Delta has a list of focus cities, and some are surprising
Jun 27, 2019, 7:55 pm
#136
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: DL PM MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,276
good point! actually if SJC-JFK could have a meal like other long-haul domestic - that will be great, I mean SEA-RDU/MCO has free cheese&fruit..
At the same time, I see a news that with 764s being reconfigured, all LAX-JFK will be wide-body 763s.. maybe that can spare a 752 for SJC-JFK (dreaming...
)
At the same time, I see a news that with 764s being reconfigured, all LAX-JFK will be wide-body 763s.. maybe that can spare a 752 for SJC-JFK (dreaming...
)
Jun 27, 2019, 8:44 pm
#137
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
May numbers for AUS just got posted and DL is up 11.2% YoY for pax carried. Pretty sure that virtually all of this is from using larger aircraft...717s look like they're being rotated out of here, at least for the high season...rather than additional frequencies. But hey, I haven't noticed any flights using 737s out of here on DL so I'm not complaining.
Probably doesn't hurt that #1 and #2 here both have a good chunk of MAX8s, so they can't grow as much (airport-wide traffic is up ~9%, WN and AA are ~6%). These numbers also put DL at ~10k pax per month (departures + arrivals) behind #3 UA, with a gap that's closing in every successive month (though NK just started a daily run to ATL so maybe that trend will slow momentarily). And that's without any new destinations.
With all that said, a 717 (or 220!) to BNA would be lovely; WN has 3x daily on that route with ~$350 R/T fares, and turnabout is fair play given that WN just started AUS-RDU. Probably an easier route to make money on than AUS-SJC, as fares are ~$50 OW lower on the latter.
Probably doesn't hurt that #1 and #2 here both have a good chunk of MAX8s, so they can't grow as much (airport-wide traffic is up ~9%, WN and AA are ~6%). These numbers also put DL at ~10k pax per month (departures + arrivals) behind #3 UA, with a gap that's closing in every successive month (though NK just started a daily run to ATL so maybe that trend will slow momentarily). And that's without any new destinations.
With all that said, a 717 (or 220!) to BNA would be lovely; WN has 3x daily on that route with ~$350 R/T fares, and turnabout is fair play given that WN just started AUS-RDU. Probably an easier route to make money on than AUS-SJC, as fares are ~$50 OW lower on the latter.
Jun 28, 2019, 6:43 am
#138
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 3,097
There are 739s on this route occasionally. They'll be in the mix for a few weeks, then disappear for a few weeks.
Jun 29, 2019, 3:38 pm
#139
Join Date: May 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: DL GM, F9 50K, NK Gold...AS MVP 50K soon?
Posts: 213
No way AUS-RDU goes mainline now that WN is competing on the route (unless WN drops it again, which I doubt). Fares on the route didn't seem to bad to start with so I'm not sure DL could fill a bigger plane (even a 717) with fares high enough to be worth their while.
Jul 23, 2019, 1:32 pm
#140
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 1,380
Agreed -- that Delta is growing from something smaller (inherent in "growing"), and that they are still smaller than others at SJC, doesn't seem to be relevant. The bottom line is that DL is growing faster at SJC than it is system wide (by nearly two-fold), which would supports the notion that Delta has a particular focus on growing SJC... hence, "focus city".
Last edited by cptlflyer; Jul 23, 2019 at 1:36 pm Reason: Argh, typos. My bad!
Jul 23, 2019, 8:23 pm
#141
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Delta Skymiles
Posts: 1,982
A few thoughts....
I do not believe SLC has been meaningfully beefed up since the NWA merger over a decade ago. Whereas DTW, MSP, ATL all benefited by the reduction/elimination of traffic to the hub cities, I do not believe that NWA (ironically) provided such redundancies, as a better name for them really should have been MWA. Instead, Delta has created hubs in Seattle, LAX, and now SJC. In my mind, SLC has been clearly determined to not be a growing market.
Delta still has 10 empty gates sitting in the basement of MCO just gathering dust, it also has significant space ina. SkyClub that could be re-expanded if necessary. Clearly when they want to build up at MCO they will have room to do so. I think the demographics of MCO will eventually create some growth. MCO is more than just Disney these days, Florida is growing, very populous state, etc. Orlando will be poised for growth, and Delta has the room to do so. Their terminal is actually quite nice, just needs a facelift.... that will come in time. MCO has many horrible operational inefficiencies, but they are more the airport’s problem than DL’s. In fact, DL has been expanding their flights now using floater gates outside of their previous area. Should they eventually want to, I am confident the airport would give them gates 60-89. DL is a great partner for MCO, Disney, and others. In fact, Delta and Song both used to be the “official airlines of Walt Disney World”. Just think if they were to bring that level of coordination back! It would be a real boost for Delta, Disney, and Orlando... particularly if there was to be some connecting traffic through to Florida or add more international routes which went through Orlando. Very convenient for world travelers whether going to Disney or just passing through. Much like JFK really.
I do not believe SLC has been meaningfully beefed up since the NWA merger over a decade ago. Whereas DTW, MSP, ATL all benefited by the reduction/elimination of traffic to the hub cities, I do not believe that NWA (ironically) provided such redundancies, as a better name for them really should have been MWA. Instead, Delta has created hubs in Seattle, LAX, and now SJC. In my mind, SLC has been clearly determined to not be a growing market.
Delta still has 10 empty gates sitting in the basement of MCO just gathering dust, it also has significant space ina. SkyClub that could be re-expanded if necessary. Clearly when they want to build up at MCO they will have room to do so. I think the demographics of MCO will eventually create some growth. MCO is more than just Disney these days, Florida is growing, very populous state, etc. Orlando will be poised for growth, and Delta has the room to do so. Their terminal is actually quite nice, just needs a facelift.... that will come in time. MCO has many horrible operational inefficiencies, but they are more the airport’s problem than DL’s. In fact, DL has been expanding their flights now using floater gates outside of their previous area. Should they eventually want to, I am confident the airport would give them gates 60-89. DL is a great partner for MCO, Disney, and others. In fact, Delta and Song both used to be the “official airlines of Walt Disney World”. Just think if they were to bring that level of coordination back! It would be a real boost for Delta, Disney, and Orlando... particularly if there was to be some connecting traffic through to Florida or add more international routes which went through Orlando. Very convenient for world travelers whether going to Disney or just passing through. Much like JFK really.
Jul 23, 2019, 9:45 pm
#142
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SJC/YUL
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,878
A few thoughts....
I do not believe SLC has been meaningfully beefed up since the NWA merger over a decade ago. Whereas DTW, MSP, ATL all benefited by the reduction/elimination of traffic to the hub cities, I do not believe that NWA (ironically) provided such redundancies, as a better name for them really should have been MWA. Instead, Delta has created hubs in Seattle, LAX, and now SJC. In my mind, SLC has been clearly determined to not be a growing market.
I do not believe SLC has been meaningfully beefed up since the NWA merger over a decade ago. Whereas DTW, MSP, ATL all benefited by the reduction/elimination of traffic to the hub cities, I do not believe that NWA (ironically) provided such redundancies, as a better name for them really should have been MWA. Instead, Delta has created hubs in Seattle, LAX, and now SJC. In my mind, SLC has been clearly determined to not be a growing market.
Jul 24, 2019, 4:58 pm
#143
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 583
Aug 18, 2019, 11:03 pm
#144
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Jose, CA
Programs: Delta Diamond, Delta 1MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 166
I just booked a flight in November and noticed SJC-ATL is using a 752 instead of a 739. Still hopeful more routes will pop up, but I wonder if more seats and frequencies to existing cities is all we’ll see.
Aug 18, 2019, 11:07 pm
#145
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SJC/YUL
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,878
Aug 19, 2019, 7:21 am
#147
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
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Oh neat, I had one of those scheduled changes where nothing really changed this weekend so I didn't drill down on it, but I see now that I'm on a 757 flight in November. Return is still 739 though.
Aug 19, 2019, 8:11 am
#149
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Posts: 1,681
That's exactly what it is.
Aug 19, 2019, 8:58 am
#150
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SJC/YUL
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