Delta Air Lines Poised for Growth in Brazil with New Daily Nonstop Flight from Atlanta to Sao Paulo, Pending Final Government Approval

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) was tentatively awarded permission by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to increase its service to Brazil with an additional daily nonstop flight between Atlanta and Sao Paulo.

“Delta is poised to continue its growth in Latin America and part of this expansion includes providing additional travel options to and from Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest and most important market for business travelers,” said Nicolas Ferri, Delta’s vice president—Latin America and Caribbean. 

Through its partnership with GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, Delta offers access to its customers to more than 380 destinations in more than 62 countries, meeting 99 percent of Brazilian and U.S. customer demand between the countries.

Delta was also tentatively awarded an additional nonstop daily flight between Detroit and Sao Paulo which becomes available October 1, 2014 and allows Delta to continue its existing nonstop service between those markets.  Delta’s currently held rights to operate that flight will transfer to US Airways in 2015 as part of a previously approved slot transaction that allowed Delta to expand at LaGuardia Airport in New York.  This award ensures continuity of service in the Detroit-Sao Paulo market beyond the transfer date.

Delta currently operates 35 nonstop weekly flights between Brazil and the U.S. including Atlanta, Detroit, New York- JFK to Sao Paulo, as well as from Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.