Delta to expand flights at Miami International

Delta Air Lines plans to add 13 new daily nonstop domestic flights to Miami International Airport, boosting connections to the South Florida gateway to Latin America as it grows its partnership with LATAM Airlines, the leading South American airline.

Atlanta-based Delta last year announced it was investing $1.9 billion to take a 20% stake in LATAM and another $350 million to support the establishment of a strategic partnership with LATAM. The move undercut the prior relationship between American Airlines and LATAM, which subsequently left the oneworld alliance, of which American is a leading member.

With the new service, Delta will boost its domestic flying from 28 daily flights to Miami to 41 by June 28, 2020. Most of the new flights will start in May and be operated with Embraer E175 aircraft.

New daily service between Delta’s Salt Lake City, Utah hub and Miami will be operated with a Boeing 737-800 and commence June 28.

Delta will offer 5X-daily flights between Orlando, Florida, and Miami starting May 4, all with E175s. It will offer a 2X-daily service between Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Miami from May 22 with E175s. It will offer 5X-daily flights between Tampa, Florida, and Miami starting May 4 with E175s.

“Together, Delta and LATAM will create the most comprehensive combined carrier network throughout the Americas, carrying more passengers between North and South America than any other partnership,” Delta said in a statement, noting, “The enhanced cooperation is subject to governmental and regulatory approvals.”

Delta and LATAM recently announced plans to codeshare on select flights operated by certain LATAM affiliates in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru beginning in the first quarter of 2020, pending receipt of applicable government approvals.

Flights operated with E175s are flown by Delta Connection regional carriers.