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Delta Air Lines operates the most unique fleet among the three legacy US carriers. While American and United have focused on the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A321neo, Delta is expanding its fleet of small narrowbody aircraft. This includes its Boeing 717-200 fleet, as well as its growing fleet of Airbus A220s. Delta was the first US operator of the A220, and it is now the type’s largest customer. When all aircraft are delivered, the Atlanta-based carrier will have 145 A220s in its fleet.
The Delta A220 fleet is split between 45 A220-100s and 36 A220-300s, with 64 A220-300s on order, per ch-aviation. These are some of the airline’s newest and most fuel-efficient aircraft, and they feature an excellent range for aircraft of their size, while passengers enjoy the low noise levels, unique five-abreast economy layout, spacious overhead bins, and massive windows. Using data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, let’s examine Delta’s Airbus A220 operations in 2026.
How Many Flights Will Delta Operate With The A220?
In 2026, Delta Air Lines has scheduled 97,438 flights to use the Airbus A220 family in 2026. This works out to an average of nearly 267 flights every day. Of these, 51,303 flights will use the smaller Airbus A220-100, while the remaining 46,135 flights will operate with the Airbus A220-300. However, Delta is selling 5,997,550 seats on flights using the A220-300, whereas the carrier will sell 5,592,027 seats on A220-100 flights. This is due to the seating capacity difference between the two.
Delta bases the A220 in New York, Salt Lake City, Seattle, and will also open an A220 pilot base in Minneapolis in the spring of 2026. Within Delta’s network, the A220 serves a few different roles. Primarily, the A220 is displacing the Airbus A319-100, along with the Boeing 717-200 in smaller numbers, from their longest routes to take advantage of the A220’s superior fuel burn. In addition, the A220 is displacing some Delta Connection regional jets from longer routes.
The A220-100 is most comparable to the Boeing 717-200 in regard to capacity, as Delta has installed 109 seats on the A220-100, while the 717-200 features 110 seats. The A220-300, meanwhile, is configured with 130 seats, comparable to the A319-100 which has 132 seats. However, the A220 has a greater range than either aircraft and is exceptionally fuel-efficient. As such, the carrier uses it on a mix of shorter routes with high demand and longer routes to benefit from its efficiency.
The Busiest Airbus A220-100 Routes
The busiest Airbus A220 route in Delta’s entire network will be between Salt Lake City International Airport and Orange County John Wayne Airport. Delta will fly the A220-100 on this route each way 1,577 times, with daily frequencies ranging from three to five flights a day. The A220-300 also joins this route during the winter months, and the corridor sees the Embraer E175 on some days of the week during the low season. During the summer, this route sees five daily Airbus A220-100s.
The second-busiest route with the A220-100 in 2026 will be from Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Delta will deploy the A220-100 on 1,128 flights each way, with daily frequencies typically ranging from twice to four times per day. Meanwhile, the third-busiest route with the A220-100 in 2026 will be from Salt Lake City International Airport to San Jose Mineta International Airport, as Delta will deploy the A220-100 on 977 flights each way.
|
Specifications (per aeroLOPA) |
First Class |
Delta Comfort+ |
Main Cabin |
Total Capacity |
Engines |
Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Airbus A220-100 |
12 |
15 |
82 |
109 |
2x Pratt & Whitney PW1500G |
3,600 NM (6,700 km) |
All three of these routes are fairly short, but they stretch the capabilities of the Boeing 717-200, and the Airbus A319-100 is used on relatively short routes within Delta’s network. The carrier also uses the A220 on longer routes, such as those connecting Minneapolis to Florida and Texas. As a whole, the A220-100 network features a mix of longer routes and shorter flights, but the shorter routes to nearby business centers feature higher flight frequencies.
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The Busiest Airbus A220-300 Routes
The Airbus A220-300 is the larger and more economical of the two A220 variants. In 2026, Delta’s busiest route with the A220-300 will be from New York LaGuardia Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, with the A220-300 set to operate 1,332 flights each way across the year. During the winter, the A220-300 doesn’t always operate this route, but during the summer, the A220-300 is scheduled to operate up to four flights per day on this corridor.
The second-busiest route using the A220-300 will be from Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport to Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport. Delta will deploy the A220-300 on 1,323 flights each way on this route, with daily frequencies ranging from once to four times per day depending on the day and time of year. Meanwhile, the third-busiest Airbus A220-300 route will be from New York LaGuardia Airport to Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport, with 1,180 flights each way in 2026.
|
Specifications |
First Class |
Delta Comfort+ |
Main Cabin |
Total Capacity |
Engines |
Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Airbus A220-300 |
12 |
43 |
75 |
130 |
2x Pratt & Whitney PW1500G |
3,400 NM (6,300 km) |
Once again, the busiest routes with this aircraft type are to nearby business hubs, such as Chicago and Washington DC. The A220-300 is a small aircraft with excellent per-seat economics, and Delta prefers to deploy multiple A220-300s on these lucrative routes rather than regional jets or larger narrowbodies. The A220-300s do also operate longer routes, such as from Seattle-Tacoma to Anchorage International Airport, but these routes feature fewer flight frequencies.
What To Expect Onboard Delta’s Airbus A220s
Delta Air Lines configures both the A220-100 and the A220-300 with 12 First Class seats, the same as its Airbus A319-100s and Boeing 717-200s. These seats feature 37 inches (93.98 cm) of legroom, which is standard in the US for domestic first class. The A220 fleet features the Collins Aerospace MiQ recliner seat, which is also used by Delta for Premium Select on its widebody airliners. However, the A220 is the only aircraft in Delta’s fleet to feature the Collins MiQ for First Class.
Behind First Class is the economy cabin. On the A220-100, there are only 15 Delta Comfort+ seats, which is the least out of any Delta aircraft apart from the carrier’s former Lion Air 737-900ERs, which are set to be reconfigured. The A220-300s are equipped with 43 Delta Comfort+ seats, and this section features the same Collins Pinnacle seats as the standard economy cabin, but with 34 inches (86.36 cm) instead of 31 inches (78.74 cm) to 32 inches (81.28 cm).
The A220 features IFE screens and onboard Wi-Fi, but its primary benefits for passengers are mostly from the aircraft’s design. The A220 features a cabin pressure altitude of roughly 6,000 feet, whereas an A320 or 737’s cabin altitude is closer to 8,000 feet. Its Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines are among the quietest ever made, and the cabin features wider seats, fewer middle seats, large overhead bins, and massive windows. Combined, this makes for a comfortable onboard experience.
Which Aircraft Is Delta Air Lines The Largest & Only US Operator Of?
The aircraft is incredibly versatile and provides the airline with a unique advantage.
How The A220 Fits Within Delta’s Network
Delta originally ordered 75 Airbus A220-100s, but it later converted many of its A220-100 orders to the larger A220-300 variant, and all additional orders were for the A220-300. In total, the carrier ordered 145 A220s, with only 45 being the A220-100 (all of which have been delivered). The A220-300 has lower per-seat costs, and it’s only marginally less capable than the A220-100.
The two are commonly used alongside one another or on similar routes as the carrier right-sizes capacity depending on the time of year, but the A220-300 will become far more prevalent in the future. The A220 is sized as a replacement for the Boeing 717 and Airbus A319-100, but these aircraft all play fundamentally different roles. It mainly flies to large spokes with higher business demand and on longer flights.
The Airbus A319-100 typically serves smaller destinations than the A220 with lower flight frequencies. Meanwhile, the Boeing 717 is flown on regional routes primarily to smaller destinations within the southeastern United States with extremely high flight frequencies.
The A220 fits a unique role, while the A319-100 and 717s will instead be replaced by displaced aircraft. Delta tends to utilize its aircraft less as they age, and older Boeing 737s, as well as Airbus A321s, will be displaced by newer A321neos and 737 MAX 10s. These aircraft will take over the role of the A319 and 717, as these planes are in their roles primarily due to their age rather than a specific capability.
