Delta Air Lines’ longest routes in 2025 span Africa and Asia-Pacific

Delta then applied for direct Atlanta–Cape Town service with US authorities in February 2022. At that time, United Airlines also requested permission for Cape Town flights from Washington Dulles. Following negotiations that increased available frequencies under the bilateral agreement between both countries, both airlines were able to proceed with their plans. Delta has since operated this route year-round and recently requested approval to shift two weekly frequencies from its Johannesburg service to Cape Town during northern winter months.

Beyond Africa, Delta operates several transpacific routes over 7,000 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). In December this year, it will begin a new three-times-weekly nonstop flight from LAX to Melbourne (MEL), covering 7,920 miles using an Airbus A350-900. The airline will compete directly with United Airlines and Qantas on this route. Another major transpacific service is LAX-Sydney (SYD), spanning 7,487 miles and operated daily or up to eleven times per week depending on seasonality.

Delta also connects Los Angeles with Brisbane Airport (BNE), a distance of 7,161 miles—a route launched in December 2024 with support from Queensland’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund. Service is provided by different variants of the Airbus A350-900 throughout the year.

Other notable long-haul services include twice-daily flights between Atlanta and Seoul Incheon (ICN) at 7,153 miles; Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to Shanghai Pudong (PVG) at 7,137 miles; and additional Asia-Pacific routes above or near this range such as DTW-Seoul Incheon (6,637 miles), Minneapolis-Seoul Incheon (6,248 miles), Salt Lake City-Seoul Incheon (5,906 miles), Atlanta-Tokyo Haneda (6,883 miles), Detroit-Tokyo Haneda (6,428 miles), Los Angeles-Auckland (6,504 miles), Los Angeles-Shanghai Pudong (6,485 miles), and Seattle-Taipei (6,074 miles).

In Europe and Africa beyond South Africa routes mentioned earlier above are services such as Minneapolis-Tokyo Haneda at nearly six thousand miles; Atlanta-Lagos; Atlanta-Athens; New York JFK–Accra; and an upcoming seasonal Atlanta–Accra route set for launch on December 1 using an Airbus A330-900.

Delta’s global reach has grown substantially following its merger with Northwest Airlines in 2008 which brought widebody aircraft like the Airbus A330 into its fleet along with expanded access especially across Asia. The airline continues adding new long-haul connections including New York JFK–Tel Aviv as well as established links like London Heathrow–Las Vegas or Seattle–Seoul.

"the US and South Africa 1996 Air Transport Agreement 'does not confer domestic coterminalization rights for designated airlines of both countries.'"