Competition in Seattle is continuing to heat up, as Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines battle it out on long haul routes…
Delta adding two new Europe routes from Seattle
Delta has announced that it plans to add two new summer seasonal long haul routes from Seattle (SEA) as of the summer 2026 season:
- Between May 6 and October 23, 2026, Delta will fly 4x weekly to Rome (FCO)
- Between May 7 and October 22, 2026, Delta will fly 3x weekly to Barcelona (BCN)
The routes will cover 5,688 miles and 5,439 miles, respectively. The schedules for the routes haven’t yet been revealed, but I’ll be sure to provide an update once we learn more. This announcement comes at the same time as news of the new Delta One Lounge Seattle.
Both routes will be operated by Airbus A330-900neos, featuring 281 seats, including 29 business class (Delta One) seats, 28 premium economy (Premium Select) seats, 56 extra legroom economy (Comfort+) seats, and 168 economy (Main Cabin) seats.
These new routes will complement Delta’s existing European routes out of Seattle, including to Amsterdam (AMS), London (LHR), and Paris (CDG), all of which are year-round.
Alaska & Delta are going head-to-head in Seattle
It’s no secret why Delta is suddenly launching new long haul routes in Seattle. While Delta has steadily been growing its presence in Seattle for roughly a decade now, the competitive dynamics have changed.
With Alaska having acquired Hawaiian, Alaska is now launching long haul routes out of Seattle, with the goal of having a dozen long haul routes by 2030. Tokyo Narita (NRT) service launched in May 2025, Seoul Incheon (ICN) service will launch in September 2025, and Rome (FCO) service will launch in May 2026.
So I think it’s pretty obvious why Delta would now add flights from Seattle to Rome, and to Barcelona, one of the other unserved markets out of Seattle that’s most in demand.
It’s anyone’s guess how the “battle in Seattle” plays out. Is there room for both airlines to thrive with long haul service from the airport? Or will one airline eventually have to retreat?
Delta is of course one of the world’s most profitable airlines (no longer the most profitable — that title now belongs to Emirates, at least officially), and routes planners at the airline obviously know what they’re doing. The airline has long haul joint ventures, and has lots of experience with making money on long haul flying.
At the same time, Alaska has the most loyal following in Seattle, a larger regional connecting network in the Pacific Northwest, and a better cost structure. Furthermore, I imagine Alaska is more committed to making Seattle long haul service work, given that Seattle is the carrier’s most important hub. Delta could just as easily retreat and focus on long haul expansion out of Salt Lake City (SLC). Thats not to say the airline will do that, but it could…
Bottom line
Delta has announced plans to launch two new seasonal long haul routes out of Seattle, to Barcelona and Rome. The flights will both launch as of May 2026, with the Rome route being an exact copy of the new route that Alaska just announced.
Consumers will certainly be the winners here, as we now see two new transatlantic routes launched, one with two competitors.
What do you make of Delta’s European expansion from Seattle, and how do you see this all playing out?
Membership is free and takes no more information than commenting as a guest. Earn status points for good contributions, and see fewer ads as your status grows.