LOS ANGELES – Travelers based in the West and mainland Chinese travelers visiting the U.S. are now able to fly between Los Angeles and Shanghai directly on Delta, as the airline kicked off daily nonstop service between the two cities this week. 

 

The start of Shanghai service marks Delta's fourth daily nonstop flight to the Asia-Pacific region, in addition to Tokyo-Narita, Tokyo-Haneda and Sydney. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Friday at the flight’s departure gate in Shanghaito to mark the occasion. 

 

Delta’s Shanghai-bound customers will be able to connect to more than 25 cities in China, while the Los Angeles-bound Shanghai flight will connect passengers to 40 markets throughout the U.S., Canada and Latin America from Delta’s LAX gateway.  

 

The airline offers a leading portfolio from the U.S. West Coast to China, as the new Shanghai route from Los Angles complements its existing service from Seattle to key Asian markets including Hong Kong and Beijing. 

 

"Delta's new nonstop service provides our customers with more access to Shanghai and markets beyond through our partnerships with China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and China Southern Airlines," said Ranjan Goswami, Delta's Vice President – Sales – West.  “This investment in our network complements those we've made to upgrade our airport facilities, our onboard products and services, and our industry-leading in-flight entertainment."

 

Shanghai is the largest city in China, a global business and cultural center, and a popular tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks. It’s also the largest Chinese business market from LAX, and Delta's new service will support several established and emerging industries, including entertainment, technology, healthcare and professional services. 

 

"China has been and will continue to be a very important market for Delta," said Mandy Zhou, Delta’s Director – China. "As we continue to enhance our network to the U.S., strengthen our alliance with Chinese airline partners, and invest in the customer experience in-flight and on the ground, Delta aims to be the most Chinese-friendly U.S. airline and the preferred carrier of choice for travel between China and the U.S."

 

Delta currently operates 167 peak-day departures from Los Angeles and recently completed a $229-million facilities enhancement of Terminal 5 at LAX that features a newly remodeled Delta Sky Club, a renovated Sky Priority lobby, and a brand new premium check-in experience, Delta ONE at LAX. 

 

The Los Angeles-to-Shanghai route will operate using a 291-seat Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.