Delta Continues Southward Growth Plan with New Service between Atlanta and Managua, Nicaragua, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

New routes represent the latest of six destinations in Delta’s 30-day Latin America, Caribbean expansion.

ATLANTA, Dec. 15, 2005 – As part of one of the largest one-month expansions in its history, Delta Air Lines today begins daily nonstop service between the airline’s largest hub in Atlanta and Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua. The new flights will offer customers the only nonstop service between the two cities. Delta today also launches the only nonstop service between Atlanta and sunny Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s western coast.

Honored guests President and Mrs. Enrique Bolaños of Nicaragua, Salvador Stadthagen, Nicaraguan ambassador to the United States, and Maria Rivas, Minister of Tourism for Nicaragua, joined the festivities at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport celebrating the newest air service between the United States and their country. The four were among the 150 passengers on the inaugural flight from Atlanta to Managua.

“Managua has been an underserved market, and Delta’s new nonstop flights will provide business travelers and the many U.S. residents of Nicaraguan heritage with easy access between our country and Nicaragua,” said James Sarvis, Delta’s director for the Latin America and Caribbean region. “Our new service to Puerto Vallarta will offer customers from the U.S. and all around the globe the opportunity to visit another great leisure destination in Mexico with convenient service from Atlanta, Delta’s largest international gateway.”

“With this new Delta flight, we will be able to make Nicaragua even more accessible to travelers,” said Maria Rivas, Minister of Tourism for Nicaragua. "Now more than ever, U.S. visitors represent a major source of international tourism and are a priority for our industry.”

Beginning Nov. 19, Delta started service on three new Latin American and Caribbean routes: between Atlanta and Punta Cana and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, and between Atlanta and the island of Barbados. Following today’s inaugural flights to Managua and Puerto Vallarta, the last of six destinations in 30 days will launch when Delta begins new twice-weekly service between Atlanta and Antigua, effective Dec. 18.

In addition to these new routes Delta has increased service to many of its other popular Latin America and Caribbean destinations, two of which are effective today: Atlanta to Belize (expanding to daily service), and Atlanta-Santiago, Chile (adding a second flight three times per week). Other service increases that have begun recently include:
• Atlanta-St. Maarten (expanded to daily)
• Atlanta-Mexico City, Mexico (added a third daily flight)
• Cincinnati-Montego Bay, Jamaica (expanded to five times per week)
• Atlanta-St. Lucia (expanded to daily)

Delta’s new daily service between Atlanta and Managua:

Flight, Departs, Arrives

1795, Atlanta at 10:10 a.m., Managua at 12:40 p.m.
1796, Managua at 1:40 p.m., Atlanta at 6:18 p.m.

Delta’s new daily¹ service between Atlanta and Puerto Vallarta:
Flight, Departs, Arrives

1609, Atlanta at 5:30 p.m., Puerto Vallarta at 8:48 p.m.
1610², Puerto Vallarta at 8:15 a.m., Atlanta at 12:33 p.m.

¹Schedule changes effective Jan. 9, 2006
²Flight departs the following day

In the first quarter of 2006, Delta and its codeshare partners will offer service between the United States and more than 170 markets in Latin America, the Caribbean and Bermuda. When Delta begins service to Roatan and San Pedro Sula in Honduras in March 2006, pending foreign government approval, the carrier will offer customers non-stop service to every country in Central America. For special travel deals to many of these destinations and convenient online booking, customers should go to http://www.delta.com/.

Delta has announced another valuable advantage for customers bound for Central and South America: Effective for travel beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2006, Delta will offer its SkyMiles® Medallion® members complimentary upgrades, subject to availability, from Coach to First Class when flying between the United States and many destinations in the region. For more information and a list of applicable cities, visit http://www.delta.com/.
Delta Air Lines is the world’s second-largest airline in terms of passengers carried and the leading U.S. carrier across the Atlantic, offering daily flights to 505 destinations in 93 countries on Delta, Song, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and its worldwide partners. Delta’s marketing alliances allow customers to earn and redeem frequent flier miles on more than 14,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
A portion of travel for some itineraries may be on SkyTeam partner Aeromexico.

Contact Information

Chris Kelly

Senior Manager - Media Relations

Delta Air Lines

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