As someone who lived in Tampa growing up, I love to keep tabs on the airport, and how nicely it has grown over the years. Along those lines, Delta Air Lines has just announced plans to resume transatlantic flights to Tampa, which many in the area will no doubt be excited about. However, it has unusual seasonality.
In this post:
Delta brings back Tampa to Amsterdam route in winter
For the upcoming winter season, Delta intends to operate a daily nonstop flight between Tampa (TPA) and Amsterdam (AMS). The route will operate between October 26, 2024, and March 29, 2025, with the following schedule:
Tampa to Amsterdam departing 7:55PM arriving 10:45AM (+1 day)
Amsterdam to Tampa departing 12:35PM arriving 4:55PM
The 4,613-mile flight will be operated by an Airbus A330-300, featuring 282 seats, including 34 business class seats and 21 premium economy seats.
For background on this route, Delta first launched flights between Tampa and Amsterdam in 2019, and at the time the service was supposed to be daily and on a year-round basis. Then the route was suspended at the start of the pandemic, and hasn’t been restarted… until now.
It’s quite noteworthy that Delta is operating this route to Europe as a winter seasonal service, as it won’t operate in summer. A vast majority of transatlantic flights operated by US airlines are either year-round or summer seasonal, so a winter seasonal route is exceptionally rare. The only other one I can think of is Delta’s route between Amsterdam and Orlando, so I guess there’s precedent for this.
That obviously means that Delta sees strong demand on the European side for people looking to visit Florida in winter, while in summer the airline can better allocate planes in other transatlantic markets.
Amsterdam is a hub for KLM, which is a SkyTeam member, and also part of the same transatlantic joint venture as Delta, so this will open up all kinds of one-stop service to and from Tampa. KLM serves over 100 destinations out of Amsterdam, so whether you’re looking to travel to Europe, Africa, India, or beyond, there are a lot of opportunities here.
How this fits into Tampa’s international service
Tampa’s international service has grown impressively over the years. As a kid, I remember always getting really excited when I saw the British Airways 777 that flew to London Gatwick at the airport. It was Tampa’s only transatlantic flight at the time, and there was just something so exciting about thinking I could actually fly nonstop across the ocean from my home airport.
Nowadays Tampa has four transatlantic routes, in addition to the one that’s newly launching. This includes British Airways’ route to London (LGW), Discover Airlines’ route to Frankfurt (FRA), Edelweiss Air’s route to Zurich (ZRH), and Virgin Atlantic’s route to London (LHR). Tampa also has a lot of short haul international flights, on both US airlines and foreign carriers. 
Bottom line
Delta is bringing back flights between Tampa and Amsterdam as of late 2024, though the service will only operate in winter. Delta will use an Airbus A330 for the route, and it will represent Tampa’s fifth transatlantic service. I’m happy to see this route finally resume, though I wish it weren’t simply a seasonal service. But hey, something is better than nothing.
What do you make of Delta bringing back Tampa to Amsterdam flights?
Starting at 240K SkyPesos (one way!) in Delta One.
I expect this to be expensive even if you’re connecting in AMS in part with flights being cut at AMS due to their climate initiatives
TATL flights are not being cut at AMS.
The Dutch government's actions were ruled illegal. They keep trying to impose greenwashed agenda but the EU blocked cuts.
Off topic but apparently Global airlines has just completed their first transatlantic flight
March 29 seems awfully early to end the service. I would have guessed it would run at least through April since the Tampa area tends to be colder in January, February and March.
That gives them enough time to do extended maintenance on the aircraft (or use it to fill in for another aircraft that was pulled) prior to ratcheting up for the heavy summer season.
The Northern Hemisphere Summer Schedule for airlines starts on March 30th, 2025 (it starts the last Sunday of March, meaning winter seasonal routes typically end the day before).
Will Delta be using terminal F since it’s an international arrival for Customs/border control? Or is there a CBP checkpoint in terminal E in TPA?
I took the inaugural flight on this route when it started (I think 2019). It leaves from terminal E but when you return it uses terminal F.
Tpa needs to figure out what to do with international flights. VS leaves from F where there’s no skyteam lounge.
in other DL and AMS news, DL's first 35H or A350-900 in the 40/40/36/159 (total 275 seats) configuration with Airbus' New Production Standard is scheduled to enter service on ATL-AMS Sunday night.
The second aircraft in this configuration - painted in Team USA livery - is due to land in ATL shortly. 3 more 35Hs follow this summer and a total of 7 by the end of the year. 7 A330-900s are also due...
in other DL and AMS news, DL's first 35H or A350-900 in the 40/40/36/159 (total 275 seats) configuration with Airbus' New Production Standard is scheduled to enter service on ATL-AMS Sunday night.
The second aircraft in this configuration - painted in Team USA livery - is due to land in ATL shortly. 3 more 35Hs follow this summer and a total of 7 by the end of the year. 7 A330-900s are also due for delivery this year.
The 35H's fairly light configuration and the NPS enhancements will make these planes the most capable and longest range aircraft in the US carrier fleet with range comparable to or better than the 777-200LRs which DL once flew - but with 25% less fuel burn.
There should be some exciting new routes announced using these aircraft in the next few months.
We'll see.
I wouldn't be shocked if DL just put them on the longer routes it already has (JNB, CPT, SYD, etc) and just took advantage of their increased payload (3tonnes) and lower empty-weight (1tonne).
Those routes alone would be your 6-7 aircraft right there.
Delta has 16 of them due in the next 2 years followed by 20 A350-1000s.
Some markets can only be served on an ULH basis. The ULH market is difficult but the A350 is the best plane for it.
There are also the remaining dozen A330-900s and a handful of 767 retirements.
5 of these A350s will be available for even part of the summer 2024 season. The rest of DL's A350s and...
Delta has 16 of them due in the next 2 years followed by 20 A350-1000s.
Some markets can only be served on an ULH basis. The ULH market is difficult but the A350 is the best plane for it.
There are also the remaining dozen A330-900s and a handful of 767 retirements.
5 of these A350s will be available for even part of the summer 2024 season. The rest of DL's A350s and nearly all of the A330-900s will come later this year along w/ the 2025 deliveries will arrive in time for 2025 expansion.
DL is in growth mode internationally.
People that assume that DL is content w/ the size of its international route system forget that DL said during the pandemic that it assumed a 2024 return of international demand and adjusted its fleet plan accordingly.
also, these aircraft are so much more capable than the A350s in DL's current fleet that it would make no sense to remove SEATS and get much more capable aircraft if all they wanted to do was to put these aircraft on existing routes.
There will be a number of new routes including ULH routes coming. that is what the 35H in DL's configuration is designed to do very well - better than any other aircraft.
Says who?
Again, these aircraft are lighter when empty, offer more payload, and offer more premium seats...
...it's perfectly conceivable that DL might want to use each and/or all three of these aspects to bolster the revenue+profits on existing established routes, rather than...
Says who?
Again, these aircraft are lighter when empty, offer more payload, and offer more premium seats...
...it's perfectly conceivable that DL might want to use each and/or all three of these aspects to bolster the revenue+profits on existing established routes, rather than aim for unproven or prior-unprofitable routings straight out of the gate.
anything is conceivable.
Delta can't receive 48 new aircraft over the next year and not grow.
Even if they retired the entire 767-300ER fleet in that amount of time, which they aren't, they will still be putting larger and much more capable aircraft into service.
Standby to be surprised.
Sure, though I was responding to your statement of "the next few months," not "when all aircraft are delivered," which are two vastly different timescales................
Spring 2025 schedules will be announced in the next few months.
hint: Mumbai is opening a new airport.
And the notion that UA could put hundreds of 787s into service for growth but DL can't find out any profitable routes to grow in is a.net level of childish.
If UA can manage to make money with international growth and existing routes, DL can do.
Some cities do work well via JV partners but others...
Spring 2025 schedules will be announced in the next few months.
hint: Mumbai is opening a new airport.
And the notion that UA could put hundreds of 787s into service for growth but DL can't find out any profitable routes to grow in is a.net level of childish.
If UA can manage to make money with international growth and existing routes, DL can do.
Some cities do work well via JV partners but others can and will be served on DL metal.
Again, DL is receiving scores of new highly capable and highly efficient aircraft in the next few years. TO think they won't be adding significant numbers of new routes on their own metal is naive. Actually, beyond naive.
Here's the statement YOU MADE, since you apparently need a reminder:
"There should be some exciting new routes announced using these aircraft in the next few months."
Nothing about United.
Nothing about "the next few years."
Nothing about after receiving all such aircraft on order.
I was responding to YOUR STATEMENT concerning the NPS A350s that DL would have in the next few months. Barely a half-dozen.
We already know that at...
Here's the statement YOU MADE, since you apparently need a reminder:
"There should be some exciting new routes announced using these aircraft in the next few months."
Nothing about United.
Nothing about "the next few years."
Nothing about after receiving all such aircraft on order.
I was responding to YOUR STATEMENT concerning the NPS A350s that DL would have in the next few months. Barely a half-dozen.
We already know that at least three of them are getting devoted to S.Africa. Not unreasonable to suggest that the others would find their way to extant Australian routes, rather than some exotic resumption of a route that didn't pan out previously.
you normally seem pretty sharp.
the FIRST NPS A350s WILL GO to S. Africa. Schedules are already loaded.
That will then free up EXISTING A350s for other routes.
Beyond the 3 that will be needed for S. Africa, DL will receive 4 more in 2024.
If you looked at the A350 production list, you will see that DL has A350s coming early in 2025 as well.
In addition, the ex-Latam...
you normally seem pretty sharp.
the FIRST NPS A350s WILL GO to S. Africa. Schedules are already loaded.
That will then free up EXISTING A350s for other routes.
Beyond the 3 that will be needed for S. Africa, DL will receive 4 more in 2024.
If you looked at the A350 production list, you will see that DL has A350s coming early in 2025 as well.
In addition, the ex-Latam A350s will start being reconfigured after summer. While all 9 might not be reconfigured in the 2024-25 winter, Delta will have an increase in TPAC capable A350s of 24 in the next 3 years. On top of the A330-900s. Not all TPAC routes need NPS A350s.
Some A350s will end up on TATL routes including from LAX and SLC as well as TATL flights in-between TPAC flights from eastern US hubs.
The ONLY reason that UA was brought into the discussion is because we have ENDLESSLY heard from UA fans about how much TPAC growth UA would be doing. And yet UA has FIVE 787s due for delivery this year and no other widebodies. If anything, DL will grow precisely because UA can't grow much - even before factoring the much greater range of the A350.
I'm not sure how you or anyone else can't see that DL will be growing its TPAC network with the number of aircraft coming online in the next 3 years alone - which is a direct result of DL's fleet decisions during the pandemic.
DL expected international growth to return by 2024 and the planes are now arriving.
DL will have plenty of A350s and A330-900s. They will grow. DL will use the capabilities of the NPS A350s.
It's really not hard to figure out.
Delta carries enormous amounts of traffic from Europe to Florida; BOS, JFK, ATL and DTW are all very much "on the way"
Delta is simply reducing its costs by offering nonstop service from AMS to MCO and TPA by catering to the European crowd by not having to connect passengers through a US hub.
Because Virgin Atlantic is part of the AF/DL/KL JV, it helps build the JV's presence in Florida where Delta is the largest carrier outside of MIA.
That latter point on Delta and Florida is FALSE - it takes 2 minutes to check that. The 4 largest airports below account for ~80% of aviation traffic in the state with American and Southwest both larger than Delta. If you exclude the largest airport from Analysis in Miami then Delta moves past American, but to do that takes misleading gymnastics:
Market share (by passengers) for Florida's largest airports:
Miami (Sept '22-Nov '23):
1....
That latter point on Delta and Florida is FALSE - it takes 2 minutes to check that. The 4 largest airports below account for ~80% of aviation traffic in the state with American and Southwest both larger than Delta. If you exclude the largest airport from Analysis in Miami then Delta moves past American, but to do that takes misleading gymnastics:
Market share (by passengers) for Florida's largest airports:
Miami (Sept '22-Nov '23):
1. American: 15.9M (57.3%)
2. Delta: 3.0M (10.9%)
3. Spirit: 2.2M (7.8%)
4. Southwest: 1.6M (5.7%)
5. United: 1.6M (5.6%)
Orlando (Sept '22-Nov '23):
1. Southwest: 10.5M (21.4%)
2. Spirit: 8.7M (17.6%)
3. Delta: 6.9M (14.1%)
4. Frontier: 6.7M (13.6%)
5. American: 5.5M (11.1%)
Fort Lauderdale (2023):
1. Spirit: 10.3M (29.4%)
2. JetBlue: 7.0M (19.9%)
3. Southwest: 4.8M (13.8%)
4. Delta: 4.0M (11.3%)
5. United: 2.3M (6.6%)
Tampa (Sept '22-Nov '23):
1. Southwest: 5.8M (26.7%)
2. Delta: 3.9M (18.1%)
3. American: 3.4M (15.8%)
4. United: 2.3M (10.6%)
5. Frontier: 1.9M (8.7%)
And yet another source showing recently that Delta was #3 in Florida overall in late 2022, close to Southwest at #2, but VERY far behind American. Plus they're not that far ahead of Spirit and JetBlue either: https://www.cirium.com/thoughtcloud/aviation-analytics-how-did-florida-become-aviation-sunshine-state/
I meant to say the largest LEGACY airline in Florida outside of MIA.
If you take out the connecting traffic that flies through MIA on AA, DL and AA aren't that much different in DOMESTIC size in Florida on a local market basis.
And, yes, I know the size of Southwest in Florida.
The point is that AA has an advantage because of a hub - the same advantage every other carrier has in...
I meant to say the largest LEGACY airline in Florida outside of MIA.
If you take out the connecting traffic that flies through MIA on AA, DL and AA aren't that much different in DOMESTIC size in Florida on a local market basis.
And, yes, I know the size of Southwest in Florida.
The point is that AA has an advantage because of a hub - the same advantage every other carrier has in it hubs - and also has a US carrier monopoly from Florida to S. America.
The Delta-Latam JV for the first time gives DL a meaningful presence in the S. Florida to S. America market and that will be expanded.
and LA is the largest foreign international carrier at MIA while DL is the 2nd largest domestic carrier.
Who would be the first one to arrive on this post? The Tim Dunn himself or one of the guys by the name of "Tim Dunn's [random stuff]"?
Should also mention that Delta, as part of this series of changes, is drastically pulling back their service to Auckland. Was supposed to be year round, now it's not.
They're pulling back service to Auckland in the winter (peak season) interestingly enough - seems likely it's a permanent reduction in service / a total pullback.
well no it isn't a total pullback.
It becomes southern summer seasonal but on a larger aircraft - the 345 (or whatever) ex-Latam A350s.
DL is increasing capacity in the southern summer but only operating it for part of the year.
In other words, they're reducing service (they planned to go year round, now they're only going seasonally).
Let's see the season it settles into but no other US carrier has managed to make LAX-AKL work year round.
UA isn't even flying SFO-AKL on a year round basis.
As CF noted, there is a huge amount of capacity that has been put into the S. Pacific.
There will be a pendulum of route adds and pullbacks.
And Delta will use the aircraft time - AKL-LAX even on 3X/week - requires a...
Let's see the season it settles into but no other US carrier has managed to make LAX-AKL work year round.
UA isn't even flying SFO-AKL on a year round basis.
As CF noted, there is a huge amount of capacity that has been put into the S. Pacific.
There will be a pendulum of route adds and pullbacks.
And Delta will use the aircraft time - AKL-LAX even on 3X/week - requires a full aircraft plus some domestic time. Daily requires 2 aircraft.
There will be more LAX routes including where the range of the A350 can do things that other airlines cannot. The A350 is barely stretching its legs on LAX-AKL
Yet another factually incorrect claim by Tim. UA operates SFO-AKL year round and no amount of never ending diatribes from him will change that.
Tim is correct that the A350 is better used domestically since everything international out of LAX is a drag. Death by a thousand cuts to DL TPAC.
This is a very uninteresting route. Delta's JV makes this boring, but probably profitable.
Not very usual to see US Airlines launch TATL routes from US cities that are not their hubs tho
Delta considers Paris, London, and Amsterdam to be hubs.... so this isn't really that.
The aircraft is turned at the Amsterdam hub. We've seen them (and Northwest before them) do quite a bit of ex-Euro longhaul since the turn of the century:
AMS-MCO
AMS-TPA
AMS-BOM
AMS-BOS
AMS-EWR
CDG-BOM
CDG-MAA
Delta considers Paris, London, and Amsterdam to be hubs.... so this isn't really that.
The aircraft is turned at the Amsterdam hub. We've seen them (and Northwest before them) do quite a bit of ex-Euro longhaul since the turn of the century:
AMS-MCO
AMS-TPA
AMS-BOM
AMS-BOS
AMS-EWR
CDG-BOM
CDG-MAA
CDG-EWR
CDG-RDU
LHR-MIA
FRA-BOM (this was a legacy of PanAm, and not really a Delta-created routing, but it lasted until well into the '00s), etc
But all that said:
What a strange take.
Delta does everything right. They have the lowest seat cost on the LAX-AKL route and operate it year round….. Oh wait.
I also spent time in Tampa as a kid, and I love how much the airport has grown. Thanks for posting about this Lucky!
If Amsterdam's flight cap ever goes into effect, I wonder what Delta will do then. Their AMS flights from MCO and TPA will likely be the first on the chopping block. But I also think that we might see Delta launch service to CDG from both of those airports to...
I also spent time in Tampa as a kid, and I love how much the airport has grown. Thanks for posting about this Lucky!
If Amsterdam's flight cap ever goes into effect, I wonder what Delta will do then. Their AMS flights from MCO and TPA will likely be the first on the chopping block. But I also think that we might see Delta launch service to CDG from both of those airports to connect to AF.
Also, why doesn't KLM fly to MCO and TPA? Why does Delta choose to operate these flights? Just curious as to what goes into that decision.
Do you think we might eventually see Delta launch flights from Miami to Amsterdam? KLM only flies that route 3x weekly in the winter. If Delta wants to expand in MIA, that would be an interesting route. Delta is already the biggest legacy US airline at most major Florida airports (except MIA).
I don't understand.
Bear in mind I grew up in even more of a backwater city than Tampa. But I've since moved and traveled all over the US.
Virtually all notable international business and economic activity occurs in Manhattan, NYC. This is America's only real city. Nowhere else has the density, population, and entrepreneurial ambition to support meaningful contributions to gross domestic product.
From where I grew up (which is not even in the northeast),...
I don't understand.
Bear in mind I grew up in even more of a backwater city than Tampa. But I've since moved and traveled all over the US.
Virtually all notable international business and economic activity occurs in Manhattan, NYC. This is America's only real city. Nowhere else has the density, population, and entrepreneurial ambition to support meaningful contributions to gross domestic product.
From where I grew up (which is not even in the northeast), if you were interested in business and you were not a loser, you moved to NYC. It's the only market an international airline needs to serve. Everywhere else is going to be a waste of money because there won't be enough demand from profitable, high-value customers.
@ Biglaw V10 Partner -- Spoken like a true New Yorker. ;-)
Lol.
This route won't have too much high yield traffic, but there is definitely demand for a mainline flight to Europe from Tampa that offers connections to many destinations. Florida gets a lot of tourists from Europe (especially from the UK), and there are a lot of people in the area who would appreciate and use this flight.
I lived in NYC for some time, and I get (and absolutely love) your response!
NYC is a shithole.
People like to go on vacation.
California poops on NY GDP. They lack the density, but all it means is people don't have to live in mediocre 1900s apartments with no elevators.
Are you really sure you want to use “poop” and “California” in the same sentence?