Well that didn’t take long. Icelandair recently announced it would launch a Detroit to Keflavik route, and now Delta will launch the same route… three days earlier.
Continue reading: Delta Adding Detroit To Iceland Flight In 2023
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Where do you see that Delta operated a flight from Detroit to Keflavik up until 2003? Detroit was not a delta hub back then, and northwest, delta’s predecessor in Detroit, never flew to Iceland at all. Please check your source as I believe this is an erroneous statement.
Delta started doing the 757 with domestic first-class before the pandemic. Because it's being sold as premium economy, there are some significant consequences:
1) No complimentary upgrades from economy into premium economy for elites even if there are empty seats.
2) A global upgrade certificate is required to upgrade from economy to premium economy. That's just absurd given the shortness of the route. This should be a regional upgrade certificate.
3) No lounge access at DTW and KEF. Booking premium economy does NOT automatically give you lounge access. It does, however, qualify you for Sky Club lounge access at DTW if and only if you are a gold, platinum, or diamond with Delta under the new rules.
Given how much Delta has built up Boston, this is a nice little addition to the Detroit international lineup.
and FNT,
You can get into SkyClubs with the "right" Amex card or a SC membership regardless of the cabin you are flying.
The "right" American Express card isn't an option for non-U.S. customers on Delta.
Icelandair offers business-class, which includes lounge access in both DTW and KEF. Delta doesn't.
It's bizarre that Delta offers a business-class product for MSP to KEF but not DTW.
It's just like when Delta pre-pandemic announced flights to LGW and SNN would only have a premium economy cabin. It makes no sense and undermines fleet-wide consistency. Same for flying around inferior 737s and A350s.
Icelandair does not offer a true international type Business Class product. It's seats are identical to domestic First Class. So, the Icelandair "Business Class" experience is comparable to what Delta will sell as Premium Select using the domestic configured B757 equipment.
Delta never flew from Detroit to Iceland, especially in 2003 when Detroit was not a hub for Delta. This is not a service resumption. Please check your sources and edit this. It’s not a good idea to put out false information.
Icelandair doesn't fly long-haul. So the seats are comparable to other regional or short-haul business-class seats. And unlike Delta premium economy, Icelandair business-class comes with proper bedding, lounge access, and much better food and wine than what Delta serves in premium economy.
The US to Iceland market is almost entirely US originating.
Delta also uses the business class 757s on transcon routes. They likely don’t have enough to fly many non non coastal flights
Their goal is clearly to pull as much coach traffic. Icelandair needs every passenger to make this route viable. This is a speck in Delta‘ s network
I’m assuming it’s a reference to Northwest routes previously serviced that Delta inherited the legacy of during merger
They didnt fly it either. Northwest never flew to Iceland. I worked in Network Planning for Northwest back in the day and can tell you we never flew there nor was it ever considered. It's a factually incorrect statement that I'm not sure where it came from.
This reminds me a few years ago when Wow launched flights from KEF to DFW, prompting Icelandair and American to do the same - 3 airlines!
Wow of course went bust, the other 2 airlines then had no reason to continue this route, and it quickly went from 3 airlines back to 0 on the route. (And American doesn't fly to Iceland at all!)