Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles
Reload this Page >

Are flights to the West coast from ATL considered transcon?

Are flights to the West coast from ATL considered transcon?

Old Jan 17, 2019, 10:33 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,143
Are flights to the West coast from ATL considered transcon?

I know this might seem like a somewhat random question, but would you consider Atlanta to west coast (California, Oregon, and Washington) states transcontinental flights? I wasn't sure, because some ATL-west coast flights come under 2000 miles (ie, ATL-LAX is 1946 miles), and some are short. It's not like JFK, which is decidedly transcon service between JFK and the west coast; however, Georgia is an eastern state, and does hug the East coast, so... it's kind of on the cusp (to me, anyway).

Thoughts?
MrAndy1369 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 10:38 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL PM 1MM
Posts: 3,436
Delta currently defines "trans-continental" as the following select domestic markets:

Domestic Routes include:

  • New York-Kennedy (JFK) to/from Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), San Diego (SAN) and Seattle (SEA)
  • New York-Kennedy (JFK) to/from Las Vegas (LAS)
  • Washington D.C. (DCA) to/from Los Angeles (LAX)
  • Boston (BOS) to/from San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX)
  • Atlanta (ATL) to/from Honolulu (HNL)
  • Minneapolis (MSP) to/from Honolulu (HNL)
obscure2k, Hepsaint and Often1 like this.
mnbp is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 10:39 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,362
Has nothing to do with distance.

DL owns ATL, no reason for them to offer premium seats/service to compete. I guess when WN announces full direct access lie flats on that route it would change :-)
exwannabe is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 10:39 am
  #4  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Transcons for airlines are usually coast to coast I think
AANYC1981 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 10:41 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 4,586
ATL is borderline in my view. I always think of it as an east coast hub, but in terms of longitude, it's right between Chicago (definitely not transcon) and Miami (definitely transcon).
joejones is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:16 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta, Hilton, Hertz
Posts: 452
i agree. They don't have to so they don't since they virtually own atlanta. When I fly from lax/sfo/sea to atl, I consider it transcon.
micstatic is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:22 am
  #7  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Originally Posted by MrAndy1369
It's not like JFK, which is decidedly transcon service between JFK and the west coast...
Not every West Coast destination gets the full lie-flat Delta One service. Not every destination that sees some D1 service has all flights with D1 service. As has been noted, it's not flight distance that determines service standards and aircraft used.
3Cforme is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:23 am
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,143
Just to clarify, I'm not asking because of F/D1 service standards. I'm asking purely from a distance/descriptive point of view. For example, I wouldn't consider DCA-PHX to be a transcon, but I'd consider DCA-LAX to be one. ATL is a bit rough because it's on the east coast, but kind of a bit far inland from the ocean. CLT shares the same problem - is it a transcon hub or more of a longer midcon hub?

I personally consider all transcontinental cities to be BOS, JFK, LGA, EWR, PHL, DCA, IAD (although IAD is pushing it a bit as it's further inland), BWI, RDU, and MIA. The borderline cities, IMHO, would be CLT and ATL, and maybe IAD.

However, how do you define transcontinental? Purely coast to coast? As MD is east of VA where IAD is located... and SC is east of GA where ATL is located... would that still make them transcontinental?
MrAndy1369 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:29 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Delta PM/2MM, Marriott Ambassador Elite/Lifetime Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 142
Are you just digging into semantics, or are you wondering about offerings? Delta does not have a D1 service offering from ATL to LAX/SFO/SEA like they do according to mnbp's answer above. That said, as a CHS-based flyer I appreciate the occasional wide-body equipment flights on this route, even without D1 service. (Usually a 4am wake-up for me, so an upgrade means I get to sleep on the way to Monday morning meetings!)
webmarks is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:34 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: Non-Affiliated
Posts: 7,413
Originally Posted by MrAndy1369
Just to clarify, I'm not asking because of F/D1 service standards. I'm asking purely from a distance/descriptive point of view. For example, I wouldn't consider DCA-PHX to be a transcon, but I'd consider DCA-LAX to be one. ATL is a bit rough because it's on the east coast, but kind of a bit far inland from the ocean. CLT shares the same problem - is it a transcon hub or more of a longer midcon hub?

I personally consider all transcontinental cities to be BOS, JFK, LGA, EWR, PHL, DCA, IAD (although IAD is pushing it a bit as it's further inland), BWI, RDU, and MIA. The borderline cities, IMHO, would be CLT and ATL, and maybe IAD.

However, how do you define transcontinental? Purely coast to coast? As MD is east of VA where IAD is located... and SC is east of GA where ATL is located... would that still make them transcontinental?
For me it's always been when you will likely take off over one ocean and approach (or potentially approach) from the other with only land between you. (Yes, I know its not perfect as runway alignments, traffic flow, etc)
james318 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:35 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: PHX
Programs: Delta DM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HHonrs Diamond
Posts: 1,336
The definition of transcon does not matter unless it grants a different level of service. For DL, transcon is limited to where they have to compete against Jet Blue mint and other airlines' premium offerings. No JB Mint in Atlanta.

I personally would call transcon to be any city pair where the West-East route that could be reasonably flown by a red-eye. Typically a flight that leaves before midnight and arrives after 530am.
FlyBitcoin is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:57 am
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 22,885
DL doesn't really use the term much any more. They've dropped the term from the lounge access rules (where it was previously found) and now refer to domestic Delta One flights as domestic flights which grant access. It was previously used to refer to the non-stop JFK routes that granted lounge access when in the premium cabin which included flights as short as JFK-DEN (but not JFK-SLC) for a period of time.
MSPeconomist likes this.
xliioper is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 12:18 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA GLD Skymiles DM MM, a+ rewards lifetime elite, AS, Marriott plat, PC plat, HH gold
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by exwannabe
Has nothing to do with distance.

DL owns ATL, no reason for them to offer premium seats/service to compete. I guess when WN announces full direct access lie flats on that route it would change :-)
AA is going to try ATL-LAX A321T for the Super Bowl. A321T LAX-ATL / Atlanta in Feb 2019?
We can dream in ATL right?
turkeyRIOO is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 12:24 pm
  #14  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Just like "international" terms such as "transcontinental" are irrelevant. All that matters is how the service standard is applied to the route.

If DL wants to sell ORD-PHX as TCON, and ATL-LAX as not, so be it.
Often1 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 12:25 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DCA, LEX
Programs: DL Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Caesars Diamond, K Fund
Posts: 375
Originally Posted by MrAndy1369

I personally consider all transcontinental cities to be BOS, JFK, LGA, EWR, PHL, DCA, IAD (although IAD is pushing it a bit as it's further inland), BWI, RDU, and MIA. The borderline cities, IMHO, would be CLT and ATL, and maybe IAD.
Bolding Mine

Is this a serious statement? The airports are separated by ~25 miles, not to mention the perimeter rule at DCA which would limit the # of transcons. DL flies IAD-SEA and I would personally consider that a transcon.
DCFinanceinFlight is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.