Rejoice, red-eye haters! Delta will launch a daytime flight between JFK and London Heathrow (LHR) next year.
Service commences on March 28, 2020, increasing the mothership’s daily frequency of mainline flights to three between to the two cities. (FWIW, Virgin Atlantic already operates a morning departure leaving JFK every day at 8:05 AM.)
Currently scheduled as Delta flight number 5, the trip departs JFK at 10:15 AM daily. (The exception is March 28 before Daylight Saving Time takes effect in London; that day’s departure is scheduled for 11:15 AM). The flight is scheduled for seven hours and ten minutes, arriving Heathrow at 10:25 PM.
Delta said in a statement this “(marks) the airline’s first-ever daylight trans-Atlantic flight.” (For fellow AvGeeks who may be curious: the last time a flight with the callsign DL5 operated was June 7, 2018, between LAX and Las Vegas.)
The mothership’s refurbished 767-400s will operate the route. These aircraft will be outfitted with new Delta One seats, as well as Premium Select, Comfort+, and Main Cabin options.
A Great Option
As someone who doesn’t sleep well on planes (at least, when not in business or first class ;-)), I love this flight’s addition. It also gives New York-based travelers and those with early connections into JFK a chance to not endure red-eyes.
What do you think? Does the daylight flight appeal to you?
H/T: Travel Weekly
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I know pax need to connect to it, but this flight leaves(and subsequently arrives) too late. The Virgin flight seems more manageable. However, this new schedule from DL will make using SkyMiles or MR’s via Virgin at the saver level more palatable.
Finally! This is so much better for body clocks when flying to London for business.
I traveled every 2 weeks between the east coast and LHR in the 90s for many years. I only took day flights EB. The only 4 day flights I cold take at the time were from IAD, JFK, ORD and YYZ. I thought it was fantastic. I could work productively the entire flight and then go to bed by 1am in London. And be alert the full next day.
Wonderful!
About frigg’n time!
I flew on a daytime flight to LHR. No or nearly no jet lag. It’s great. I would even consider LAX-JFK one day, JFK-LHR next day if I had the time.
Another benefit is that I don’t need business class for a daytime flight to LHR. Economy is fine. I can get more work done or be more rested in economy than a red eye business class flight.
nice
I don’t know why all the day-time flights to Europe are bound for London! The flight gets too late in order to make connections to other cities in Europe. There should be more day-time flights departing around 7 AM and arriving in Paris, Madrid, Barcelona or Lisbon at 8 or 9 PM, then there is still time to catch another flight. If you go more eastern yes, no matter what time you depart from NY or Boston, you get too late in the day to the destination.