Delta Aims High on Latin America, the Caribbean

Delta Airlines, which aims to become the number-two airline to Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of flights and destinations served, expanded its coverage of the region by adding more flights.

Delta´s growth in the Latin American market exceeded 30 percent last year, according to Whitehurst. “This is critically important because of the increased commerce and trade we can broker between regions of the world,” he said.

More than 5 million customers flew Delta to Latin America and the Caribbean in 2005. In terms of destinations served, Delta is the third U.S. airline in Mexico, tied for number three in the Caribbean, and tied for the runner-up spot in Central America and South America.

Delta will launch a dozen new routes to Mexico from Atlanta, Boston, New York (Kennedy), Los Angeles and Washington (Dulles) from March 11 to June 3. Service from Salt Lake City to Mazatlan, Mexico began March 8.

New Caribbean service from Atlanta includes Kingston, Jamaica, and Aguadilla and Ponce, Puerto Rico, on June 1.

Flights to Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador, launch from Atlanta on June 8, followed by New York (Kennedy) service to Sao Paulo, Brazil, which begins June 16.