After delaying the launch of this service several times, it looks like Delta is throwing in the towel on a planned transpacific flight out of Los Angeles…
Delta no longer plans to resume LAX to PVG route
Before the pandemic, Delta operated a flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Shanghai (PVG). That was of course cut at the start of the pandemic. Flights between the United States and China have been slow to return, given the huge limitations there have been on frequencies between the two countries.
Even with the increases we’ve seen, capacity between the United States and China is still only a fraction of what it was pre-pandemic.
In 2023, Delta announced plans to resume flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai as of late March 2024. The launch date for that was postponed multiple times, and now it seems like Delta has axed these plans altogether.
As flagged by @IshrionA, Delta has updated its schedule to completely remove plans for a Los Angeles to Shanghai route. Most recently, the route was supposed to relaunch as of late October 2024, but that’s no longer in the cards. So while the route could make a comeback at some point, there’s no indication of when.
Delta will continue to serve Shanghai out of both Detroit (DTW) and Seattle (SEA), with up to daily frequencies planned in each market.
With this update and the current planned schedule for this upcoming winter, United will be the biggest airline between Shanghai and the United States, as the airline has plans to offer two daily flights from San Francisco (SFO) and one daily flight from Los Angeles (LAX). Meanwhile American is of course in last place, with daily flights from Dallas (DFW).
United is pulling ahead of Delta at LAX
Los Angeles is a market where all of the “big three” US carriers have a significant network, yet no airline has a dominant presence. We’ve seen all three US carriers try their hand at expanding service there, with limited success. However, as we look at how things have evolved, United is definitely pulling ahead at the airport when it comes to the number of long haul international destinations.
United’s long haul international destinations out of Los Angeles include Hong Kong (HKG), London (LHR), Melbourne (MEL), Sydney (SYD), and Tokyo (HND & NRT), on a year-round basis, as well as Auckland (AKL) and Brisbane (BNE), on a seasonal basis. Shanghai (PVG) service is planned to resume as of August, also on a year-round basis.
Meanwhile Delta’s long haul international destinations out of Los Angeles include Paris (CDG), Sydney (SYD), and Tokyo (HND), on a year-round basis, as well as Auckland (AKL), Brisbane (BNE), and Tahiti (PPT), on a seasonal basis.
Now, I don’t think United will actually permanently succeed with increased service in Los Angeles, but Delta’s reductions are still noteworthy. The airline is handing over its London service to joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic, the airline no longer has plans to fly to Shanghai, and the airline is transitioning Auckland flights to seasonal.
Bottom line
Delta has shelved plans to resume its Los Angeles to Shanghai route, as the airline instead focuses on offering Shanghai service out of Detroit and Seattle. I can’t say I’m surprised, as Delta will still have a respectable network to Shanghai. However, it’s still kind of amazing how US carriers don’t seem to be able to succeed in the LAX to China market.
What do you make of Delta’s Shanghai updates?