Delta is slashing 5 routes and adding one in its latest network adjustment — see the full list
- Delta Air Lines is cutting five regional routes as demand continues to lag in small markets.
- Dropped cities include places like Moline, Illinois, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is once again making changes to its flight schedule.
On Tuesday, the carrier confirmed to Insider that it has cut five regional routes, including four from Detroit, Michigan, and one from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"We continue to monitor and adjust our flight schedules as needed on an ongoing basis; staying in line with current customer demand trends," Delta told Insider.
All routes are either operated by regional partner SkyWest Airlines or Delta's wholly-owned carrier Endeavor Air. The airline will still serve all five cities from other hubs.
Here is the full list of dropped routes, which was first reported by The Points Guy:
- Flights between Detroit and Allentown, Pennsylvania, will end on September 11
- Flights between Detroit and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will end on October 5
- Flights between Detroit and Dayton, Ohio, will end on October 5
- Flights between Detroit and Fort Wayne, Indiana, will end on October 5
- Flights between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Moline, Illinois, will end on October 5
The cuts are the latest in a slew of schedule changes Delta has made since December, like nixing flights between Salt Lake City and Columbus, Ohio, and between Minneapolis and Lansing, Michigan.
The carrier cited low demand and high operating costs as the reason for prior cuts, which have also plagued many other small markets.
Henry Harteveldt, travel analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, told Insider in November that airlines are focused on profitability and they do not have a "civic responsibility" to serve airports that are unsustainable.
The pilot shortage has exacerbated the problem, with both United Airlines and American Airlines grounding about 100 regional jets each because they do not have enough pilots to fly them.
Moreover, regional carriers have struggled to retain talent because their pilots are getting hired by major carriers. Jonathan Ornstein told CNBC in May that it takes three months to replace departing pilots, saying the airline could "use about 200 pilots."
While Delta is continuing to cut routes, it is also adding at least one new one. Specifically, the carrier will start flying between Boston and White Plains, New York, on October 6, which will be operated by regional affiliate Republic Airways.
The carrier is also adding its brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft to six routes, which will simplify Delta's fleet and complement its current A321ceos. The plane first flew from Boston to San Francisco on May 20 but also plans to fly between several other city pairs, like Boston and Denver, Boston and Seattle, Boston and San Diego, and New York-JFK and Seattle.
Here is the full list of new A321neo routes:
Between Atlanta and Orlando
Delta will fly between Atlanta and Orlando on select days between October 10 and November 2.
Between Los Angeles and Orlando
Delta will fly daily between Los Angeles and Orlando from October 20 through November 8.
Between Los Angeles and Orlando
Delta will fly on select days between Los Angeles and Minneapolis from September 23 through November 8.
Between Los Angeles and Kahului
Delta will fly on select days between Los Angeles and Kahului from September 20 through November 8.
Between Los Angeles and Seattle
Delta will fly on select days between Los Angeles and Seattle from September 12 through November 3.
Between Seattle and Orlando
Delta will fly daily between Seattle and Orlando from October 6 through November 8.