After operating from Seoul to Detroit, Delta retired the last of its Boeing 747-400s from
scheduled revenue service on December 19th, 2017. Despite the type being used between 2009 and 2017,
you might be surprised to learn that Delta Connection’s Dornier 328
jets had more flights in one year than the 744 did in total. Let’s take a look at Delta’s 747-400s.
The 747-400 registered November6-6-6-UniformSierra had the honor of operating Delta’s final scheduled
service by the type. The aircraft was the ninth-oldest of all 747-400s,
first flying on July 31st, 1989. The aircraft was delivered to Northwest on
August 18th, 1989, and it remained in service with the carrier until it and Delta combined.
This aircraft flew 115,105 hours in its lifetime and had 13,894 flight cycles.
Delta operated 16 747-400s in all, all inherited from Northwest airlines.
Delta obtained large numbers of aircraft from the merger, notably A330-200s and -300s,
and DC-9-30s/40s/(and) 50s., however, it was the 747-400 that was the most iconic.
From April 2009, six months after the merger was approved, the type began to
be operated by Northwest for Delta. There were two routes that year: from Atlanta to Honolulu
(then the USA’s third-longest domestic service) and Atlanta to Tokyo Narita. In 2021,
Atlanta to Tokyo Haneda is operated by the A350-900, representative of
the global move towards lighter, smaller twins with lower fuel consumption and maintenance.
Between 2009 and 2017, Delta had about 67,000 flights by the 747-400,
including non-stops and one-stops. The peak year for the 747-400 came in 2013 with
over 11,300 flights and 4.3 million seats. That year, the type was used on 18 non-stop routes,
including one-offs like Detroit-Los Angeles and Atlanta-Seattle. And now,
in 2021, Delta has the USA’s largest number of domestic widebody services.
In all, Delta’s 747-400s operated some 40 non-stop routes, including a number of one-offs and those
with a small series of services. Only 14 routes were served with 2,000+ flights,
as illustrated in this map, with Tokyo Narita featuring eight times.
Indeed, Honolulu to Narita was Delta’s most-served 747-400 route, followed by Narita-Manila
and Narita-Detroit. The type was all about Asia – at it was with Northwest. Because of
Delta’s mini-hub at Narita, the airport was by far number-one for seeing the airline’s 747s.
New York JFK to Tel Aviv was the fifth-thickest route served by the type.
Delta launched this route in 2008 with the 767-300ER, before it was joined the following
year by the 777-200ER and -200LR. The 747-400 took over between 2010 until 2014. The 777 returned,
which was later replaced by the A330-300. In June 2021, JFK-Tel Aviv is operated by the A330-900.
Delta’s 747-400s did visit the European mainland, just not for long or to a large degree.
The SkyTeam hubs of Amsterdam and Paris CDG were both served, and 2015 had the most flights,
with Detroit to Paris CDG operating, along with Amsterdam from Atlanta and Detroit
as well as one-offs from Minneapolis and Seattle. Sadly, the days of US carriers operating the 747
are gone. The same also goes for much of the world...
Did you fly Delta’s 747-400s? If so,
where did you go and what did you think? Let us know in the comments.