Delta adds another new city from LAX, bolsters 7 others as hub battle intensifies

Summary

Delta Air Lines is expanding its service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with new routes and additional daily flights. A new nonstop route to Philadelphia will begin in 2027, and seven existing routes will see increased frequency. The airline plans to operate more than 200 daily departures at LAX during peak summer. Delta is also increasing its presence in Southern California with new long-haul routes and lounge expansions. The carrier is competing with American and United, which also have major hubs at LAX.

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The escape is carefully planned.

Daily flights from LAX to Boston, San Diego, and Seattle. New service to Philadelphia and Monterey. Additional seats on long-haul routes to Hong Kong and Manila. Delta One Lounge expansions and terminal upgrades. A 9% increase in departures from LAX in 2025.

Delta’s growth in Los Angeles mirrors the city’s role as a major travel hub. Airlines are vying for dominance with more routes and better amenities. The competition is fierce, with United and American also expanding their presence.

The trip is scheduled, not spontaneous. The destination is crowded, not secluded. The escape is structured, not free.

Travelers are offered more options, but the experience is increasingly managed.

Author: Evan Null

Additional daily flights on 7 existing routes

On top of the new service to Philly and Monterey unveiled this week, Delta on Friday also announced plans to bolster schedules on seven existing routes. Beginning next spring, the carrier will add additional daily flights on its LAX routes to seven cities: Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, Raleigh, San Antonio, San Diego and Seattle. All told, Delta expects to fly its biggest schedule ever in L.A. next year, the carrier told TPG.

Delta’s largest schedule yet in Los Angeles

Even prior to Friday’s expansion, the carrier had been on pace to grow its total departures at LAX by roughly 9% during the first half of next year, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. It’s been a busy year for Delta at its Southern California hub. Since last winter, the carrier has launched new long-haul service to Hong Kong and Melbourne. In July, Delta revealed a new route to Manila. In November, it’ll bring back L.A. service to Vancouver for the first time in eight years.

Hub battle heats up

Still, Los Angeles remains one of America’s most competitive cities when it comes to air travel. Each of the “Big Three” U.S. carriers (Delta, along with American Airlines and United Airlines) have hubs at LAX. Delta will offer more flights from LAX than any other carrier this year, per Cirium. But United has a bigger Pacific schedule from the airport — and will grow its long-haul offerings at LAX in 2027 with new service to Osaka.

Bottom line

Delta’s new route to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) will launch on June 7, 2027. The carrier plans to operate its daily service with an Airbus A321neo. With its additional daily flights on more than a half-dozen other LAX routes, the carrier plans to reach more than 200 daily departures at the peak of next summer. I also wouldn’t be surprised if you see the airline add more transpacific service from the airport in the near future.