Delta expands codeshare with Virgin Atlantic for South Africa routes

Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 787-9s feature seating configurations that include economy, premium economy, and upper class. The airline competes with British Airways on these routes, which are among Virgin's longest nonstop routes from Heathrow.

Both Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic are members of the SkyTeam alliance and operate a transatlantic joint venture. This partnership provides benefits such as earning Delta SkyMiles for passengers flying on Virgin Atlantic. Similarly, Flying Club members can earn points when flying with Delta.

Delta currently operates up to 99 weekly flights from the US to three UK airports: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Edinburgh. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic offers 184 weekly flights from Edinburgh, London, and Manchester to destinations in the US.

While Delta will codeshare with Virgin on flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town, it continues its own nonstop services from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. These include daily nonstop flights from Atlanta to Johannesburg and three weekly flights from Atlanta to Cape Town.

In addition, Delta plans further expansion in Africa later this year with new routes including three weekly flights from Atlanta to Marrakesh (Morocco) and a daily service from Atlanta to Accra (Ghana).

Virgin's only African destinations remain Johannesburg and Cape Town after halting plans for resuming flights to Accra earlier this year.