Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) plans to base its first A321-200NX out of Boston and will deploy it into revenue service on May 20, 2022.
The carrier said the first route to be operated with the new type would be to San Francisco. Subsequently, it will use the A321-200NXs to operate services out of Boston to Seattle Tacoma International (starting on August 11), San Diego International, and Denver International (both starting on August 20).
Delta is the only one of the three major US carriers with a base in Boston and currently has a 24.1% market share at the airport by capacity, trailing the other based carrier, JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) (29.2%). Although American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) does not have a base at Boston airport, it has a sizeable 17.9% market share at the Massachusetts gateway.
Delta Air Lines took the first of its 155 A321-200NXs, N501DA (msn 10437), on March 24, 2022. The aircraft is currently undergoing final pre-induction maintenance in Boston and will seat up to 194 passengers, including 20 in business class, 42 in premium economy, and 132 in economy. While the first aircraft was delivered out of Hamburg Finkenwerder, Delta said that most of its remaining 154 A321neo would be built at Airbus's US assembly site at Mobile Downtown.
Airline Weekly reported, based on internal information, that 21 out of Delta's A321neo will be outfitted with a premium configuration, seating just 148 passengers, including 16 lie-flat business class seats, 12 premium economy, 54 extra-legroom economy, and 66 economy seats. While Delta did not confirm the plans, the premium A321neo could be used for transcontinental services.
