14-05-2025
Delta shortens seasonal service between Albuquerque and Minnesota
May 13—New Mexicans hoping to fly Delta Air Lines from Albuquerque to Minnesota after November will have to deal with a stop on the way.
Four of Delta Air Lines' nonstop seasonal routes to and from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, which includes a route between Minnesota and Albuquerque International Sunport, will cease earlier than usual, an airline spokesperson told the Journal on Tuesday.
The daily nonstop flight is offered seasonally May through January, but Delta has made the decision to cut the flight earlier, starting Nov. 6.
"Delta routinely adjusts its network operations to best accommodate demand," a statement from the spokesperson said. "We will work to rebook impacted customers on alternative itineraries. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause."
The other three cities for which some of Delta's Minnesota flights will cease early include Buffalo, New York; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Great Falls, Montana. The routes for these cities will end after September.
The spokesperson noted that the flight offering will return in May 2026. In the meantime, flyers will still be able to fly to Minnesota using Delta Air Lines, but it will be a direct flight with a layover instead of a nonstop.
Daniel Jiron, the Sunport's business development manager, said the seasonality of the flight is nothing new. He said Delta has offered the nonstop flight since 2010 and started offering it seasonally in 2012. He reiterated that this flight is not being eliminated — only paused earlier than usual.
"Somehow, somewhere, something got written that they're eliminating all these cities... so everybody's in a panic. What we have been told is, 'Oh no, it's pausing earlier than normal in January,'" Jiron said. "It's not wonderful news, but you know, we don't anticipate it going away, because it does well."
While one flight offering is being cut short early, another flight offering will soon be expanding, the Delta spokesperson said. Delta will be increasing daily service between Albuquerque and Salt Lake City this summer from three to four flights.
The Sunport is also set to welcome a new flight offering next week, as nonstop flights to and from Dulles International Airport in Virginia kick off May 22. The flight, represented by the airport code IAD, will be offered by United Airlines once daily.
"It gives us better connectivity to and from Washington, D.C. It's something we've been working on for a number of years," said Manny Manriquez, the Sunport's deputy director of innovation and commercial development.
"United has actually served that route just for the Balloon Fiesta, and we've seen really good numbers between Albuquerque and Washington, D.C.," Manriquez said. "We're excited to launch it."
