iscover
Delta Air Lines will increase its Melbourne services to daily flights over the end-of-year peak.
The American carrier, which began year-round Melbourne–Los Angeles services in December, currently flies three times per week to LAX, but will gradually increase its frequency seasonally between October this year and March 2027.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Flights will go from three to four per week starting 13 October, then to five per week from 27 October, then daily from 22 December, returning to three per week after March.
LAX is one of the US’s most popular hub airports, providing onward connections to more than 190 domestic and international destinations.
“It’s pleasing to see Delta increasing its commitment to Melbourne so soon after launching,” said Melbourne Airport’s chief of aviation, Jim Parashos.
“Delta’s increase in capacity between Melbourne and Los Angeles reflects the demand we see for premium product between Victoria and the United States.”
Delta is challenging both Qantas and United Airlines, each of which operates services from Melbourne to LAX; United also flies to San Francisco, while Qantas flies to Dallas–Fort Worth. It comes ahead of the Los Angeles Rams playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this year.
“We expect the NFL fixture game to be played at the MCG later this year will further stimulate demand for travel to Melbourne, and Delta is now well positioned to capitalise on that,” Parashos said.
The new flights were enabled via the Victorian government’s $7 million Industry Partnership Program. More than $385 million in visitor spending comes from the US into Victoria every year, making it the state’s fifth largest international market.
According to Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, Colin Brooks, the deal would “improve trade ties and provide new opportunities for exporters, with producers now able to access more reliable and direct access to one of the world’s biggest consumer markets”.
“This deal delivers an extra 86,000 seats a year between Victoria and the United States – a huge win for travellers and tourism operators, and a major boost for jobs with more freight capacity opening new opportunities for producers across food, technology and manufacturing,” he said in December.
Delta currently flies 275-seater A350-900s between Melbourne and Los Angeles.
