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Delta Moves In With Some Unusual Routes, Just as Southwest Drops ‘Bags Fly Free’

joeheg
a plane parked at an airport

Delta Air Lines isn’t known for surprises. For decades, it’s followed the classic hub-and-spoke playbook: flights from smaller cities connect through major hubs like Atlanta or Detroit before heading to their final destination. It’s a system that’s worked well, especially with a megahub like ATL helping to keep Delta planes full and efficient.

But now, Delta’s doing something it rarely does: launching a set of new routes that bypass its hub system entirely—and all of them go to Orlando.

Even more curious? These new flights go head-to-head with routes already served by low-cost competitors like Southwest, Spirit, and Frontier. And the timing couldn’t be more pointed: just as Southwest is rolling back one of its most iconic benefits, Delta is stepping in with a quiet challenge.

Delta’s Traditional Network Model

This model has served Delta well. The airline’s major hubs include:

Delta also maintains focus city operations in Austin (AUS), Cincinnati (CVG), and Raleigh-Durham (RDU).

With that network, Delta has been able to move passengers efficiently, even if it often means a connection. But their latest route announcement suggests something different may be taking shape.

New Point-to-Point Routes to Orlando

Delta just revealed several new nonstop routes to Orlando (MCO), and none of them start or end at a Delta hub.

The new routes begin December 20, 2025, and run seasonally on Saturdays through April 11, 2026—perfectly timed to cover holiday travel and Spring Break. Here are the cities getting new nonstop Delta service to Orlando:

Flights will be operated by Delta Connection’s E175 regional jets, which are rarely seen on Florida leisure routes but are ideal for low-risk expansion when business traffic is light on weekends.

Look Familiar? Southwest Already Flies These Routes

Here’s where it gets interesting: every single one of these routes is already served by Southwest, and many also see competition from Spirit and Frontier:

Delta seems to be targeting these routes very intentionally, and the timing may not be coincidental.

Strategic Timing: A Swipe at Southwest?

Starting May 28, 2025, Southwest will no longer offer its hallmark “bags fly free” perk on all but its highest fare class. While those changes haven’t taken effect yet, Delta’s announcement comes just weeks ahead of the shift. That gives travelers, especially families, plenty of time to rethink their airline loyalties before booking holiday and spring break trips.

By swooping in with Saturday-only flights to Orlando, Delta is using underutilized aircraft and tapping into peak leisure demand—while subtly suggesting that it might offer more reliability and value than the budget carriers currently dominating these markets.

Is Delta Testing a New Playbook?

Delta hasn’t said anything about turning Orlando into a focus city, but this feels like more than a random experiment. With other airlines raising fees and cutting perks, Delta may be sensing an opportunity to win over some cost-conscious, comfort-seeking travelers.

Whether it works or not, it’s a fascinating peek at how the airline might be thinking beyond the hub.

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