Earlier this week, Delta Air Lines announced plans to expand its reach at Los Angeles International Airport, with new connectivity to Hong Kong and Chicago.
The new Hong Kong flight will operate daily from 6th June 2026, whilst those in Chicago can look forward to three daily flights starting 7th June 2026.
The addition of Hong Kong also strengthens the Delta–Korean Air Joint Venture, further expanding the partnership’s reach and enhancing travel options for customers across the Pacific.
Flights to Hong Kong will be operated daily with Delta’s Airbus A350-900, featuring four product experiences: Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort and Delta Main. Passengers can connect to 30 destinations with SkyTeam carriers, or enjoy “Asia’s World City”.
Flights to Chicago O’Hare will operate three times daily with a Boeing 737-800, featuring Delta First, Delta Comfort and Delta Main. All cabins are equipped with seatback entertainment, fast, free Wi-Fi for Sky Miles Members, and power at every seat. This offers connectivity for those who wish to travel further east, make connections at Delta’s LAX hub, as well as tapping into the Midwest to West Coast market.
For those heading to Hong Kong, eligible passengers in Delta One can access the Delta One Lounge. These travellers also benefit from Delta One check-in, a dedicated, concierge-style service from curb to gate.
Flights from Chicago operate from Terminal 5, where a Delta SkyClub is located (the old Air France/KLM lounge for those who remember) for those who wish to charge, nibble, work or relax before you fly. Access is subject to Delta SkyClub’s rules.
In Quotes
Paul Baldoni, SVP of Network Planning at Delta, said:
“Launching service to Hong Kong and Chicago from LAX strengthens our presence in two of the world’s most dynamic markets,”
“As the largest global carrier at LAX, we’re continuing to invest in routes that matter to our customers and deliver the premium travel experience that they’ve come to expect from Delta.”
Doug Webster, Chief Operations and Maintenance Officer, Los Angeles World Airports.
“As one of the world’s busiest airports, LAX is proud to welcome Delta’s new nonstop service to two critical global hubs, Hong Kong and Chicago,”
“These routes not only enhance our trans-Pacific and domestic reach but also reflect the strength of our partnership with Delta in delivering world-class service to travelers across the Pacific and to key destinations throughout the United States.”
Growing out Los Angeles
Los Angeles has seen growth by Delta, both on the ground (with work with Terminal 3, including a centralised check-in lobby, an expanded security checkpoint and an award-winning Delta Sky Club) and in the air with the return of the Shanghai service and the upcoming year-round service to Melbourne in 2026.
In total, Delta operates more than 160 peak-day departures from Los Angeles, with flights to 50 destinations. Its international coverage includes Cancún, Melbourne, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, San José (Costa Rica), San José del Cabo, Shanghai–Pudong, Sydney, Tokyo–Haneda, and seasonal services to Auckland, Brisbane, Liberia (Costa Rica), Mazatlán and Mexico City.
Choice for both Delta and SkyTeam flyers.
Meanwhile, you can bet United Airlines and American Airlines will be keeping a very close eye on Delta, and how many customers make the shift from the Central Terminal Area to Terminal 5 at O’Hare (even with its not-so-great transport links).
It’s an interesting move by DL, they’re the largest airline at LAX but far from a fortress hub (~20% share), but it’s got to be about the connections – besides the double-hubber buzzsaw (AA, UA) at ORD, there’s also service on the lower end from Spirit and Frontier and Southwest out of MDW. But AA is showing signs of weakness at ORD, they just lost gate allotments because of lower traffic, and 3x/day isn’t a huge gamble.
DL seems to have a strong idea of what they want to be in terms of network management.
Waiting for this for years. While DL is usually expensive, it is nice to see the competition for AA/UA on the route. Dl has a nice setup at ORD and could push AA with SKY team connections.