Delta Air Lines is eyeing a further expansion to its Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) network, with nonstop services to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) understood to be under consideration for as early as 2028. This would add to the carrier’s recently confirmed Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) route, which is scheduled to launch on April 12, 2027.

The move would pit Delta against American Airlines at its Philadelphia hub and United Airlines at Washington Dulles, while confirming Delta’s ambition to make LAX work as a coast-to-coast base for lucrative corporate and premium travelers.

Delta Could Launch LAX To PHL & IAD By 2028

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According to industry insider xJonNYC on X, Delta’s nonstop services to Philadelphia and Washington Dulles will most likely begin within the next two years for a tentative 2028 launch date. Earlier this month, Delta indicated its intentions for more transcontinental services out of LAX, as well as growing its long-haul international network, including flights to Incheon International Airport (ICN) and expanding its existing routes to Auckland Airport (AKL) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).

As for its transcon ambitions, the carrier announced last week that it will be flying from LAX to Newark twice a day, entering a market that has long been dominated by rival United. This route was originally planned to launch as late as 2030, but Delta has pushed it forward by three years as it accelerates its push into Los Angeles. Having commenced another route out of LAX to Chicago (ORD) this month, the addition of Philadelphia and Washington Dulles would round off Delta’s coverage of key domestic markets from LAX.

Simple Flying contacted Delta Air Lines for comment and received the following statement from a spokesperson:

“Delta is always evaluating opportunities to grow our network and better serve our customers. We don’t have anything to announce at this time.”

Delta Is The Largest Carrier At LAX

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Although Delta does not hold a majority grip on LAX, it is nonetheless the airport’s largest carrier as measured by seat capacity, currently holding around 18% of the market. By comparison, United is the second-largest airline with more than 16%, closely followed by American Airlines at around 15%.

With American gradually ceding corporate market share in recent years, Delta and United remain the primary rivals for lucrative transcon business demand. The competition will be fierce for Delta on flights to Newark and Washington, with United flying up to ten daily frequencies from Newark and up to six daily flights from Washington Dulles, a market where United flies almost nine out of every ten passengers.

Delta’s expansion in LAX also includes significant ground investment, including a second Delta One lounge in the works. Plans for this facility have been kept relatively quiet, but it is now slated for a public opening by 2028. Its arrival would be well-timed should Delta begin its flights to Philadelphia and Washington Dulles around the same period.

Will Lie-Flat A321neos Be Ready?

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Delta was planning on flying many of these lucrative transcon routes with its new premium-configured Airbus A321neos subfleet, consisting of 21 aircraft fitted with 16 lie-flat Delta One suites. However, certification hurdles with the cabin’s Safran Vue seat are preventing these planes from entering service, forcing Delta to adopt a temporary configuration of 44 domestic first-class recliner seats.

Its first premium A321neo was delivered back in October 2024, but had to be parked as certification issues dragged on. Delta has since been flying its reconfigured narrowbodies on services out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to LAX, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

Whether its lie-flat A321neos will be ready in time for Philadelphia or Washington Dulles remains an open question, as there are suggestions that Delta will abandon the Safran Vue seat altogether. Instead, the carrier could opt for the Thompson Aero VantageSOLO seat, a product that is already used by the likes of Iberia and JetBlue.