It’s easy to say, “they should fly to this destination because there is a market,” but it’s actually more complex than that. While market demand is a key factor in choosing a route, many other considerations come into play. Selecting a route or destination isn’t as simple as planning a camping trip with friends. Airlines, like Delta, follow a stringent process when choosing and selecting routes and destinations to fly to.
Delta Airlines uses network planning to decide where to fly and how to select new routes. The network planning team at Delta analyzes data and trends to make informed decisions about route selection. This process involves understanding customer demand, resource allocation, and strategic goals.
The Process of Route Selection
When Delta Airlines considers adding new routes, the network planning process can take between one to five years. The team begins by monitoring trends and brainstorming potential destinations. For example, planning for summer 2025 routes may start in winter 2023. The network planning team meets with cross-commercial leadership and senior vice presidents to evaluate factors that influence route selection.
These factors include short-term customer demand, Delta’s financial performance, allocation of aircraft and staffing, competitive positioning, and the strategic value of the route. Delta Airlines’ network planning team ensures that each new route aligns with the airline’s resources and customer needs.
Customer Data in Network Planning
Customer trends play an important role in how Delta Airlines selects routes. The network planning team analyzes data on where people want to fly, how often they travel, preferred flight times, seating preferences, and desire for nonstop flights. This information helps Delta tailor its offerings to meet customer demand.
For instance, Delta Airlines has noticed increased demand for leisure destinations in the winter. As a result, the network planning team adjusts the route selection to include popular winter destinations. They also consider changing flight times, as more customers prefer to travel later in the morning rather than early flights.
By cross-referencing customer data with available resources, the network planning team finds markets that provide stable demand throughout the year. This approach allows Delta to best utilize its fleet and crew resources. For example, Delta will fly its largest-ever winter Latin schedule from Minneapolis-St. Paul later this year to maintain demand during the winter months.
Choosing Hubs
Delta’s hubs play an important role in route selection and network planning. Core hubs like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport serve as critical connecting points. They help customers reach destinations around the world by providing seamless connections.
Coastal hubs such as Los Angeles International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport mainly serve local traffic. These hubs cater to customers living in or traveling to those cities.
As Delta moves forward into 2025, the network planning team focuses on strengthening its presence in the Southeast, particularly in Atlanta. Atlanta is the airline’s biggest hub in the Southeast, and the region shows strong demand recovery. By capitalizing on these demand trends, Delta Airlines enhances its network planning and route selection strategies.
Partnerships and Future Growth
Partnerships enable Delta Airlines to expand its network planning and route selection beyond its own capabilities. By collaborating with airlines like Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, and LATAM Airlines, Delta can serve secondary markets and offer more destinations to customers.
For example, the partnership with Korean Air connects over 2,000 passengers daily through Incheon to destinations across Asia. This collaboration enhances Delta’s presence in the region and supports its network planning goals. Similarly, the alliance with LATAM Airlines has doubled capacity from Atlanta and opened connections to over 300 destinations in South America.
These partnerships play an important role in Delta’s network planning and route selection, allowing the airline to grow and serve more customers.
I hope this gives you a better understanding of how airlines select routes and destinations. Keep in mind that opening a route is a long-term investment for the airline, so every detail must be carefully studied. It’s not as simple as deciding which restaurant to take your girlfriend or wife to.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
