Delta Air Lines has officially announced a new route to Hong Kong from LAX and expects to begin service on June 6, 2026. Delta had previously served Hong Kong, but it was cut back in 2018.
At the same time, the airline will also add 3x daily flights from LAX to Chicago, a move that will strengthen its LAX hub and keep American Airlines in check. These flights will begin on June 7, 2026.
The Hong Kong flight will be operated by its flagship Airbus A350-900, while the Chicago flights will be flown with Boeing 737-800s.
“Launching service to Hong Kong and Chicago from LAX strengthens our presence in two of the world’s most dynamic markets,” said Paul Baldoni, SVP of Network Planning. “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.”
Currently, Cathay Pacific operates 3x daily flights (this season) between LAX and Hong Kong, and United operates 2x daily flights between LAX and Hong Kong. With the addition of Delta’s daily flight, that’ll be a lot of seats between the two cities.
I see this as more or less an effort by Delta to uplift their Los Angeles presence. With their Delta One Lounge and other premium amenities at the airport, in addition to utilizing their flagship A350 aircraft, Delta seems confident that they can go up against the likes of Cathay and United who already have plenty of captured demand over the Pacific. They’re also an LA 2028 Olympics sponsor and boast a large network out of the airport, so I understand the commitment here.
These new routes will also be complemented by the return of Shanghai and Melbourne service from LAX.
I still have questions surrounding Hong Kong as a destination; I wonder how resilient the demand will be. That said, I’m always happy to see an Asia expansion from Delta, something that’s been lacking compared to the likes of United.
Featured image by the author.
