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Delta Air Lines fleet

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This article is about the mainline Delta Air Lines Fleet, including the historical fleets of the company. For the fleet of Delta's former regional subsidiary, see Comair. For information about the fleet of Delta's regional operations, see Delta Connection.

Delta Air Lines operates 812 commercial aircraft, making it the third largest airline fleet in the world.[1] In the past, Delta used to purchase or lease older generation aircraft and fly them for sometimes up to an age of over 30 years, much longer than most other major airlines. In 2011 however, Delta began a massive fleet-renewal effort with orders for new and modern narrow- and wide-body aircraft.[2] As a result, Delta today still flies the second-oldest fleet among US big 4 international airlines (American, Delta, Southwest & United),[3] however with the average fleet age reduced to 13.8 years.[4]

Many in line airplanes with the Delta Air Lines logo on the tail, parked on pavement behind a fence.
Delta Air Lines planes parked on a taxiway at Kansas City International Airport. The planes are parked due to the sharp decrease in demand for air travel from the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Fleet overview

Delta's fleet consists of 812 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. 455 Boeing aircraft make up about 56% of Delta's fleet, while its 357 Airbus aircraft make about 44%. Its 276 aircraft on order, however, are all for Airbus aircraft types with the exception of a small number of used Boeing 737s. [5] Its 679 narrow-body aircraft comprise about 84% of its fleet, while its 133 wide-body aircraft comprise the remaining 16%.

Delta operates the largest fleets of the Airbus A220, the Boeing 717, the Boeing 757, and the largest passenger fleet of the Boeing 767 worldwide.[6][7][8][9] Alongside United Airlines, it is one of only two airlines worldwide operating the Boeing 767-400ER.

Delta primarily uses narrow-body aircraft for its domestic flights within the United States and international flights from the United States to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and some European destinations. Most of its Boeing 717 aircraft are based in Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and are mainly used for short-haul flights.[10] Its Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Boeing 737 and Boeing 757 aircraft are used for short-haul flights and medium-haul transcontinental flights, while some of its Boeing 757-200 aircraft are used on long and thin flights to Europe. Delta primarily uses its wide-body aircraft on long-haul flights to Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and South America. Its Airbus A330s, Boeing 767-300ERs,[11] and Boeing 767-400ERs mainly operate on flights to Europe, while the Airbus A350-900 mainly operates on flights to Asia and Oceania.

Delta has one of the oldest fleets of any United States airline, with an average fleet age of 13.8 years as of July 2021. Its oldest aircraft types are the Airbus A320-200, Boeing 757-200, and Boeing 767-300ER, which have an average age of 25.4, 23.9, and 24.8 years, respectively. Its youngest aircraft types are the Boeing 737-900ER, Airbus A350-900, Airbus A321-200, Airbus A330-900, and Airbus A220-300, which have an average age of 4.8, 3.0, 2.7, 1.1, and 0.5 years respectively.[12]

In 2012, Delta began fleet renewal with an agreement to lease all 88 of AirTran’s Boeing 717s from their parent company Southwest, with deliveries between 2013 and 2015. These aircraft would allow Delta to retire DC-9s and smaller regional jets and turboprops.[13] In September 2013, Delta ordered 30 A321, its first order with Airbus in more than two decades.[14] This order would later be incrementally increased with 15 more in 2014,[15] an additional 37 in 2016,[16] and 40 more in 2017.[17][18] In addition, Delta ordered 100 A321neo aircraft in December 2017 to replace its aging McDonnell Douglas MD-80/90 series and Boeing 757s.[19]

Delta continued its fleet renewal project with orders for 25 A350-900s and 25 A330-900s aircraft (ordered November 2014) and 95 Airbus A220 (both the -100 and -300 variant) aircraft.[20] In September 2019, Delta assumed purchase rights for 10 A350-900s from LATAM as part of a deal to acquire a 20% equity stake in LATAM airlines group.[21]

In a memo on March 18, 2020, to company employees, Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on airline operations, the company would accelerate the retirement of the remaining MD-88 and MD-90 aircraft, as well as some older Boeing 767s.[22] All the MD-88 and MD-90 aircraft were retired on June 2, 2020, with its final revenue flight from Washington-Dulles to Atlanta on MD-88 (DL88), and from Houston to Atlanta on MD-90 (DL90), becoming the last operator to fly the MD-90 and as well the last major U.S. airlines to fly the MD-88. The retirement of its MD-88s and MD-90s officially ended Delta's 80-year era of flying Douglas and McDonnell Douglas aircraft, which started in 1940 with the DC-3.[23]

Furthermore, on May 14, 2020, Delta announced that the airline would be retiring its Boeing 777s as a result of the pandemic, and to further simplify its wide-body fleet in favor of the Airbus A350-900s.[24] The final 777 revenue flight was from New York-JFK to Los Angeles (DL8777) on October 31, 2020. When Delta announced its June quarter results, it revealed plans to retire the 737-700, as well as accelerate 767-300ER and A320-200 retirements.[25] In September 2020, Delta announced through its SEC filing its plan to retire all Boeing 717-200 and remaining Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, along with phasing out their Delta Connection Bombardier CRJ-200s by the year 2025.[26]

In April 2021, Delta added 25 incremental A321neo orders for a total of 125 firm orders and 100 options to begin delivery in 2022. They also accelerated delivery dates for two A350-900s and one A330-900 to 2022.[27] In July 2021, Delta entered into agreements to lease 7 used A350-900s and acquire 29 used Boeing 737-900ERs to complement fleet renewal, with aircraft entering service from 2022 after modifications to Delta cabin configurations.[28] In August 2021, Delta increased its A321neo firm order by another 30 for a total of 155 firm orders and 70 options. [29]

Current fleet

As of August 2021, Delta Air Lines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[12][5][30][31]

Delta Air Lines fleet
Aircraft In
service 		Orders Passengers Refs Notes
J F W Y+ Y Total
Airbus A220-100 41 4[32] — 12 — 15 82 109 [33]
Airbus A220-300 9 41[32] — 12 — 30 88 130 [34]
Airbus A319-100 57 — — 12 — 18 102 132 [35]
Airbus A320-200 56 — — 16 — 18 123 157 [36]
Airbus A321-200 122 5 — 20 — 29 142 191 [37]
Airbus A321neo — 155[38] — 20 — 42 132 194 [39] Deliveries deferred to 2022.[40]
Airbus A330-200 11 — 34 — — 32 168 234 [41] To be retrofitted with Premium Select seats.[42]
Airbus A330-300 31 — 34 — — 40 219 293 [43][44]
21 24 203 282
Airbus A330-900 11 26[45] 29 — 28 56 168 281 [46]
Airbus A350-900 19 23[28] 32 — 48 36 190 306 [47] 7 used aircraft leased, to enter service from 2022.[28][48]
10 new orders assumed from LATAM Airlines Group.[49]
Boeing 717-200 53 — — 12 — 20 78 110 [50] To be retired by 2025.[51]
Boeing 737-800 77 — — 16 — 36 108 160 [52]
Boeing 737-900ER 137 22[28] — 20 — 21 139 180 [53] 29 used aircraft to enter service from 2022.[28][48]
Boeing 757-200 100 — — 20 41 — 132 193 [54]
29 150 199
16 — 44 108 168
11 — 72 — — 72
Boeing 757-300 16 — — 24 — 32 178 234 [55]
Boeing 767-300ER 40 — 26 — 18 21 151 216 [56]
— 35 165 226 17 aircraft to be retrofitted with Premium Select seats.[42] Some to be retired by 2025.[51]
Boeing 767-400ER 21 — 34 — 20 28 156 238 [57]
40 — 178 246 To be retrofitted with new Delta One and Premium Select seats.[42][58]
Total 812 276

Fleet history

Delta Air Lines past fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Replacement Notes
Airbus A310-200[59][60] 2 1991 1995 Airbus A310-300 [61]
7 Acquired as part of a deal with bankrupt Pan Am, included its transatlantic operations and 45 aircraft.
Airbus A310-300 9 1996 Boeing 767-300ER
14 Acquired from Pan Am.
Boeing 727-100 8 1972 1977 Boeing 727-200 Former Northeast Airlines fleet.[62]
Boeing 727-200 163 2003 Boeing 737-800
Boeing 757-200
McDonnell Douglas MD-90 		Which time the airline operated the world's largest fleet of 727-200, 129 aircraft.[62]
20 Former Northeast Airlines fleet. One crashed as Flight 1141.
Boeing 737-200 75 1983 2006 Boeing 737 Next Gen
McDonnell Douglas MD-88
McDonnell Douglas MD-90
Boeing 737-300 31 1987 Boeing 737 Next Gen
Boeing 737-700 10 2008 2020 Airbus A220 Retired early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boeing 747-100 5 1970 1977[63] Lockheed L-1011 TriStar Retired early due to the 1970s Oil Crisis.
Boeing 747-400 16 2009 2018 Airbus A350-900 Former Northwest Airlines fleet. Last passenger 747 operator in North America.[64]
N661US ship 6301, the first 747-400 is displayed at the Delta Heritage Museum.
Boeing 767-200 20 1982 2006 Boeing 757-200
Boeing 767-300 		N102DA ship 102 named The Spirit Of Delta, is displayed at the Delta Heritage Museum.
Boeing 767-300 28 1986 2019 Airbus A321-200
Boeing 737-900ER
Boeing 777-200ER 8 1999 2020[65] Airbus A350-900 Retired early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boeing 777-200LR 10 2008
Convair CV-340
Convair CV-440 		18 1953 1970 McDonnell Douglas DC-9 Originally decided to buy Martin 2-0-2s but in 1951 ordered ten CV-340s instead.
Eight CV-440s were delivered from 1956 and Delta modified retrospectively its 340s to 440s.[66]
10 Ordered by Chicago and Southern Air Lines were delivered to Delta as a result of their merger in 1953.
Convair CV-880 17 1960 1973 Boeing 727-200
Curtiss C-46 Commando 5 1957 1967 Lockheed L-100 [67]
Douglas DC-3 21 1940 1960 Convair CV-340
Convair CV-440 		[68]
3 Curtiss C-46 Commando Acquired after World War II and operated between 1946 and 1957[69]
Douglas DC-6 12 1949 1968 Douglas DC-8
McDonnell Douglas DC-9 		Passenger amenities included a six-person lounge in the rear of the cabin and two pairs of aft-facing seats in the forward cabin[70]
Douglas DC-7 11 1954 Douglas DC-8 [71]
Douglas DC-7B 10
Douglas DC-8-11 22 1959 1981 Boeing 757-200 Operated the world's first scheduled DC-8 service (from New York to Atlanta) on September 18, 1959.
DC-8-11s were converted to -12s then further converted to -51s.[72]
Douglas DC-8-12
Douglas DC-8-51
Douglas DC-8-33 7 1968 1974 Boeing 747-100 Acquired from Pan Am and utilized for transatlantic interline services.
Douglas DC-8-61 13 1967 1989 Boeing 757-200 Converted in-house to DC-8-71s in 1982-83[72]
Douglas DC-8-71
Fairchild Hiller FH-227 5 1972 1974 McDonnell Douglas DC-9 Former Northeast Airlines fleet.[73]
Lockheed L-100 Hercules 5 1966 1973 None Retired after delivery of wide-body passenger aircraft with large under-floor cargo compartments.
3 Converted to L-100-20 by Lockheed.
Various of replacement aircraft leased from Lockheed during the conversion program.[74]
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 70 1973 2001 Boeing 767-400ER One crashed as Flight 191
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 17 1965 1973[75] Boeing 737-200 Launch customer. One crashed as Flight 9570
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 77 1967 1993[75][nb 1] One crashed as Flight 723
27 2009 2010 Boeing 717-200
McDonnell Douglas MD-90 		Former Northwest Airlines fleet.
Never wore Delta livery.[76]
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-41 12 2010 2011
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 34 2014 Former Northwest Airlines fleet.
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 5 1972 1976 Lockheed L-1011 TriStar Ordered in 1971 due to delays in the development of the Lockheed TriStar, sold to United before delivery then leased back by Delta.
12 1987 1988 Boeing 767-300 Former Western Airlines fleet.[77]
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 17 1990 2004 Boeing 767-400ER
Boeing 777-200ER
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 120 1987 2020 Airbus A220
Airbus A321-200
Boeing 737-900ER 		Early retirement accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
McDonnell Douglas MD-90 65 1995

Notes

  1. ^ Delta originally had DC-9-30s from 1967 to 1993. Delta sold some of its DC-9-30s back to McDonnell Douglas, which sold them to ValuJet, forming ValuJet's initial fleet. ValuJet would eventually become Delta's main Atlanta-based rival, AirTran Airways. However, Delta inherited a fleet of -30s in 2008 when it merged with Northwest Airlines. Two of these had been delivered to Delta in 1967.

References

  1. ^ "World Airline Fleets". Air Transport World. July 2019. pp. 45–55.
  2. ^ "Delta's fleet renewals". Delta News Hub. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  3. ^ Pallini, Thomas. "Delta has an aging plane problem and the pandemic is forcing the airline to finally address it". Business Insider. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  4. ^ "Delta Air Lines, Inc. 2020 Form 10-K Annual results (page 25)" (PDF). ir.delta.com/financials/default.aspx. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Delta Air Lines, Inc. 2021 Form 10-Q Quarterly Report (page 33)" (PDF). ir.delta.com/financials/default.aspx. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  6. ^ https://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-csr.htm
  7. ^ https://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-b717.htm
  8. ^ https://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-b757.htm
  9. ^ https://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-b767.htm
  10. ^ Bihaskar, Vinay (April 28, 2016). "Delta Confirms Large Bombardier CSeries Order". Airways Magazine. Airways International. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016.
  11. ^ Levine-Weinberg, Adam (December 21, 2016). "Will Delta Air Lines, Inc.'s Widebody Fleet Renewal Boost Earnings?". The Motley Fool. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017.
  12. ^ a b "Aircraft Fleet: Delta Air Lines". www.delta.com. Delta Air Lines.
  13. ^ "Delta to take Southwest's 717s". www.cbsnews.com. AP. May 22, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  14. ^ Polek, Gregory (September 4, 2013). "Delta Turns to Airbus with Order for 40 Airplanes". Aviation International News. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  15. ^ "Delta Orders 15 More A321 Aircraft". Airways Magazine. June 2, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  16. ^ Mutzabaugh, Ben (April 29, 2016). "Second big deal in 2 days: Delta to buy 37 more Airbus jets". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  17. ^ Russell, Edward (June 20, 2017). "Delta adds 10 incremental A321s to orderbook". Flight Global. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  18. ^ Tribune, Aviation (May 11, 2017). "Delta to expand Airbus A321 Aircraft Order, Defer 10 A350 Deliveries". Aviation Tribune | Aviation News. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  19. ^ Russell, Edward (December 14, 2017). "Delta picks A321neo for narrowbody replacement". Flight Global. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  20. ^ "Delta expands A220 order book by 5 aircraft to 95 total; TechOps signs MOU for A220 Flight Hour Services". Delta News Hub. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  21. ^ "Delta Air Lines To Acquire LATAM Airbus A350 Aircraft". Simple Flying. September 26, 2020.
  22. ^ "Ed Bastian memo: Delta taking additional steps to protect our future". Delta News Hub. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  23. ^ "By the numbers: A final salute to Delta's MD-88 and MD-90 'Mad Dogs'". Delta News Hub. June 1, 2020.
  24. ^ "Delta's 777 aircraft to retire by end of 2020, simplifying widebody fleet amid COVID-19". Delta News Hub. May 14, 2020.
  25. ^ "Delta Air Lines Announces June Quarter Financial Results and Update on COVID-19 Response Actions". Delta Investor Relations. July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  26. ^ "SEC filings details". September 25, 2020.
  27. ^ "Delta Expands Airbus A321neo fleet". July 15, 2021.
  28. ^ a b c d e "Delta to add Airbus, Boeing aircraft to fleet amid travel demand recovery". Delta News Hub (Press release). Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  29. ^ "Delta continues fleet renewal with 30 additional Airbus A321neos". August 24, 2021.
  30. ^ "Delta Air Lines Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  31. ^ "Airbus Orders & Deliveries". Airbus. November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  32. ^ a b "Delta extends Airbus A220 order book to 90 total aircraft". Delta Air Lines (Press release).
  33. ^ "Airbus A220-100 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  34. ^ "Airbus A220-300 (223) Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs, & Amenities: Delta Air Lines". www.delta.com. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  35. ^ "Airbus A319 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  36. ^ "Airbus A320 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  37. ^ "Airbus A321 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
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  39. ^ "Delta introduces new domestic first class seats for A321neo fleet | Delta News Hub". News.delta.com. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  40. ^ "Delta Delays A321neo, Bamboo says "Come on Down!"". Airways Magazine. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  41. ^ "Airbus A330-200 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  42. ^ a b c "Delta to retrofit Airbus A330, Boeing 767 fleets with Premium Select". thepointsguy.co.uk. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  43. ^ "Airbus A330-300 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  44. ^ "Delta Air Lines Reveals Retrofitted Airbus A330-300 Seat Map". Simple Flying. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  45. ^ "Delta adding 2 more efficient A330-900neos to fleet". Delta News Hub. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  46. ^ "Airbus A330-900 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  47. ^ "Airbus A350 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  48. ^ a b "Delta Air Lines to acquire used A350s, B737-900(ER)s". Ch-Aviation. July 15, 2021.
  49. ^ "Delta and LATAM Airlines to form the leading airline partnership throughout the Americas". Delta News Hub. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  50. ^ "Boeing 717 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  51. ^ a b "Delta expects jet retirement charges of up to $2.5 billion in third-quarteraircraft". Reuters. September 26, 2020.
  52. ^ "Boeing 737-800 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  53. ^ "Boeing 737-900 ER Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  54. ^ "Boeing 757-200 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  55. ^ "Boeing 757-300 Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
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  57. ^ "Boeing 767-400ER Aircraft Seat Maps, Specs & Amenities". www.delta.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
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  62. ^ a b "Boeing 727". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  63. ^ "Aircraft By Type". Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  64. ^ Ostrower, Jon (January 5, 2018). "Final flight for last US passenger airline 747". CNN Travel.
  65. ^ "Delta retires Boeing 777, workhorse for international flying". Atlanta. News. Now. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  66. ^ "Convair 340". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  67. ^ "Curtiss C-46". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  68. ^ "Douglas DC-3". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  69. ^ "Douglas C-47". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  70. ^ "Douglas DC-6". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  71. ^ "Douglas DC-7". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  72. ^ a b "Douglas DC-8". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  73. ^ "Fairchild-Hiller-FH-227B". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  74. ^ "Lockheed L-100". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  75. ^ a b "Aircraft By Type". Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  76. ^ "Douglas DC-9". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  77. ^ "McDonnell Douglas DC-10". Delta Museum. Retrieved April 8, 2019.

Further reading

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