Delta Air Lines is the US’s second-largest operator by passenger traffic. In the 12 months to April 2026, the country’s Department of Transportation (DOT) shows that 201 million passengers were transported. That was more than United Airlines (184 million) but not as many as American Airlines (225 million).
Approximately 86% of Delta’s total traffic was domestic. Compared to the prior 12 months, the SkyTeam member’s domestic passenger volume rose by a modest 1%, albeit from a massive base. However, when all airlines are included, the intra-US market shrunk by nearly 1%.
Between May 2025 and April 2026, Delta’s average load factor across all of its routes was 83.7%, which was slightly higher than for American (83.6%) and United (82.8%). Delta had the second-highest result out of the US’s top ten airlines, slightly lower than Allegiant Air (83.8%). The two operators pursue very different strategies.
An airline’s load factor (which is technically the seat factor) is only one performance measure, and it should not be considered in isolation. Obviously, the following routes were extraordinarily poor. However, it is always about how and why a specific result was achieved. This analysis follows the recent exploration of the emptiest long-haul services from the US.
Context is usually critical. For example, many of the following markets exist because of funding from the Essential Air Service (EAS). This supports routes to the tune of several million dollars a year, without which they would not be feasible. But few seats were filled even with the support, with the funding covering the difference. Some other links had only just started or have since ended.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to Watertown, South Dakota
7,563 (this route began in August 2025; EAS funding)
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Cedar City, Utah
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to Alpena, Michigan
New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Worcester, Massachusetts
40,396 (partly served for slot-sitting purposes)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to St. Vincent
Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to Harlingen, Texas
2,803 (this route launched in October 2024 but ended in June 2025)
* Based on routes with a minimum of 2,000 round-trip passengers
Covering just 168 nautical miles (311 km), MSP to Watertown is Delta’s eighth-shortest route from its Minnesota hub. The carrier originally flew to Watertown in 2012 on the Saab 340 and Bombardier CRJ200. The market was inherited from Northwest Airlink, which usually flew the Saab 340. After a 13-year absence, Delta Connection returned to the city in South Dakota last summer.
Delta now flies to four cities in South Dakota, which is the same number as United but twice as many places as American. However, when departures are considered, Cirium Diio shows that Delta only ranks as the third-largest operator to South Dakota in 2026. It provides nearly one in four flights (23%), against United (45%) and American (24%).
SkyWest’s 50-seat CRJ550s are deployed to Watertown. This aircraft has 10 seats in domestic first class (36″; 1-2 layout), 10 in Comfort+ (34″; 2-2) and 30 in main cabin (31″; 2-2). In the 12 months to April 2026, Delta Connection filled just 14 seats on each flight. It is hard to believe that many seats in the domestic first cabin would have been filled.
Because of the poor initial result, many flights have been removed for the second season. Find out more here!
Shortly before Christmas last year, Delta took off from the world’s busiest airport for passengers to St. Vincent. This marked the carrier’s debut in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. At 1,766 nautical miles (3,271 km) each way, it is Delta’s third-longest link from ATL to the Caribbean this year.
The going has been very tough on Delta’s 160-seat Boeing 737-800s. With a load factor of only 46.1% through April 2026, Delta only filled around 74 of the available seats. As is usually the case, the worst month was February 2026 (39.1%), although March was barely better (40.8%).
With between five weekly flights and a daily service, Delta had way too much capacity available relative to demand, even after the local traffic grew from having nonstop flights. To help remedy this, only a Saturday operation is available through early September. Currently, the final departure is on September 5. It is not known if the route will return in 2027.
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