Delta Air Lines passengers who are flying from Detroit to Honolulu are going to be flying in a much more comfortable craft, going forward.
Simple Flying is reporting that instead of using its Boeing 767-300ERs between the two cities, the legacy carrier has chosen to use an Airbus widebody instead.
The change indicates that the route’s capacity has increased. Despite running six fewer frequencies this year, Delta Air Lines will provide almost 2,000 more seats between the locations this month than it did during the same time last year.
On Oct. 26, Delta Air Lines formally replaced the 767-300ER with the A330-300 between its hubs at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), according to aviation data and analytics company Cirium. It followed five months in which the 767-300ER was the only aircraft operating the route. It was not until April that the A330-300 was used between DTW and HNL.
Delta Air Lines Under Federal Investigation
Despite this latest bit of good news, the airline is currently under federal investigation for its loyalty program, and it’s one of many to face this scrutiny.
Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines’ rewards schemes are all being scrutinized as well. The DOT has asked for reports and detailed information on the airlines’ programs to better understand how consumers “are impacted by the devaluation of earned rewards, hidden or dynamic pricing, extra fees, and reduced competition and choice,” the statement said.
“Many Americans view their rewards points balances as part of their savings,” Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the statement. “But unlike a traditional savings account, these rewards are controlled by a company that can unilaterally change their value.”
Meanwhile, when Delta announced in May that the $99 Gold card would suddenly cost $150, users who used the airline’s branded American Express card were already having problems. Furthermore, Platinum cards have gone up from $250 to $350, and the Reserve card is now $650 instead of $550.
While Delta Air Lines’ controversial decision to limit admission to the Sky Club for top-tier Reserve cardholders — restricting trips to 15 per year starting on Feb. 1, 2025 — remains in place, travelers may find the increased card prices to be a sticking point.
