After a four-year hiatus, Delta Air Lines is all set to resume its non-stop flights between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Salt Lake City, Utah, this winter.
The American airline giant announced on Friday that it would reinstate this particular route, beginning on November 23 and strategically placed to coincide with the Thanksgiving holidays.
But they pointed to the fact that the service would now be one of the few maintained fully and without the seasonal nature, suggesting that there would always be a continuing demand and a good prognosis for the route’s viability.
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The route timing and more
Delta's flights will depart Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) at 17:40 and arrive at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) at 20:12 local time.
Flights from SLC will leave at 11:00 and reach PIT at 16:39 local time, aiming to provide convenient travel options for both business and leisure travellers.
{{/usCountry}}Flights from SLC will leave at 11:00 and reach PIT at 16:39 local time, aiming to provide convenient travel options for both business and leisure travellers.
{{/usCountry}}Delta will operate the route using its Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which offers 21% more seat capacity compared to the Airbus A319 previously used. The 737-800s are currently being upgraded to feature Delta's latest onboard products, including free Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment, aimed to “provide an enhanced premium travel experience.”
The route, which Delta last served in 2020, was suspended indefinitely due to the severe decline in air travel triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, travel demand has rebounded significantly, and Delta can't ignore reinstating the service.
‘Another huge win for PIT’
Bryan Dietz, Senior Vice President of Air Service & Commercial Development at PIT, expressed, “We're excited Delta is resuming its nonstop service to Salt Lake City, a western market very popular with our business and leisure travelers.”
“This is another huge win for PIT's growing service portfolio to the Western United States market and an indicator of the region's strong post-pandemic recovery,” he added.
According to Delta, the direct route is expected to generate an estimated annual economic impact of $16 million, supporting 155 direct and indirect jobs.
“The airport of the future,” Pittsburgh International Airport has recently added new services to the western part of the United States. Last month, Breeze Airways, a low-cost airline, announced the commencement of operations in San Diego, California.
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Southwest Airlines also recently began a service to San Diego from PIT which began earlier this month.
At the moment, there are fifteen airlines that fly out of Pittsburgh International Airport with British Airway, Icelandair, and Air Canada being the international brands that offer 135 non-stop flights.