Delta Switches to Terminal 3 for Heathrow Flights to Boston, New York and Seattle

Delta Air Lines has relocated some of its key London Heathrow flights from the airport’s Terminal 4 to Terminal 3, in order to join its strategic partner Virgin Atlantic Airways in operating to and from the terminal.

The move comes as both airlines start flying their new and aligned summer schedules, which the carriers have designed to offer business passengers more choice and flexibility and to reduce transit times for connecting flights.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300 N805NW rotates upon departure from Barcelona’s El Prat International Airport

From April 2, Delta Air Lines has moved its arrival and departure terminal for its London Heathrow-New York JFK services, Heathrow-Boston flights, and new Heathrow-Seattle service to Terminal 3.

Virgin Atlantic Airways operates all of its Heathrow long-haul flights to and from Terminal 3.

Now both Delta and Virgin Atlantic Airways operate to and from the same terminals at both ends of the London Heathrow-New York JFK route, which is the world’s most important international business-travel market, according to Delta.

“From the outset of our partnership with Virgin Atlantic we have been committed to putting the customer first and creating more competition on trans-Atlantic routes,” says Ed Bastian, Delta’s president. “The co-location of our key business flights with Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow is another step forward in delivering against these commitments. Together we are offering new routes and more flights this summer and making a real difference for customers.”

Virgin Atlantic Airways used this Airbus A330-300 to fly its first-ever transatlantic scheduled service with a twin-engine aircraft, a revenue flight between Manchester in the UK and Orlando in Florida

The new routes to which Bastian refers include Delta’s new West Coast service between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and London Heathrow. Delta began operating the service on March 30.

In co-operation with Virgin Atlantic, Delta will begin offering a second daily service between London Heathrow and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport from June 2. (The outbound flight from Detroit starts operating on June 1.) Delta uses Heathrow’s Terminal 4 for its Detroit departures,

The two airlines’ joint summer UK-U.S. summer schedule includes a total of 32 peak daily non-stop, one-way flights between North America and the UK. Of these, 25 flights will operate between London Heathrow and important U.S. business destinations such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta and Washington Dulles International Airport.

In the overall New York-London travel market, Delta and Virgin Atlantic together offer a total of nine daily non-stop flights. Their joint schedule includes departures every 30 minutes during the early evening peak and then hourly until 10:30 p.m. from New York JFK to London Heathrow Airport.

The Boeing 777-200LR is the longest-haul aircraft type in Delta Air Lines’ huge fleet. Delta operates 10 of the ultra-long-haul widebodies

From London Heathrow to New York JFK, the two carriers offer a spread of seven daily flights including two late afternoon and early evening departures. These services will be complemented by two daily non-stop flights between Newark Liberty International Airport (the other major New York-area international gateway airport) and London Heathrow.

Delta will continue to operate its services linking London with Atlanta, Detroit and Minneapolis from Heathrow’s Terminal 4.