight would be in the fall. This makes sense, as any increase in demand the airline may see over the summer will naturally decrease again towards year-end.

The pandemic has stopped most of the long haul routes that the 777 and that A350 operate. The 777 has continued to see service however on several routes. It has operated aid and supply flights to Asia and citizen repatriation flights from distant cities, including Sydney, Mumbai, and Manila.

Delta Air Lines grounded planes
The airline did see a slight increase in revenues in Q4 compared to Q3. Photo: Getty Images

But where will it operate going forward?

The 777 has always operated the longest routes with Delta, and there is no indication yet that will change as it approaches retirement. As the aircraft are all equipped with all four Delta seat options cabins (Delta One, Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin), and have high passenger capacity, they are likely to continue to serve these premium, long-haul routes.

Before the route was suspended in March, the 777 operated all flights to Sydney. Tickets for this route are on sale, and it is scheduled to be still operated by the 777. But with continued entry restrictions, it may not operate, or be an easy choice of destination for many.

Delta Sydney flights
The 777-200 is currently scheduled for Sydney flights. Image: Delta Air Lines

Other Asian options include Tokyo, Shanghai, and Seoul. Some Atlanta to Haneda flights are currently scheduled as 777 operated. Delta has confirmed it wants to restart service to Shanghai, with a stop in Seoul. It has continued to operate cargo flights on this route throughout the pandemic, both with the 777 and the A350, but is not yet clear which aircraft will operate it when passenger flights resume.

In the past, the 777 has operated Delta's flights to Johannesburg. This is one route that the A350 cannot fly, as performance is affected by the heat and airport elevation. Delta is planning to change the routing to operate via Cape Town, which will allow the A350 to operate, but this will take time to setup. Until then, if flights to South Africa resume, they will be 777 operated.

As for European routes, these are mostly operated by the A330. Some of these routes have seen 777s recently, including Atlanta to Amsterdam, and this may re-appear as service increases.

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

A great aircraft to fly

Wherever you manage to get a flight to, the Delta 777 is a great aircraft to fly. The fleet has recently been upgraded and featured the latest cabins, and Delta One Suite. It also offers Comfort+ seats, which are lacking on the A350. These are often made available for free to elite members, a nice perk that will be missed.

The refit shows that the retirement was not planned before COVID-19 hit, and many have found the retirement surprising. Delta's 767s, for example, are older than the 777s. This does mean though there is potentially more resale value for the 777. And when combined with the more prolonged impact expected for long haul international flights, made these the choice to go.

What do you think about Delta's plans to retire the 777? Would you like to fly it one last time, or do you prefer the A350?