Delta eyes a big new China route

Delta plans to use a 777-200 for new LAX-Beijing non-stops. (Image: Delta)

The expansion of new air routes between the U.S. and China just keeps growing, and the latest proposal for new daily non-stop service comes from Delta.

Delta said this week it has applied for U.S. and Chinese government approvals to kick off daily non-stops between Los Angeles and Beijing starting December 16. It would be the airline’s second China route from LAX, following its introduction of Los Angeles-Shanghai flights last summer.

Currently, the only carrier to operate LAX-Beijing non-stops is Air China, which has two to three 777-300 flights a day. Those flights are also offered through United Airlines as code-shares.

Delta said it will serve the proposed LAX-Beijing route with a 291-seat 777-200ER, with 37 flat-bed seats in Delta One, 36 seats in Delta Comfort+ and 218 in regular economy. Through its SkyTeam partners China Southern and China Eastern, Delta will offer connections at Beijing to 39 other cities in China.

Besides LAX-Shanghai, Delta’s existing non-stop routes to China include Detroit-Beijing, Detroit-Shanghai, Seattle-Beijing and Seattle-Shanghai. The airline also flies from Seattle to Hong Kong twice a week – service that will return to daily frequencies March 28.

Delta is using a double-gateway strategy to develop its transpacific network from the West Coast, expanding services from both Seattle and Los Angeles. In addition to Shanghai, its other transpacific flights from Los Angeles include Sydney, Tokyo Narita and Tokyo Haneda.

Just last week, three other new China routes were announced, including United’s plans to fly from San Francisco to Hangzhou; American’s proposal for Los Angeles-Hong Kong service; and China Eastern’s new Chicago-Shanghai flights.

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