Yahoo Finance Delta Air (DAL) to Introduce Orlando-Heathrow Route in Winter
In a customer-friendly move, Delta Air Lines DAL intends to launch flights from London Heathrow to Orlando in Florida this winter. DAL will operate this seasonal route four times a week in the Oct 26, 2024-Mar 29, 2025 time frame. An A330-900neo aircraft featuring Delta One Suites, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin experiences, to uplift the travel experience of passengers, will operate on the route.
Once this route becomes operational, Orlando will become DAL's eighth destination in the United States to be served directly from London for this winter season. The route will also be the airline’s first non-stop one between the U.K. and Florida.
The route expands Delta’s network between Florida and Europe, as the carrier already operates nonstop winter flights connecting Orlando and Amsterdam. Earlier in the year, DAL announced that daily flights between Tampa and Amsterdam will operate from Oct 26, to broaden its transatlantic portfolio.
With passenger volumes likely to be high this winter, DAL recently announced the most expansive winter schedule yet for popular ski destinations. Given this anticipation, DAL’s decision to introduce the Orlando-Heathrow route this winter is prudent and likely to attract substantial additional traffic.
Air travel demand has been buoyant in the post-COVID scenario, with people resuming their daily activities. The scenario has boosted the top-line growth of most airlines, including Delta. Owing to upbeat air-travel demand, shares of DAL have gained 21.3% year to date compared with its industry’s 11.9% growth.
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Zacks Rank
Delta currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Airline Stocks to Consider
Investors interested in the airline industry may consider SkyWest SKYW and Alaska Air ALK. Both stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
SkyWest's fleet modernization efforts are commendable. Upbeat air travel demand also supports the company. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SKYW’s 2024 earnings has improved 5.9% over the past 60 days. The stock has risen 52% year to date.
SKYW has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for 2024. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 128.09%, on average.
Alaska Air is being aided by upbeat air travel demand. We are also encouraged by ALK's initiatives to modernize its fleet.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company's current-quarter earnings has been revised 2.6% upward. ALK surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in three of the last four quarters and missed the mark once. The average beat is 22.7%.
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Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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