The A350-900 seems too small and the B777s are now all gone.

I think the A350-1000 has a better chance

Neither right now.......

The ONLY advantage of the A350-1000 is the extra range (15,000km) or the B777-8 (16,100km). The only possible routes that DL can use them on that I've heard potentially is SEA-MNL or SEA-SIN. Also the US3 are in better financial shape and the days of Northwest dumping TPAC/TATL capacity are OVER. DL's most likely biggest plane will be the A359.

Considering they eliminated more than one fleet type recently, you know where this is going. Second, you realize Delta rode the 767-300ER from bankruptcy to massive profitability?

LATAM order will likely be A359s unless things completely turnaround in the industry in a few years. If they want to go larger, they can always upgrade to A35K and use the same pilot group.

x1234 wrote:

The ONLY advantage of the A350-1000 is the extra range (15,000km) or the B777-8 (16,100km). The only possible routes that DL can use them on that I've heard potentially is SEA-MNL or SEA-SIN. Also the US3 are in better financial shape and the days of Northwest dumping TPAC/TATL capacity are OVER. DL's most likely biggest plane will be the A359.

DL could utilize the A35K on JNB and SYD routes also but likely won't be ordering until 2023 or later

If anything it'd be the -1000. I firmly believe Delta will never order another 777 again.

I don’t know why you think the A359 “seems too small”.

I would not expect the A35K or 779.

Definitely not the 777-8/9. They don't need the capacity of the A35K either. They need the 787.

unless BOEING practically cut of their arms i don't expect to see another B777 flying in DAL colors.... @ most you might see the NMA at the right price and just maybe B787 again at the perfect price

JohanTally wrote:

x1234 wrote:

The ONLY advantage of the A350-1000 is the extra range (15,000km) or the B777-8 (16,100km). The only possible routes that DL can use them on that I've heard potentially is SEA-MNL or SEA-SIN. Also the US3 are in better financial shape and the days of Northwest dumping TPAC/TATL capacity are OVER. DL's most likely biggest plane will be the A359.

DL could utilize the A35K on JNB and SYD routes also but likely won't be ordering until 2023 or later

DL now operates the 359 to SYD, replacing the 772, resulting in an uplift in seating capacity. Until the good times are back, there is no need for 35K capacity to SYD.

If anything, their next widebody order will be the 787-8. After recently talking with a DAL 767 pilot about the aircraft retirement, she rumored possible 787 orders in the new pilot contract. Will be interesting to see in the next few years, especially if they will delay the retirement of the 767.

UAUA wrote:

The A350-900 seems too small and the B777s are now all gone.

I think the A350-1000 has a better chance

DL will be thinking more about a 763 replacement in the post-COVID environment. The 35K will be too big for a shrinking DL international route map.
But, if DL really wants to fly ATL-JNB nonstop with limited or no weight penalty, then they're going to evaluate the A359ULR.

UAUA wrote:

The A350-900 seems too small and the B777s are now all gone.

I think the A350-1000 has a better chance

Wonder why you think A359 is too small? Delta management believes it is precisely the right size to be their largest aircraft - even pre-pandemic.
Remember that historically, Delta has favored smaller widebodies - with large fleets of L1011, B767, MD11. They never loved the B744's that came long with Northwest (equally so the missions/routes). What they did love from Northwest were the A330's (and A319/A320), which set them down the path to being a solid Airbus customer.

Yes, Delta did operate the B772.... which in Delta configuration, a "smaller" aircraft than the A359 (putting aside extreme payload-range).

I'm quite certain that Delta will happily move into the foreseeable future with only the A330/A359 combo for widebodies needs.

FlyHappy wrote:

UAUA wrote:

The A350-900 seems too small and the B777s are now all gone.

I think the A350-1000 has a better chance

Wonder why you think A359 is too small? Delta management believes it is precisely the right size to be their largest aircraft - even pre-pandemic.
Remember that historically, Delta has favored smaller widebodies - with large fleets of L1011, B767, MD11. They never loved the B744's that came long with Northwest (equally so the missions/routes). What they did love from Northwest were the A330's (and A319/A320), which set them down the path to being a solid Airbus customer.

Yes, Delta did operate the B772.... which in Delta configuration, a "smaller" aircraft than the A359 (putting aside extreme payload-range).

I'm quite certain that Delta will happily move into the foreseeable future with only the A330/A359 combo for widebodies needs.

They'll have to cut all of their secondary Europe routes and focus city-CDG/AMS routes then. The A330 is way too big for those routes.

TTailedTiger wrote:

FlyHappy wrote:

I'm quite certain that Delta will happily move into the foreseeable future with only the A330/A359 combo for widebodies needs.

They'll have to cut all of their secondary Europe routes and focus city-CDG/AMS routes then. The A330 is way too big for those routes.

My answer was in the context of responding to OP's presumed need for something *larger* than A359.

Obviously, you are speaking of the eventual and inevitable retirement of the 767/757 fleet. To which I believe A321/322 are pretty likely candidates.... especially if Boeing has not already sold management on a nearly perfect fit MoM. 788 is the only other fit out there, and even that is probably more than DL wants for those kinds of routes.

FlyHappy wrote:

UAUA wrote:

The A350-900 seems too small and the B777s are now all gone.

I think the A350-1000 has a better chance

Wonder why you think A359 is too small?

Seems to be a recurring thing. Many, especially US based posters, don't quite grasp that the A350-900 is the same size as the 777-200 (3 meters greater wingspan and length, 18 more passengers). With the exception of the short-lived 747-400 fleet inherited from Northwest, they are the biggest aircraft Delta has had for a long time.

Probably a result of how it was developed, initially as the A350mk1 that was a direct counterpart to the 787, but when Airbus restarted they went direct for the 777 family.

VSMUT wrote:

FlyHappy wrote:

UAUA wrote:

The A350-900 seems too small and the B777s are now all gone.

I think the A350-1000 has a better chance

Wonder why you think A359 is too small?

Seems to be a recurring thing. Many, especially US based posters, don't quite grasp that the A350-900 is the same size as the 777-200 (3 meters greater wingspan and length, 18 more passengers). With the exception of the short-lived 747-400 fleet inherited from Northwest, they are the biggest aircraft Delta has had for a long time.

Probably a result of how it was developed, initially as the A350mk1 that was a direct counterpart to the 787, but when Airbus restarted they went direct for the 777 family.

I'm not so sure its US perception. I actually think its more most people don't realize that DL's 772 only carried 298 seats.
And if there is a US bias to the misperception, then to be fair, its mostly likely that there are so few A350's to be seen in US airports that one does not get to fill the literal eyeball with the reality that it is a VERY substantially sized aircraft.

I think the fact that American and United have a fair number of 77W (along with the many foreign carriers that fly them into the US), plus the long nostalgia of 747's everywhere, may be why the idea of the A359 might seem "small". The 77W is quite a sight up close, there's no doubt.

FlyHappy wrote:

[
I think the fact that American and United have a fair number of 77W (along with the many foreign carriers that fly them into the US), plus the long nostalgia of 747's everywhere, may be why the idea of the A359 might seem "small". The 77W is quite a sight up close, there's no doubt.

If you'd asked me before I checked, I would have sworn the 359 had fewer seats than the 772, partly stemming from "will 359 be enough for LAX-SYD" discussions when the retirements were announced. What's the cargo comparision like - DL is sending daily+ flights to SYD and they can't be carrying many passengers given there is currently a 3,000 weekly passenger limit across all carriers. I'm assuming they may have been reconfigured for cargo?

And, yes, 77W always seems big, even against 35K. Although 787 changed the language a little, Boeing designs have always seemed more "muscular" than Airbus.

Wonder if DL will return to HKG, SIN.

UAUA wrote:

Wonder if DL will return to HKG, SIN.

now you're just trolling us, right?
0.01% and 0.00%, respectively.

DL's thing isn't ULH with the extremely rare exceptions, such as LAX-SYD.
anything and everything east Asian not in reasonable (non-ULH) range from SEA/LAX is gonna get passed off to Korean or Chinese partners thru their hubs.

The Narita Delta/Northwest hub isn't coming back.

I could see a few A35K for Intl hub to hub routes, with less flights to secondary intl markets. Would not be a big fleet, but could see ATL-SEL, DTW-AMS, those type of routes, but right now can't see any purchases but a couple years out sure.

FlyHappy wrote:

UAUA wrote:

Wonder if DL will return to HKG, SIN.

now you're just trolling us, right?
0.01% and 0.00%, respectively.

DL's thing isn't ULH with the extremely rare exceptions, such as LAX-SYD.
anything and everything east Asian not in reasonable (non-ULH) range from SEA/LAX is gonna get passed off to Korean or Chinese partners thru their hubs.

The Narita Delta/Northwest hub isn't coming back.

Both HKG, SIN are important markets. Can't see them off permanently.

They'll probably wait till they can get a decent deal on Boeing for 767-300ER replacement, till then the retirement is probably going to be delayed by a few months or weeks. Or they'll wait even longer for the NMA and really take a risk.

UAUA wrote:

FlyHappy wrote:

UAUA wrote:

Wonder if DL will return to HKG, SIN.

now you're just trolling us, right?
0.01% and 0.00%, respectively.

DL's thing isn't ULH with the extremely rare exceptions, such as LAX-SYD.
anything and everything east Asian not in reasonable (non-ULH) range from SEA/LAX is gonna get passed off to Korean or Chinese partners thru their hubs.

The Narita Delta/Northwest hub isn't coming back.

Both HKG, SIN are important markets. Can't see them off permanently.

Nothing to do with how important they are. Simply too far for Delta's liking. From what US city would DL fly to SIN from? They've never flown to SIN from the US before, and to repeat, the Narita/Tokyo hub isn't coming back. So that means, traffic to SIN gets passed off to Korean at ICN. Its that simple. DL isn't UA - they don't have a San Francisco hub with the monster O/D to be able to profit from a ULH flight to SIN.

HKG can be flown from SEA, sure. But HKG isn't what it used to be on the world stage - Beijing has pretty well seen to that. Putting aside the massive competition and capacity, pre-COVID -with a bizillion ways to get from HKG to every major US center (direct or via TPE, Tokyo, PRC hubs) , the fact is that much of what used to be business conducted thru Hong Kong now goes directly to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzen and the like.

UA is the only US carrier that has any rational justification to fly to any East Asian destination that isn't Japan, Korea or PRC.

The A350-1000 is more probable. DL just phased out its 777s in favor of the A350. By the time the 777X comes out, the airline will already have a large fleet of Airbus long haul planes. And with the 767-300s gone by 2024, it may be the next US carrier to switch to Airbus. Adding Boeing to its by-then predominantly Airbus long haul fleet just adds complexity.

The A350-1000 is more probable. DL just phased out its 777s in favor of the A350. By the time the 777X comes out, the airline will already have a large fleet of Airbus long haul planes. And with the 767-300s gone by 2024, it may be the next US carrier to switch to Airbus. Adding Boeing to its by-then predominantly Airbus long haul fleet just adds complexity.

Boeing757100 wrote:

They'll probably wait till they can get a decent deal on Boeing for 767-300ER replacement, till then the retirement is probably going to be delayed by a few months or weeks. Or they'll wait even longer for the NMA and really take a risk.

They're most probably gonna replace the 767s with the A330neo as that is currently the closest option IF the NMA never gets built.

DL should convert 16 of their A359 orders into A35Js and deploy them on DTW-HND/ICN/PEK/PVG and JFK-TLV as well as launching JFK-HND and relaunching DTW-HKG the A35J could make up for the capacity that the 744 lost?

UA857 wrote:

DL should convert 16 of their A359 orders into A35Js and deploy them on DTW-HND/ICN/PEK/PVG and JFK-TLV as well as launching JFK-HND and relaunching DTW-HKG the A35J could make up for the capacity that the 744 lost?

Are you sure that they need or want the lost capacity?

Can the standard (non-ULR) A359 or A35J be able to operate from hot and high locations?