Do the people of Belgium not appreciate the refined, bespoke, aged elegance of Delta’s Boeing 767-300ERs, or what’s going on here? Thanks to JonNYC, AirlineGeeks, and Matt, for flagging this…
In this post:
Delta will no longer fly from New York to Brussels
Historically, Delta has operated year-round service to Brussels (BRU) out of New York (JFK), along with summer seasonal service out of Atlanta (ATL). That will be changing. As of January 6, 2026, Delta will discontinue its New York to Brussels route, which has been operating for 34 years, since 1991.
The route was briefly paused at the start of the pandemic, but other than that, service has been continuous. Delta has been operating a Boeing 767-300ER in the market.
Delta’s plan is to instead transition year-round Brussels service to Atlanta, to “better align with customer demand.” That service will launch as of March 8, 2026, and is expected to operate year-round, rather than just seasonally. So for around two months, Delta won’t serve Brussels at all.
Is Delta cutting New York to Brussels surprising?
Delta is the largest airline in New York, and it’s not often that we see Delta retreat from the market. That’s especially true since Delta views New York as not just being about any individual route, but rather about the importance of having a robust and comprehensive network to win corporate traffic, credit card market share, etc.
Brussels is of course a very important city in terms of government and business, so it’s interesting to see Delta no longer connecting that to New York. The funny thing is that it’s almost difficult to fly from New York to Brussels on Delta and its joint venture partners by air. You can fly KLM via Amsterdam (AMS), but Air France doesn’t fly to Brussels from Paris (CDG), but instead has a rail connection (intimidating to Americans, generally), while Virgin Atlantic doesn’t operate short haul flights from London (LHR).
Personally, I’m not terribly surprised that Delta hasn’t found huge success here, given the strength of Lufthansa Group in Brussels. Brussels Airlines also operates this route, and United is part of the same transatlantic joint venture, and flies there out of Newark (EWR).
The last transatlantic route that we saw Delta cut from New York was to Munich (MUC), another Lufthansa Group hub. Heck, I’m kind of amazed Delta maintains New York to Frankfurt (FRA) flights, given its disadvantage there.
So yeah, I’ll let everyone decide for themselves why this cut is happening. I don’t have an answer, but maybe someone else does (or will make it sound like they do).
There are definitely some quirks with Delta’s long haul presence in New York. For example, it’s funny how despite Delta’s huge network there, the carrier chooses not to fly to Asia, even when it had the chance to.
In early 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) could award a US airline extra Tokyo Haneda (HND) slots, and airlines could make their proposals. You’d think that Delta would’ve expressed interest in New York to Tokyo, but it didn’t. Instead, American is flying the route (which… is something).
Bottom line
In early 2026, Delta will be cutting its New York to Brussels route, after operating this service for decades. This is Delta’s second transatlantic route cut in around a year, as Delta also axed Munich service, which is another Lufthansa Group hub.
The airline will instead be transitioning Brussels service to Atlanta, though service will be paused altogether for a couple of months.
What do you make of Delta cutting New York to Brussels flights?
Didnt Delta apply and was awarded Seattle to HND which it later gave up? Delta was smart enough to know it couldnt take all the HND slots that were offered, so no reason to apply and waste the lawyers time/cost.
Truly goes to show you the level of commenter's knowledge (myself included).
Delta literally operates SEA-HND daily to this day and is one of the best performing Tokyo routes.
They filed for PDX-HND and gave it up.
Time for my monthly crash out!
Notice how I only show up when Tim is here? Actions speak louder than words.
Well, but they added Mallorca, aka. 'Ballermann', this cesspool of rowdy professional European alcoholics. You could not pay me to spend even a day there.
The northern part of Mallorca is very nice and relaxing.
Brussels is a premium business market. I’m surprised that America’s self-professed “premium” airline isn’t able to compete.
well, no it isn't a premium business market.
It is heavily government/NGO traffic.
funny. Delta can't compete in that market with a sh*tty plane?
You can just say Delta has a lousy business product on the 763 and move on.
You're the only one incapable of saying it.
So much for that NYC domination Lil’ Timmy! More retreats JFK->ATL likely. But hey they crush LGA-ATL 80x a day.
DL makes more profit on NYC-ATL than UA makes on its entire EWR TATL operation.
and now that WN has bowed out, it will be more than UA makes on its EWR AND IAD TATL operations.
Tim, are just one, or both of your testicles undescended? OMAAT readers have a wager.
when you post stupid stuff, which is most of the time, you ask for it.
and, yes, DL probably makes more money on NYC-ATL than UA does on its entire TATL operation.
Max is fixated on DL's big 4 hub profitability but NYC is home to a number of DL's top 10 routes including to/from its other hubs.
Please cite your source or facts that DL makes more on NYC-ATL than UAs EWR TATL ops, I beg of you
Tim?
Facts? Data? good laugh.
Tim says whatever he thinks, facts be damned
you can search the internet. You will never find Tim cite a source, ever. He doesn't have them aside from his dated Port Authority nonsense. Seems he subscribes to the 6 month late newsletter.
Also UA makes more profit ex-DEN in a month than DL does ex-SEA in a year. #facts
thank you for conceding that DL makes more on NYC-ATL than UA does on its entire EWR TATL ops
I agree w/ you that DEN for UA is much more profitable than DL at SEA but I commend you for recognizing that DL is profitable in SEA
So you dont have any evidence of this.....
The way Tim Dunn tells it everything Delta touches turns to gold, so I’m a bit perplexed how Delta cannot make JFK-BRU work.
I mean, Delta is SO amazing in JFK. And the D1 product on the 763s is SO amazing. And the overcrowded SkyClubs at JFK are SO amazing. Not being able to get an uber from T4 to Manhattan is SO amazing.
and you missed the part that BRU just like GVA is heavily government and NGO travel related.
Those types of organizations block in far bigger blocs than businesses do and they don't pay fares as high as businesses do.
Star has an advantage in Belgium which is a pretty small market in Europe that is surrounded by France and the Netherlands.
And no one said that DL doesn't make money on JFK-BRU but...
and you missed the part that BRU just like GVA is heavily government and NGO travel related.
Those types of organizations block in far bigger blocs than businesses do and they don't pay fares as high as businesses do.
Star has an advantage in Belgium which is a pretty small market in Europe that is surrounded by France and the Netherlands.
And no one said that DL doesn't make money on JFK-BRU but that they believe they can operate better just from ATL which is the US' most profitable hub by a landslide.
other airlines don't have the commitment to profitability or product that DL does which is evidenced by DL's competitors flying narrowbodies to continental Europe and prioritizing int'l flights when domestic is where EVERY US airline that makes money makes the majority of their money.
It's actually pretty easy for anyone w/ a modicum of openness to the truth to see, Parker.
Can we please stop this “Wow” thing?
It’s like we are trying to sensationalize everything these days.
Agreed
oh fun...
tim is out on his usual fake profile takeover thing again.
not the usual Julie. Just Tim being Tim...
says the robo guest that can't even be bothered to register their user name.
did the thought occur to you or anyone that JFK is going to likely get the new Med destination so moving something out might be necessary?
says the user with a litany of other fake profile names per the owner of this website.
Calm yourself, Tim. You're outmatched.
no, Ben, has not said that I post under multiple user names.
you TOO were never good at comprehension.
honey, we all read the comment from Ben about you trying to post under numerous other names when banned. but I guess you were banned that day. Perhaps you missed it in your personally-made melee
again, "darling" trying to post and posting are not the same thing.
You never were good at comprehension or the truth and you just proved it.
Tim,
didn't you mean to say "darlink"? ;) god you're awful at fake profiles.
You are the idiot that got called out for multiple fake usernames. BY THE WEBSITE OWNER.
own it. Admit you're a loser using multiple names (everyone knows it anyway) and move on
you're exposed as a loser. You were when banned (full up IP address for you...) under multiple names at a.net and then exposed for multiple names here...
Tim,
didn't you mean to say "darlink"? ;) god you're awful at fake profiles.
You are the idiot that got called out for multiple fake usernames. BY THE WEBSITE OWNER.
own it. Admit you're a loser using multiple names (everyone knows it anyway) and move on
you're exposed as a loser. You were when banned (full up IP address for you...) under multiple names at a.net and then exposed for multiple names here too.
Surely you can't keep responding? you're a full up loser trying to prop up his own comments with fake users lol.
Go to Bed!!! Isn't your "wife" waiting for you? or does she not exist?
but also. Thank you for identifying yourself as the one that loves to use other user profile names to try to find even ONE person that agrees with you
Sorry I meant to say that I'm the one using multiple usernames!
Cognitive dissonance, I know!
The LH Group is good at dominating European hubs and yet there are people that think that DL makes all of its money in its 4 interior US hubs while LH Group makes far less money.
DL once had a partnership with Sabena and Swissair, both of which no longer exist but DL still does. BRU is still a pretty small market compared to other continental Europe hubs.
I believe DL will fly ATL-BRU at least seasonally which hasn't been mentioned.
Did you not read the article? It specifically mentions that delta will fly from Atlanta to Brussels.
lovely.
so you mean to tell me that DL is operating the same number of flights, just all from ATL rather than split from JFK and ATL?
Did Ben mention that DL tried to split DTW-MUC w/ JFK and restored all of the flights back to MUC?
did he mention that DL is the only airline that flies from 3 gateways east of the Rockies to 2 or more cities in E. Asia or did I miss that?
What does that have to do with anything? You said " believe DL will fly ATL-BRU at least seasonally which hasn't been mentioned.".
Ben has in his article mentioned that delta will be flying from Atlanta to Brussels.
Ben mentioned that they are flying. You clearly didn't read that.
Not sure what this response has to do with anything that I wrote. Very confusing.
"did he mention that DL is the only airline that flies from 3 gateways east of the Rockies to 2 or more cities in E. Asia or did I miss that?"
No he didn't because why at all would that be relevant?
"and yet there are people that think that DL makes all of its money in its 4 interior US hub"
Yep, it's called Delta investor relations...
thank you for coming out of the woodwork, Max. I knew you would bite.
no, DL doesn't say that.
They say the MAJORITY of their revenues come from their 4 interior US hubs
You never were very good w/ comprehension or details, Max.
And they could say that ATL generates a disproportionate amount of profits which would be true.
Tim, you must not be all that sharp. And honestly, you sound kinda hung up on Max — like you’re just sittin’ around waitin’ for him to talk to you. It’s already bedtime down there in Atlanta. Maybe just call it a night
Kinda feels like you’re less debating Max and more writing him love letters, Tim. You just forgot the stamp.
If I had a dollar for every time someone thinks incorrectly that I live in Atlanta, I'd be a very rich man.
only because you've said you do elsewhere. Drink less, idiot
So irritating since I am just starting up a BRU based romance and just flew the BRU-JFK route again. Its odd since its the capital of the EU to reduce services from the US financial capital. My BRU based friend hates Brussels airlines and wont be happy since he regularly flies to JFK on Delta when he can.
Kudos to Tim Dunn for the restraint on a red meat blog post involving Delta. See Tim, it's not that hard.
this aged well...
you don't seem to know Tim Dunn.
post drinks and drunk, the kraken is released and he says a LOT of sh*t he never acknowledges again. He flat out denies his black out self, actually
Shows that Delta is not invincible at JFK.
I used to fly BRU-JFK regularly but not in recent years. If I were in that situation, I'd fly Brussels or United.
I recently went from Brussels to AMS to JFK on KLM, with the Brussels to AMS leg on train since that was cheaper, all booked with FlyingBlue Miles. It was lovely! It was so nice to do the short segment via train. The Brussels-Midi train station is very easy to get to, the train was comfortable and had great wifi, and the train took us directly to the airport where we did our “layover” in...
I recently went from Brussels to AMS to JFK on KLM, with the Brussels to AMS leg on train since that was cheaper, all booked with FlyingBlue Miles. It was lovely! It was so nice to do the short segment via train. The Brussels-Midi train station is very easy to get to, the train was comfortable and had great wifi, and the train took us directly to the airport where we did our “layover” in the lounge. 10/10, would do it again and would definitely prefer this to the short hop flight. I hope more of us try it so it can be a more regular thing!
United flies IAD to BRU with a 777 -- which makes sense with all the government employees in both cities.
I fly the Atl-bru several times a year since Our company has a EMEA HQ in Belgium. The 767 is terrible but it’s direct vs connecting so I still take it. The last flight I booked was 10k for “delta one”
I can see why they might cancel it is they can get more revenue from another route from JFK. BRU is dominated by star and Delta/sky team owns CDG and AMS which are the closest alternate entry points to that area
The next casualty DL international route is SEA-TPE!
I don't get this route. It's always empty, and yet they often have higher J fares than CI, BR and JX. So arrogant!
Don't you think that means it is in fact doing fine then? Not "arrogance", if they were doing so bad then they wouldn't be charging more.
DL had a rough patch mid last year, but its load factors have been towards the top. JX is the one trailing significantly. Overall the route seems fine, probably not a cash cow, but somewhat stable.
The SEA-TPE route has one advantage, that of scheduling. It arrives in TPE in the afternoon, not at 5 am, like all the other airlines flying nonstop
Yes, it's a daytime flight focused on US side connectivity. Can take in a bank or two of morning flights on the outbound and gets a full day of connections on the inbound with the morning arrival at SEA.
The Taiwanese flights are focused on Asia connectivity via their TPE hub.
Always empty ? So you fly every day to justify that comment
PERFECT airlines don't cut flights, do they? But seriously, given that Brussels is a Star Alliance stronghold, this move isn't a surprise.
Not rocket science. It's a difficult JV route, Delta is freeing up JFK slots for stuff that'll make more money.
Delta is profitable at JFK.
are they? Per who?
Not Delta.
Per me!
as usual, yolo gets it.
DL is about maximizing profits.
DL consistently drops a couple routes and then adds 4 more.
Good companies stop doing what doesn't make sense and add what does.
DL is still growing.
I've been to Belgium enough times for a lifetime
fun non-reply and lame misdirect.
Again. Who said Delta is profitable at JFK today?
yolo did.
He might have data but neither DL or any other airline releases hub profitability. They can say all kinds of things and model what they think their competitors MIGHT do but each airline runs only their own books.
and it is beyond ridiculous to think that DL could just breakeven in so many of the hubs that the internet thinks they are not profitable in and still end up as the US'...
yolo did.
He might have data but neither DL or any other airline releases hub profitability. They can say all kinds of things and model what they think their competitors MIGHT do but each airline runs only their own books.
and it is beyond ridiculous to think that DL could just breakeven in so many of the hubs that the internet thinks they are not profitable in and still end up as the US' most profitable airline.
I know it is Friday night but save the hard drugs for after midnight, Julie
Has Delta been flying the same "classic" 767-300s on this route for all 34 years?
Ouch! And UA flies a measly dated 757 from EWR to Brussels… something must be really wrong with that route ;)
Sure, United flies the 757 SEASONALLY, year round they fly the 787-10 on the route. And from Dulles it’s their flagship in the B777-300ER
United flies two flights a day in the summer . A 757 and either a 777 or 767-400. Other seasons it's a 777 or 767-400 when there aren't two flights
UA is double daily in the summer from EWR with a 78X and a 757.
The local population in Brussels who pays for business class is completely locked into/loyal to star partner carriers. Those from Belgium who aren't locked in are looking for a cheap ticket to the states, and that's who delta gets. Not profitable.
On the US side, those paying for business class or premium economy are mostly pharmaceutical industry employees, and their offices are mostly in New Jersey and tend to live closer to Newark, so...
The local population in Brussels who pays for business class is completely locked into/loyal to star partner carriers. Those from Belgium who aren't locked in are looking for a cheap ticket to the states, and that's who delta gets. Not profitable.
On the US side, those paying for business class or premium economy are mostly pharmaceutical industry employees, and their offices are mostly in New Jersey and tend to live closer to Newark, so they fly United. Belgium is not a huge destination for Americans so there really is little leisure demand. United fills its flights with the pharmaceutical execs, gov busines on the DC flights, and tons of transit traffic to Africa. I flew dc-Brussels on my way to Rwanda in March and a good portion of the flight dc-Brussels transferred to the Africa flights in Brussels. And other European destinations. Delta can't touch that. Delta had flown from Atlanta to Brussels since the 1990s but after the bombing at Brussels airport in 2015 or so they stopped it and have flown intermittently since then. Tbd.
Tldr: overall small market and delta doesn't have the demographics or partners to make Brussels work well.
According to Enilria, the flight is actually fairly profitable in summer.
It's probably a fine flight and probably does make money. It's just that there are flights that can make even more money. In a tightly restricted airport at JFK, you gotta cut flights to make room for others.
This is probably in preparation for those new flights that Delta has been teasing to Ibiza and whatnot.
@Remote enilria makes a lot of weird and inaccurate claims. I wouldn't believe that it was profitable for a second.
That guy has no insight to an airline's p/l numbers. If it were profitable it wouldn't be cut.
If only they had the 321XLR! #CASM
The writing has been on the wall for this cut for years. It performs very poorly. BRU just isn't that big of a corporate and NGO market from NYC and in general. It works for UA at EWR because of SN being in Star, and so connections. DL doesn't even fly ATL-BRU daily. It always has been a tough market.
"Air France doesn’t fly to Brussels from Paris (CDG), but instead has a rail connection (intimidating to Americans, generally)"
Oh, the horror...
Americans strictly require to use the least efficient mode of transportation on any given route.
Ben, you see it all wrong.
See, the people of Belgium just weren't grateful enough for the amazing premium 767-300, so they just dont deserve this premium service. Also, this is just another chance for Delta to solidify service into anything that yells JV-partner. Anyway, Delta wins!!!
You can easily book a train+air connecting to/from AF. The train is directly from CDG and takes around 90 mins.
And the train leg is always in first class!
Oh Ben, the trolling here is…wow.
Grabbing my popcorn for the show.
Never seen such a sleek and elegant cancellation, let alone such a premium one
The most premium cancellation!