This article was updated on Saturday, July 4, 2026, to include additional information on Delta’s 717 fleet. It was originally published on Thursday, July 2, 2026.

Delta Air Lines has permanently removed one of its aging fleet types from operating at its Midwest hub. The legacy carrier ceased all Boeing 717 flights to and from Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP) back in May, now leaving deployment of the aircraft from only two hubs.

It comes just days after reports swirled around that Delta would accelerate the retirement of the aircraft, with six airframes set to be phased out four years earlier than planned. The 717 is the only aircraft type within Delta’s fleet that was not originally ordered by the carrier or inherited from Northwest Airlines.

Delta’s 717s Say Goodbye To The Twin Cities

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Minneapolis-based journalist and Editor of Thrifty Traveler, Kyle Potter, shared the news on social media on Wednesday. According to aviation data and analytics firm Cirium, Delta ended 717 service at MSP on May 6. Throughout those first six days of the month, the carrier deployed the aircraft to just five destinations – offering nearly 6,500 seats across a total of 59 flights.

Since the beginning of the year, MSP has seen a decline in 717 flights, with the exception of March. May’s operation was undoubtedly a stark contrast to April, when Delta flew the aircraft on 498 flights. Its most frequent destinations were Charlotte, which had 70 flights in each direction, and Kansas City, with 30 flights both ways. A total of 54,780 seats were offered during the month.

March, contrastingly, had a whopping 775 flights – the most of the year. While Charlotte was also the number one destination, with a total of 166 flights, Newark was the second-most frequent destination, with 51 flights in each direction. Kansas City came in third with 30 outbound and 31 inbound flights. Savannah, Georgia, nearly had daily flights in March. Data shows that 28 frequencies were operated in each direction.

The plane accommodates a total of 110 passengers across two classes. First class has 12 seats in a 2-2 configuration, while the main cabin has the remaining 73 seats in a 2-3 layout. 25 main cabin seats are designated as Delta Comfort seats, featuring more legroom. Now that it no longer serves MSP, Delta has replaced it on most routes with Airbus narrowbodies. With 109 total seats, the A220-100 could be seen as 717’s most viable or direct replacement in terms of capacity. Simple Flying contacted Delta for comment on the 717’s exit on Thursday, but a representative could not be immediately reached.

Delta Has Been A 717 Operator Since 2013

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The Atlanta-based airline is the largest and one of only two operators of the aircraft type in the US. According to ch-aviation, Delta has 80 examples of the 717 in its fleet. While it was initially reported that six airframes were set to be retired gradually between this month and August, data now suggests that the planes may already be grounded, as only 74 aircraft are currently listed as “active.” The fleet has an average age of 24.7 years, albeit the aircraft being retired early are all aged more than 26 years.

Delta officially became a 717 operator in 2013. 88 aircraft were formerly owned and operated by its Atlanta-based competitor AirTran Airways and subsequently became Southwest Airlines’ property following its acquisition. Southwest, an all-737 operator, inked a deal to lease the aircraft to Delta in 2012, which allowed the planes to remain based in Georgia. Additionally, they seemed to be a natural fit for Delta, since the carrier already had McDonnell Douglas DC-9 family aircraft, MD-88s, and MD-90s in its fleet.

Delta’s first 717 flight was from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Newark Liberty International Airport on October 25, 2013. The airline would go on to primarily operate the plane type from ATL, but also branched out to other hubs, including a West Coast stint from Los Angeles to emulate a shuttle network on the East Coast.

It is not the first time Delta has removed some 717 examples from its fleet. 11 other airframes have quietly exited the fleet in recent years, ch-aviation data shows. Eight aircraft were retired in 2020 during the pandemic. Two were phased out in 2024, while one plane was retired in 2021. At its peak, Delta operated 91 examples of the 717. The majority were ex-AirTran planes; however, three were acquired from different carriers.

717 Flights Now Consolidated From Only Atlanta & Detroit

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While the 717 is not Delta’s oldest narrowbody type, its age is evident in the interior. While the carrier has recently undergone cabin refurbishments for its two- and three-decade-old 757-200s and A320s to specifically include its Delta Sync seatback features, the 717 has not been subject to any interior upgrades.

Delta will continue to operate the aircraft until 2030. This month, only two of its nine hubs will handle operations, according to Cirium. It will frequent ATL with a total of 10,243 flights this month, while Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has 2,626 scheduled frequencies.

Rising Maintenance Costs Drive Retirements

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As an aircraft type that took its maiden flight nearly three decades ago, Delta’s 717s are heavily flown and advanced in years, a reality that makes them more costly to maintain. Much of the cost stems from the aircraft’s Rolls-Royce BR715 engines, which were developed exclusively for the 717 and are not found on any other in-service jet.

Additionally, Boeing officially ended its original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) support for the 717 in May, making it much more difficult for operators to maintain their jets. Although Delta’s TechOps division is one of the best of its kind in the world, limited spare parts and a lack of OEM support eventually make the 717 too costly to maintain.