From 4 weekly flights from Atlanta to Frankfurt in 1979 to 46 weekly services to four German cities in summer 2024, Delta celebrates almost half a century flying non-stop to Germany.
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Recently, Delta celebrated 45 years of non-stop service from Germany to the United States. Since the route opened almost half a century ago, Delta has transported more than 21 million customers between Frankfurt and United States – over 25 times the population of the city itself. Germany remains one of Delta’s most important trans-Atlantic markets.
Delta’s operations have grown significantly over the last 45 years – from four weekly flights between Frankfurt and Atlanta in 1979 to 21 weekly services to three U.S. gateways, Atlanta, Detroit and New York-JFK in June 2024. In total this summer, Delta will operate 46 weekly flights to the United States from four cities in Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart.
Between November 1991 and 1997, Frankfurt became a Delta hub after the airline acquired Pan Am’s nonstop network from Frankfurt, which included services to Athens, Mumbai, Budapest, New Delhi, Istanbul, Moscow, Prague, St. Petersburg (seasonal), Vienna and Warsaw. By March 1993, Delta operated nonstop flights from Frankfurt to 19 cities across Europe, North America and Western Asia. Today, thanks to industry-leading JV partnerships with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic, Delta now offers customers access to 200+ destinations beyond Paris-CDG, Amsterdam and London Heathrow.
“Frankfurt was Delta’s second trans-Atlantic destination after London and has remained a key city in our international network ever since, linking Germany’s financial capital with that of America in New York, the home of the motor industry in Detroit, and our hub in Atlanta from where customers can fly to over 200 destinations,” said Matteo Curcio, Delta’s Senior Vice President EMEAI. “It’s fascinating to see that while Delta’s services have evolved, our customer focus has never wavered, always ensuring a thoughtful, consistently high standard of service for the millions of customers who have flown from Frankfurt over the years.”
History lover and German-born Carla Kronsbein (a DTW-based technical facilitator) shares travel tips about Frankfurt, a charming, yet vibrant city she has cherished since her early days. Delta’s first flight to Frankfurt was operated using a three-engine L-1011 TriStar that offered 241 seats across three cabins: First Class, which featured sleeper seats, Medallion Service (Business Class) and Economy Class.
Today, Delta’s Frankfurt flights are operated using Airbus A330-200 aircraft featuring all four Delta experiences – Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin. Delta One customers enjoy fully flat-bed seats with individual aisle access, while seats in Delta Premium Select offer more space and recline.
Delta began visual in-flight entertainment on flights in 1978 (audio entertainment “Words and Music” launched in 1970), with movies projected onto large, shared screens. Today, customers flying on all international routes enjoy 1,000+ hours of complimentary Delta Studio, with entertainment on demand on individual screens at every seat. Delta Sync Seatback, currently available on a growing number of domestic U.S. flights, offers best-in-class content and smart TV features designed to feel like streaming services customers have used at home – including remembering where they left off in a movie.
When Delta’s first Frankfurt flight took off, internet connectivity in the air was an unfathomable concept. Today, Delta customers can always stay connected through free mobile messaging via iMessenger, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. Fast, free Wi-Fi by T-Mobile is available on domestic Delta flights for Sky Miles members and is being installed on international routes.