93 Routes: Where Delta Air Lines Flies The Boeing 717 Workhorse

Delta Air Lines first used the Boeing 717 some 12 years ago, in 2013. They were opportunistically acquired from Southwest following its acquisition of AirTran. Given Southwest’s all-737 fleet, the 717 was superfluous to its single fleet requirement.

According to ch-aviation, Delta still has 80 717s, which were originally marketed as the MD-95. Not all of them are active. At 24 years, they are among its oldest subfleet. Each frame has 110 seats: 12 recliner-style first seats (2-2; 37″ pitch), 20 seats in Comfort+ (2-3; 34″), and 78 in Main Cabin (2-3; 31″). It is the SkyTeam member’s second-smallest mainline equipment after the Airbus A220-100.

Where Delta Will Fly The 717 In November

Using Cirium Diio data to examine the carrier’s full November network indicates that the 717 will operate 93 routes, all of which are domestic. (They’ll fly internationally again in December.) Thirty links will see the type less than daily, while 22 will only have one or two flights on the aging rear-engined equipment.

Delta plans an average of 398 daily two-way flights on the 717, which has risen from 350 in November 2024. Part of the reason for the growth is that the average stage length has fallen by 8% year-on-year. It is also because Delta owns them. They’re paid off, so they’re cheap as chips to use, which helps to overcome the higher fuel burn and maintenance. It’s similar to United’s 757s, which will have the highest number of European services for nine years.

Atlanta, which is the world’s busiest airport for passengers but not aircraft movements, has 290 of the 398 daily 717 movements—73% of the total. Minneapolis has 33 and Detroit has 75. The type’s overall increase is due to growth in Atlanta, with a quarter more services than last November. In contrast, they’ve shrunk by 39% in Minneapolis, which is the airline’s second-greatest fortress hub.

Delta’s Top 10 717 Routes In November

Given that more than seven in ten of Delta’s 717 flights are from Atlanta, it’s hardly surprising that all the top ten routes are too. The small Boeing narrowbody is the carrier’s third-most popular equipment from the hub in November. Only the 737-900ER and A321ceo have more services.

With 213 departures and six to eight daily takeoffs (each way), Atlanta to Charlotte is the leading market for 717 activity. It connects the world’s second and eighth-busiest airports by flights and Delta’s busiest hub and American’s second-busiest facility. The US Department of Transportation shows that eight in ten of Delta’s Atlanta-Charlotte passengers connect to another flight at the Georgia hub.

Delta’s Longest & Shortest 717 Flights In November

When all 93 routes are considered, Delta’s average 717 service will cover 360 nautical miles (667 km). This is particularly because of its activity from Atlanta, where the stage length is just 322 nautical miles (596 km). In contrast, Minneapolis’ routes cover 78% more distance.

At 949 nautical miles (1,758 km) each way, Minneapolis to Savannah is the longest link. At just 83 nautical miles (154 km), Detroit to Cleveland covers the last distance. Both routes have one thing in common: they’ll only see the 717 once in November. The former will do so on November 29 (the A319 will operate the rest of the flights), while the latter will do so on November 8 (the CRJ700, CRJ900, and E175 are usually deployed).