DELTA Air Lines has cut flights to a major tourist hotspot from two US airports.
One route will be entirely blacked out while another will be slashed in half as of October.
Delta Air Lines will be scrapping flights from two US travel hubs in October (stock)[/caption]
The move, approved by the Department of Transport, comes due to dampening customer demand (stock)[/caption]
Delta routes from Miami and Atlanta to Havana, Cuba, are being reduced (stock)[/caption]
Earlier this month, the airline filed a motion with the Department of Transportation requesting to decrease its flights to Cuba.
It said this move to ax flights for a whole season is due to a lack of customer demand.
“Delta requests a full-season waiver, from October 26, 2025 through March 28, 2026,” the motion states.
It impacts flights to Havana, Cuba, from both Atlanta, Georgia, and Miami, Florida.
The Department of Transport approved the request on September 3.
It will mean that all seven Delta flights from Atlanta to Havana will be cut until next spring.
Meanwhile, half of the 14 Delta Air Lines flights going to Havana from Miami will be scrapped.
“Although current U.S.-Cuba market demand does not support these flights at this time, Delta remains hopeful demand between the U.S. and Cuba will rebound,” the carrier said.
“With future increased demand, Delta looks forward to increasing competition on the Miami-Havana route and reconnecting Atlanta, Delta’s largest hub and the busiest airport in the world, with Havana.”
Delta has followed in the footsteps of rivals including United, Southwest and American Airlines.
As of September 4, Southwest passengers found reduced flights running to the tourist hotsport from Tampa, Florida.
Like Delta’s seasonal cuts, these are in place until March 2026.
United Airlines also canceled its Houston to Havana round-trip service as of September 2.
But, routes to Cuba are not the only Delta Air Line flights that have been impacted by schedule adjustments.
Delta announced that it would be cutting seven routes in September and four of these were based in St. Paul, Minneapolis.
The airline cut flights from St. Paul to Albuquerque, Buffalo, Fairbanks, and Great Falls.
It also slashed routes from Salt Lake City to Toronto, and from Atlanta to Fresno.
Meanwhile, it has also permanently cut all flights between Austin and Midland, Texas from November 8.
Again, this was put down to falling demand.
Finally, on January 5, 2026, the last Delta Air Lines flight will take off from New York JFK to Brussels – a route that has been a regular part of the schedule for 34 years.
Why might an airline cancel or suspend routes?
By Chris Bradford, Assistant News Editor
To cut or make changes to airline routes, carriers have to file motions to the Department of Transportation first for approval. Airlines often refer to market conditions when explaining the motive behind a decision, such as:
- Demand. If bosses notice popularity for a particular route is down, they may be inclined to make a cut.
- Money. Services might be cut because they are not financially viable.
- Resources. Airlines might also make changes if they’re grappling with factors such as rising fuel costs, or pilot shortages. Making targeted cuts can allow airlines to allocate resources more effectively.
But sometimes, the political landscape can provide context behind a particular decision to cut or add routes.
If there are travel restrictions in place, then airlines may decide to take a particular course of action.
Right now, for example, airlines are cutting routes to and from Cuba.
President Donald Trump has demonstrated a tougher policy stance toward Cuba compared to his predecessor, Joe Biden.
He has vowed to enforce a ban on tourism to Cuba more strictly.
Cuba is on the state sponsors of terrorism list compiled by the US Government.
The U.S. Sun has confirmed that Southwest Airlines has requested to cut its number of Tampa, Florida, to Havana, Cuba services.
Southwest currently offers twice daily round trip services between the two cities, but from September 4, this service will be reduced to one daily return trip.
Bosses want the temporary schedule change to remain in place until March 2026.
Southwest has not ruled out a return to the twice daily return trip service if market conditions warrant it.
The low-cost provider is not the only airline that has made changes to its Cuba routes.
United Airlines is ending its sole direct service between Houston and Havana from September 2.
And, bosses at American Airlines have also filed a motion with the DOT to reduce its routes to Cuba.
Earlier this year, major carriers such as United, Delta, and American Airlines temporarily suspended routes to the Middle East due to the hostilities in the region.
