As one of the largest airlines in the world by network and fleet size, Delta Air Lines places a considerable emphasis on long-haul flights. When it comes to the carrier’s most popular intercontinental destination by frequency, you don’t need to look any further than Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) in the Netherlands. This facility is popular not just as a destination in its own right but also as a transit hub.

According to present scheduling data made available by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, Delta Air Lines has penciled in a grand total of 496 one-way flights from the US to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport this August. These services are spread across eight of Delta’s hubs, with the monthly total working out at an average of 16 flights a day. In this article, we will examine these routes and the jets serving them.

Amsterdam’s Onward Connectivity Options Make It A Winner

Credit: Shutterstock

However, before getting into the finer details of the flights themselves, it is important to take a look at why exactly Delta Air Lines has Amsterdam Schiphol Airport as its top long-haul destination by flights. Of course, the facility is one of the largest and busiest in Europe, but why does it sit at the top of these rankings instead of other European hubs, such as London Heathrow Airport (LHR)?

Connectivity is key here. As a SkyTeam member, Delta Air Lines has close ties to Dutch flag carrier KLM, which calls Schiphol its home. As such, flyers can connect at AMS onto KLM flights serving routes throughout Europe. Furthermore, the airline is also part of a transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM, further strengthening the importance of AMS as a destination. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in 2020 that:

“Our expanded partnership is a major step forward for all of our airlines as we deliver greater reliability, top travel benefits, and leading service that our customers deserve.”

Delta’s Current Dutch Routes

Credit: Shutterstock

As previously noted, Delta will serve Amsterdam Schiphol Airport from eight different hubs in the US this month, offering a grand total of 496 flights in the process. These routes can be seen and explored in the interactive map embedded below. They will collectively offer 139,093 seats, working out at an average of around 280 per flight. When it comes to frequency, the top routes are not too surprising.

Indeed, as detailed in the table below, guests flying from Delta Air Lines’ main hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) can expect three flights a day to Amsterdam. This frequency is also shared by Detroit (DTW) and Minneapolis (MSP). The strength of AMS as a destination for Delta Air Lines is underlined by the fact that, of these eight routes, only one (Tampa) is presently served less than daily.

Delta Air Lines favors Airbus widebody twinjets on all of its Dutch routes. The A330-900 is the most popular, accounting for half of the month’s 496 flights (248). Meanwhile, the remaining 248 services are split between the A330-300 (150) and the A350-900 (98). While Delta does fly Boeing widebody twinjets in the form of aircraft from the 767 series on select transatlantic routes, their European presence excludes Amsterdam Schiphol.

How Does KLM’s US Network Compare?

Credit: Shutterstock

As the flag carrier of the Netherlands, KLM also operates a substantial US network out of its main hub at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Interestingly, however, while it actually serves more US airports from AMS than Delta does, its monthly total when it comes to overall flight frequency is lower. Indeed, its 448 US-bound flights from AMS this month will be spread across some 15 destinations.

John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City is the most popular, with 18 flights a week (two or three a day), while guests flying to Los Angeles (LAX) can expect twice-daily services. Elsewhere, KLM flies daily to Atlanta, Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), Las Vegas (LAS), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington (IAD), with lower frequencies on another six US-bound routes.