Delta Air Lines to launch new Austin-Palm Springs nonstop in November
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Delta Air Lines will launch a new nonstop route between Austin and Palm Springs, California, in November.
The seasonal route will launch Nov. 8. Flights will operate on Saturdays only, by Delta Connection, through April 26, 2026.
Flights are set to leave Austin at 11 a.m. and arrive in Palm Springs at 1 p.m. local time. Returning flights leave Palm Springs at 12:07 p.m. and arrive at AUS at 5:07 p.m.
Rival American Airlines previously flew the AUS-PSP route but canceled it in October 2024 as part of wider cuts at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
"We're so grateful to our partners at Delta for supporting our community's air service needs through another new nonstop route," Ghizlane Badawi, CEO of AUS, said. "This new destination expands travel opportunities for both business and leisure travelers and we are excited to offer more convenient options for our passengers."
Palm Springs is the 11th new route announced by Delta this year. Flights to Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Memphis will launch this Wednesday.
Delta is currently the third-largest airline operating at AUS in terms of passenger traffic, behind Southwest Airlines and American. The airline flew more than 3.3 million passengers in and out of Austin in 2024, accounting for about 15.3% of all passengers.
That share has increased in recent years, up from 11.6% in 2022, especially after American cut more than 30 routes in late 2023 and 2024. Delta is expected to surpass American to become Austin's second-largest carrier by the summer, according to Jamy Kazanoff, deputy chief of air service at AUS.
Delta will also offer the following nonstop flights from Austin for the 2025 college football season:
- Aug. 30: Columbus, Ohio (Texas at Ohio State)
- Oct. 4: Gainesville, Florida (Texas at Florida)
- Oct. 18: Lexington, Kentucky (Texas at Kentucky)
- Nov. 15: Atlanta, Georgia (Texas at Georgia)
- Nov. 22: from Benton County, Arkansas (Arkansas at Texas)