The FINANCIAL — Delta is linking Nashville, Tenn. and Raleigh-Durham, N.C. with new nonstop service in June, becoming the first airline to offer both First Class seating and a business traveler’s schedule on the route.
Two daily round-trip flights between Tennessee’s Capital City and North Carolina’s Research Triangle will run on a Delta Connection 76-seat jet with room for 12 customers in First Class, 12 in Delta Comfort+ and 52 in the Main Cabin, according to Delta.
The strong healthcare and technology sectors in both cities will stand to benefit from the new nonstop option on Delta, with an attractive schedule for business travelers as well as customers looking for a weekend getaway.
Nashville to Raleigh-Durham:
Depart 6:00 a.m. — Arrive 8:40 a.m.
Depart 6:30 p.m. — Arrive 9:04 p.m.
Raleigh-Durham to Nashville:
Depart 7:00 a.m. — Arrive 7:37 a.m.
Depart 7:20 p.m. — Arrive 7:58 p.m.
In Raleigh-Durham, new daily nonstop flights to Newark and Washington, D.C. (DCA) began last fall after the successful inaugural season of nonstop service to Paris-Charles de Gaulle in conjunction with joint venture partner Air France KLM. This summer, the Paris nonstop will operate on larger 767-300ER aircraft due to increased demand. Meanwhile, additional new service to Austin, Texas and Seattle is set to begin in March and June respectively. Available seats have grown 84 percent since 2010.
“Delta’s long history in the Research Triangle area is a point of pride for the airline and even more so today as the largest airline at Raleigh-Durham International Airport with 74 peak-day departures to 26 weekly destinations this summer,” said Joe Esposito, Vice President – Network Planning, Americas. “Raleigh-Durham customers have benefited from Delta’s continued expansion with seat growth of over 80 percent since 2010 and we look forward to adding this additional nonstop option for our customers.”
In Nashville, nonstop Seattle service also debuts this summer as will a second daily nonstop to New York-JFK. Nonstop service to Boston began in November.
“Nashville customers have benefited from Delta’s rapid seat growth of over 60 percent since 2010 and Delta will fly 37 peak-day departures to 13 weekly destinations this summer,” Esposito said.