Delta Guide

Delta is said to carry more passengers across the Atlantic than any other airline in the world today. The comprehensive network of destinations that is maintained by the airline makes it possible to fly exclusively on Delta to many areas of the world, without the need to interline with a different carrier. Over the years, the airline has grown to the point that it offers services to six continents. As of the end of 2009, Delta was the only major US-based airline to offer passenger services to Africa.

Delta History & Information

Headquarters for Delta are located in Atlanta, adjacent to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, considered one of the world's busiest airports today. Along with the main hub at Hartsfield-Jackson, the airline also maintains domestic hubs in Cincinnati, New York City, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. The airline is continuing to operate the former Northwest hubs of Memphis and Detroit, while merging some of Northwest's other hubs with already existing hubs within the Delta network. International hubs are located at the Narita International Airport near Tokyo, and the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Amsterdam.

Delta Routes

Delta's coverage of Africa is broader than many of its competitors. The airline maintains flights to and from the Cairo International Airport in Egypt, as well as the Kotoka International Airport in Ghana. Nigeria is served by flights into the cities of Abuja and Lagos, while South Africa is served by flights to and from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

The Caribbean is served by a number of Delta flights. Antigua and Barbuda are served via the VC Bird International Airport in St. John's. The Queen Beatrix International Airport provides easy Delta service to Aruba. Flights to Nassau make travelling to the Bahamas a simple task, while the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados is on the list of Delta destinations.

A number of nations in South America are home to Delta flights. The Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires enjoys regular flights, as does the Rio de Janeiro-Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro. Flights to Brazil also include the cities of Brasilia, Manaus, and Sao Paulo. Santiago in Chili is a destination in the Delta network, along with Bogota, Colombia and Guayaquil in Ecuador. Caracas and Lima are also popular destinations for Delta passengers.

Delta flights to Asia cover many destinations of interest. These include Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai in the People's Republic of China. In Japan, Delta flights provide services to and from Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. Seoul in South Korea is also on the Delta network, as is Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, and Manila.

Europe is also included in the many destinations served by Delta. Flights to and from the Copenhagen Airport make travel to Denmark a simple process. Paris and Nice are home to Delta flights to France, while the cities of Dusseldorf, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Berlin are part of Delta's services to Germany. In Italy, Delta provides flights to Pisa, Milan, Rome, and Venice. London and Manchester are the sites of Delta travels to the United Kingdom, while the airline also serves Moscow, Madrid, Athens, and a host of other points across Europe.

Delta's most comprehensive area of coverage is the United States. Owing to the merger with Northwest, the airline can now boast a host of flights that effectively make it possible to travel from one end of the nation to the other, without involving any other airline. All major cities in the country are served, including Atlanta, Miami, Tampa, Washington DC, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. In addition, the airline offers services to such key cities as Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Phoenix, and Kansas City. Virtually every city of any size in the United States is served by a Delta flight, or one of the regional Delta subsidiaries.

The Delta Fleet

Prior to the merger with Northwestern, Delta operated a fleet composed mainly of Boeing aircraft, along with a few McDonnell Douglas craft. The Northwestern fleet also made extensive use of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas aircraft, but also included a number of Airbus craft. Both airlines maintained state of the art technology with their craft, including options for entertainment, seating, and other amenities that were very similar. This has resulted in the need for very little overhaul to adapt any of the aircraft to meet the standards of the combined fleet of both airlines.

Additional Information

Delta has operated a frequent flyer programme since 1981. Over the years, the programme has functioned under a couple of different names. The current name, SkyMiles, was adopted in 1995, and is projected to remain the name for the frequent flyer programme of the Delta/Northwest merger. SkyMiles was chosen as the best frequent flyer programme in 2006, in a competition known as the Best in Business Travel Awards.

SkyMiles is distinguished by the airport lounges operated by Delta. Known as SkyClubs, access to the lounges can be purchased using money or accumulated SkyMiles points. Members can opt for short-term memberships in SkyClubs of as little as thirty days. Annual and three-year memberships are also available.

SkyClub amenities include Wi-Fi services, free drinks, snacks, and reading material. In some cities, membership also allows members to enjoy amenities at lounges operated by other partners of Delta.