Delta Air Lines is set to launch a new seasonal route this summer, offering nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Anchorage. The service will commence on May 24th and operate once a week on Saturdays using the Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. This move is seen as a strategic decision in the ongoing competition with Alaska Airlines, which has long dominated this route.
According to Ishrion Aviation, flight DL487 will depart from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at 09:00 and arrive at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) around 14:00. The return flight is scheduled to leave Anchorage at 14:45, arriving back in Los Angeles near 21:00.
Despite Delta’s limited operation of once-weekly flights, Alaska Airlines remains the primary operator on this route. Data from aviation analytics provider Cirium indicates that Alaska has scheduled 46 frequencies for January alone, providing over 8,000 seats. In contrast, Delta’s entry into the market will initially offer only four frequencies in May, with a total of 720 seats.
Alaska Airlines has historically held a strong presence in this market and plans to continue its robust operations throughout the year. By March, it will operate daily flights between Los Angeles and Anchorage with increased seat availability.
The introduction of Delta’s service could potentially disrupt Alaska’s monopoly on the route during the summer months. If successful, Delta may consider expanding its operations or increasing frequency based on demand.
Ishrion Aviation noted that Delta last operated this route “around 2021 during COVID recovery,” suggesting that the airline might be testing current market conditions against Alaska’s established presence.
Historically, Delta and Alaska were partners until their relationship shifted towards competition following Delta’s expansion efforts at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). This development led to an end of their partnership in 2017 after more than a decade of collaboration.
Delta has since grown its network significantly from SEA and continues to expand its international routes from there. Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines remains focused on maintaining its dominance in key markets like Anchorage-Seattle while exploring new opportunities such as launching seasonal flights to Detroit starting June 14th.
