On December 8th, 2024, Delta Air Lines inaugurated its seasonal route from Los Angeles, California to Brisbane, Australia, making it the second airline to serve the city from LA and the third U.S. airline to serve it in total. The route, like most of Delta’s transpacific flights from L.A., is operated with the A350-900, a type also used on the seasonal LAX-AKL and year-round LAX-SYD service. From all indications, Delta is planning on major expansion in Australia, with a seasonal route to Melbourne (MEL/YMML) starting later this year, competing with Qantas and United Airlines. Let’s see what this route is like, shall we?
Server: Solo
Airline: Delta Air Lines
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Origin: Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California (LAX)
Destination: Brisbane Airport, Brisbane, Australia (BNE)
Flight Number: DL93
Route: KLAX-YBBN
Seat: 8A (Delta One)
Time En Route: 14 Hours 16 Minutes
Boarding and getting seated in 8A, the rearmost business class seat with a window view. Our aircraft is configured 40/40/195 between Delta One, Delta Premium Select, and Economy (36 Delta Comfort+ and 159 standard economy seats), Delta’s lowest-density and most premium-heavy of its A350-900 configurations.
Pushing back from Gate 134
Looking back across the ramp at the Theme Building, the ATC tower, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal, all icons of airport architecture
Blasting off Runway 24L for Brisbane
Somewhere south of the Big Island of Hawaii
Dawn descent into Queensland
Wheels down in Brisbane
Deplaned in Brissie at Gate 79 watching the sun come up