Only 59% Full: Delta Air Lines' 10 Surprisingly Empty Long-Haul Routes Revealed [List & Map]

Delta Air Lines’ long-haul network is showing a notable capacity gap, with the carrier’s 10 lowest-load routes running far below its overall long-haul average. In the 12 months to March 2026, Delta carried 17.1 million long-haul passengers and posted an average long-haul load factor of 84.9%. Using U.S. Department of Transportation data for nonstops of at least 2,650 nautical miles and at least 4,000 round-trip passengers, the analysis found all 10 routes below that average. The lowest was JFK to Lagos at 59.3% load factor, with only about 15,500 round-trip passengers; other low performers included BOS to Honolulu at 66.0% and ATL to Accra at 67.1%. Delta’s long-haul operations were 8.5% of its total traffic, compared with 5.9% for American and 11.6% for United.