Delta Air Lines plans to launch a new daily nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport, scheduled to begin Dec. 21 pending approval from the United States Department of Transportation.
The carrier’s partnership with GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes will extend connectivity across Brazil, enabling seamless connections to 23 domestic destinations via Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) in Rio de Janeiro.
“We listen to our customers and continuously strive to offer them increasingly convenient ways to travel, both for business and leisure,” said Luciano Macagno, Delta’s Brazil director. “It is exciting to have the opportunity to offer a daily direct flight from Rio de Janeiro to our second-largest international hub at New York JFK. Delta’s continued route expansions demonstrate our commitment to the Brazilian market and the strength of our alliance with our Brazilian partner, GOL.”
Service will be operated with a Boeing 767-300 configured to seat 210 passengers. The aircraft includes 35 Delta One lie-flat seats with direct aisle access and oversized personal entertainment screens offering on-demand content. Delta One passengers will be served Latin-inspired meals paired with curated wines and benefit from elevated onboard amenities.
The cabin layout also features 32 Delta Comfort+ seats and 143 main cabin seats. Delta Comfort+ provides up to 4 additional inches of legroom, roughly 50 percent more recline, complimentary beer, wine and snacks, and priority boarding. The airline has introduced updated sleep kits and other refreshed amenities across cabins, and is expanding onboard Wi-Fi coverage.
Premium travelers will have access to dedicated lounge facilities at both ends of the route, including Delta’s 24,000-square-foot flagship Sky Club in JFK’s Terminal 4 and the recently opened GOL VIP lounge in GIG’s Terminal 2.
At the time of this announcement, flights are not yet available for booking and remain subject to regulatory approval.