Delta adds more flights to Shanghai from Detroit

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A little over a weeks ago we had United Airlines announcing that it would be re-launching its route between Los Angeles and Shanghai and increasing capacity to Hong Kong and now, in a recent schedule update, Delta has added more flights to Shanghai out of Detroit.

Back in 2023, Delta was feeling bullish about its return to China. A daily service between Seattle and Shanghai and a 3x/week service between Detroit and Shanghai were launched in October and we had the promise of a return for the Los Angeles – Shanghai service in March 2024.

Disappointingly, the reboot of the Los Angeles route hasn’t transpired (it was pushed back to July 2024 and now looks unlikely to happen before October 2024), but elsewhere things seem to be going ok.

The Seattle route is still operating daily and is set to carry on doing so through the end of the current bookable period (into February 2025) and the Detroit route is now set to be offered 7x/week (up from 3x/week) from 24 May 2024.

There’s a very slight change to the timings from 1 June so this is what the schedule looks like from then:

DL389 DTW 10:20 – 13:45+1 day PVG (Daily)
DL388 PVG 15:45 – 18:15 DTW (Daily)

Per the schedules, Delta will continue to operate this route using its A350-900XWB aircraft which feature the following layout:

• 32 Business Class seats
• 48 Premium Economy seats
• 36 Delta Comfort+ Economy Class seats
• 190 Economy Class seats

Delta’s A350s were the first aircraft to showcase its all suite Business Class product – Delta One suites – and it was on the A350 that Delta first introduced it’s Premium Economy product (Premium Select).

The Delta One cabin offers direct access to one of the aircraft’s two aisles for all passengers courtesy of its 1-2-1 layout and as well as a lie-flat bed, each suite has a full-height door, customizable ambient lighting, dedicated stowage compartments for shoes, headphones and laptops, memory foam-enhanced comfort cushion, an 18-inch high resolution in-flight entertainment screen, and a universal power outlet, and high-powered USB port.

The Premium Select cabin in the A350 is set out in a 2-4-2 layout (which is great for couples) and offers 48 seats.

The seats in this cabin offer up to 38 inches of pitch, up to 19 inches of width and up to seven inches of recline, as well as adjustable leg rests and head rests.

Blankets, pillows and amenity kits are offered (albeit not as good as what you’ll find in Business Class), and a 13.3-inch high resolution in-flight entertainment screen as well as built-in power ports and storage areas are provided at each seat.

Bottom line

There’s still no firm sign that Delta’s Los Angeles – Shanghai route is definitely returning this year, but From 24 May 2024, Delta will offer an extra four weekly flights between Detroit and Shanghai giving that route a daily service with an Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

[HT: Aeroroutes]

Featured image courtesy of Delta