Originally Posted by WWads

The key detail to me is that SEA doesn't have any more TPAC destinations than DTW, and between SEA and LAX the only difference is PEK.

I think that DL was desperate for a TPAC gateway, and picked SEA by default, when a long game at LAX would have been the better move. The battle against AS has been expensive for DL, and they don't seem to be making any recent progress. I think they were dealt a bad hand, but that doesn't lessen the fact that SEA will never be DL's SFO, no matter how hard they try.

I'll also go out on a limb by saying that canceling the 787 order was a massive mistake. I know that the order didn't fit with DL's fleet strategy, but I don't see any airlines offloading used 787s to DL anytime soon. Not ordering that aircraft has seriously impacted their long-haul fleet flexibility. The 767 is the right size but doesn't have the range. The 772s and A350s have the range but are too big. United owns the Pacific right now because of a combination of a great gateway at SFO and the 787s. The fact that they are not known for being a great airline strengthens that point.