The Aircraft Delta Air Lines Didn't Know It Needed Until Inheriting It

Arguably, the widebody airliner that Delta Air Lines is most associated with today is the Airbus A330. The airline still operates the Boeing 767 and previously operated a large fleet of TriStars, but the Atlanta-based carrier is now the world's largest A330 operator, and it still has more on order.

When all remaining orders are delivered, Delta will be flying 97 A330s, split between three variants, and what's most impressive about this fleet is that Delta didn't have a single A330 in its fleet 20 years ago. For the most part, Delta was all-in on American planes leading up to its 2008 merger with Northwest Airlines, having even signed a 20-year exclusivity deal with Boeing in 1997 (this and similar deals made by Boeing were later dissolved).

Northwest, on the other hand, caught a case of Euro fever and operated a large fleet of Airbus A320s and A330s, which Delta inherited after the merger. As it turned out, both types fit in well within the airline's operations, and Delta liked the A330 so much that it more than doubled the size of this fleet.

The Original Planes Inherited From Northwest

Northwest Airlines first ordered the A330 in 1987, as part of a larger package that also included the A340, but financial struggles and changes to the A340 led Northwest to cancel this order. The airline would, however, reorder the A330-300 in 2000, initially agreeing to buy 24 A330-300s, before later revising the order to include 21 A330-300s as well as 11 long-range A330-200s.

These 32 aircraft first started arriving in 2003, and deliveries wrapped up in 2007, just a year before the merger with Delta. Just like most of its fleet, Northwest Airlines specced its A330s with Pratt & Whitney engines (the PW4000, to be specific) and rated them for a maximum takeoff weight of 233 tons.

The A330-300s were therefore perfectly capable for Northwest's transatlantic missions, while the A330-200s were even sent across the Pacific. This included Northwest's Narita hub along with its intra-Asia routes. The carrier originally installed 239 seats on the A330-200s and 298 seats on the A330-300. After the Delta-Northwest merger, the A330 fit within the fleet quite well.

The carrier already used the PW4000 on some of its Boeing 767s, and the fleet complemented the 767s for routes with higher demand than what a 767 could capture. Delta would go on to refresh the A330s with new seats while cutting capacity to 234 seats on the A330-200 and 293 seats on the A330-300s. Later on, Delta installed 21 Premium Select seats on these planes, dropping capacity to 223 seats on the A330-200 and 282 seats on the A330-300.

The A330 & The 767

At the time of the merger, Delta mainly relied on the 767 for widebody routes, while it also had a very small fleet of Boeing 777s. The Airbus A330 was similar in size to the 777-200ERs and 777-200LRs that the Atlanta-based airline was flying, yet it burned less fuel, as it is a lighter aircraft designed for routes between six and ten hours long.

Meanwhile, compared with the 767, the A330 came with higher operating costs, but not dramatically so, while its passenger capacity was much greater. The A330-300 can have more than 30% additional seats over the 767-300ER, while Delta's configuration sees it flying with just under 20% additional seats compared to the 767-400ER.

In addition, although the A330-300 doesn't quite have the range of the 767, it's still sufficient for transatlantic routes. Meanwhile, the A330-200 has less seating than the 767-400ER, but more than the 767-300ER, and it also has greater payload capacity, more range, as well as a larger cargo hold than either. The 767-300ER is mainly flown to smaller spokes within Europe and on transcontinental routes

However, this role mainly works because it's an aging, paid-off fleet with very low capital costs, and Delta has been in growth mode. On the major moneymaking routes, however, it's the A330-300 that is by far the most lucrative last-generation aircraft within Delta's fleet. The A330-200, meanwhile, complements the airline's 767-400ER fleet, as both are used to serve premium destinations such as London due to their relatively large Delta One cabins.

Getting Newer, Improved A330s

In 2013, Delta placed an order with Airbus for ten additional A330-300s, bringing its total A330-300 numbers to 31 examples and its A330 fleet to 42 aircraft overall. Notably, this order saw Delta launch the 242-ton MTOW option on the A330-300, and this rating gives the aircraft an impressive range of 6,340 NM (11,750 km).

These are among the most capable A330-300s in the world, and this version of the type can reliably operate routes such as New York to Tel Aviv year-round. Meanwhile, Delta was also an advocate for Airbus to improve the A330 with new engines, and it was one of the initial customers for the A330neo, which features new wingtips, boosted MTOW ratings, and the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 (a derivative of the 787's Trent 1000).

​​​​​​​The airline initially committed to 25 A330-900s alongside 25 A350-900s in its initial order, but it has since taken delivery of 39 A330-900s, and it has an additional 16 on order. Furthermore, Delta has 20 Airbus widebody options that may be used for either the A330-900 or A350-900. The A330-300 was already extremely compelling because, compared to the 767, the difference in operating cost was much smaller than the difference in revenue potential.

The A330-900, however, burns roughly the same amount of fuel as the 767, while carrying significantly more payload. As such, it's a much more lucrative aircraft than the already-compelling A330-300, and Delta has been progressively retiring 767s while it will soon take additional A330-900s in a premium-heavy layout.

The Interiors Of The A330s

As it currently stands, both the A330-200 and A330-300 fleets have the same onboard experience. There are 34 Delta One seats, which are based on the original Sicma (now Safran) Cirrus reverse herringbone platform. These planes also feature 21 Premium Select seats based on the Collins Aerospace (formerly B/E Aerospace) MiQ, and the A330-200 includes 168 economy seats based on the Collins Aerospace Pinnacle.

Meanwhile, the A330-300s are equipped with 227 economy seats, also based on the Pinnacle. The A330-900s, on the other hand, feature a more modern onboard experience. It's one of only two types to feature the Delta One Suites, based on the Thompson Vantage XL with sliding doors, and this is currently the most modern business class seat within Delta's portfolio.

​​​​​​​There are 29 of these on the A330-900, while there are also 28 Premium Select seats. Meanwhile, the airline has installed 224 economy seats, and altogether, the A330-900s in their current configuration feature 281 seats. Delta has announced that it will refurbish all 42 A330-200s and A330-300s with new interiors.

This will include an updated version of the Vantage XL with new finishes and modernized technology. In addition, the Premium Select and economy cabins will be updated with larger screens and added charging options, as well as upgraded seat cushioning in all cabins. Furthermore, the carrier will be installing snack bars on these planes, while these interiors are presumed to be coming on the carrier's future A330-900 deliveries.

Slotting The A330 Within Delta's Fleet

As the 767-300ERs slowly vanish, the 767-400ER will become a small, quirky subfleet for Delta while the A330 will be its transatlantic, Hawaii, and South America workhorse. It will be Delta's largest widebody fleet, complementing the 767-400ERs. The carrier is also a major A350 customer, and the A350-900 is a similar size to the A330-900, but the A350s are specifically designated for transpacific flights.

Meanwhile, the A330-900s have largely been moved off transpacific routes. Delta has also ordered 30 Boeing 787-10s with 30 options to start coming in 2031, and these planes are meant to be used similarly to the A330s. However, the 787-10 is a much larger aircraft than the A330, and it will therefore be used mainly to service high-demand destinations like Rome or Athens.

​​​​​​​Meanwhile, the A330-900 will slot below the 787-10, and it will displace A330s/767-400ERs which will serve thinner routes. In a sense, the A330-200s and A330-300s will be equivalent to Delta's 767-300ERs in the past. Eventually, the A330-200s and A330-300s will age out, but this is unlikely to become an issue until the mid-to-late 2030s.

​​​​​​​US airlines tend to retire widebody aircraft only once they're between 30 and 35 years old, if not later, and the upcoming refurbishments will ensure that they should see continued use for several years after the project. In the near future, meanwhile, the chances are that if you're flying Delta across the Atlantic or to South America, you'll be on an A330 variant.