Delta Airlines operates one of the most diverse fleets on the global airline scene. With 10 different aircraft types and 17 individual variants in their core fleet of 989 aircraft, there is something to please every aviation enthusiast and plane watcher. However, for this article, we will focus on one of their more valued and revered aircraft, the Boeing 757.
With over 100 of the type in active service, Delta can perform many tasks with this versatile jet (and is also the largest operator). However, the 757’s versatility is also a problem for Delta. The last Boeing 757 (which Delta owns) was produced in April 2005, meaning the jet is just under 20 years old, and many more are over 25 to 27 years old. This raises the age-old issue of what Delta will replace its 757s with and when.
capacity
Delta currently operates both the 757-200 and 757-300, with about 8p of the base jets and 16 of the stretched variant. In terms of capacity, the 757-200 currently has a maximum seating capacity of 199 passengers in its densest domestic configuration, with a smaller sub-fleet of jets capable of seating a maximum of 193 passengers, largely due to the different emergency exit configuration than the 199-seat aircraft.
There is also a sub-fleet of 757-200s equipped with Delta One seats and therefore have an ever-decreasing capacity of 168 passengers. However, these jets will be converted to the 193-seat configuration starting in late 2024. The 757-300s operate with a 234-seat configuration and this is where we tackle the first problem of replacing the 757: capacity.
The 757-200 is irrelevant in this context, as both the A321ceo and A321neo are essentially 1:1 replacements, offering 191 and 194 seats respectively. The 757-300 is the real problem here, as these aircraft are used on extremely high-density routes that would otherwise require either additional daily flights or a widebody aircraft (which would be uneconomical on shorter domestic routes that the 757-300 requires).
There is simply no narrow-body aircraft on the market that offers as many seats in a multi-class configuration as a 757-300. In a pure economy configuration, it is possible, but Delta is a premium airline that offers premium seating and therefore needs more space on the aircraft.
reach
The 757 was built not only as a high-capacity transport aircraft, but also as a long-range aircraft for an aircraft of its size. In Delta’s 757 sub-fleet, the domestic aircraft can fly up to 3,900 miles, while Delta One’s lower-capacity aircraft can fly up to 4,700 miles.
In the past, I’ve seen Delta fly 757s on routes like Atlanta-Anchorage (3,417 miles), New York-Dakar (3,830 miles), and Raleigh-Paris (4,052 miles). All of these routes are beyond the reach of the A321 and would require an A321LR or even A321XLR to even attempt them. However, these Airbus competitors would likely have to take a payload penalty to even make this possible, and here we come to the final issue in this debate, performance.
Performance
The 757 is called the “Ferrari of the skies” by many, and for good reason. The 757 is equipped with either RB211 engines with up to 43,500 pounds of thrust or PW2037 engines with up to 42,000 pounds of thrust (Delta has equipped its 757 with the latter).
These engines give the 757 superior performance for its size and allow it to do things that other aircraft simply cannot. I have seen 757s take off from Santa Ana with a full payload on a transcontinental flight to Atlanta. This is significant because SNA has an extremely short runway of only 5,700 feet. An A321 or A321neo would need to carry fewer passengers and/or cargo to have the power needed to take off from that airport for the same mission.
At high altitude airports, the same scenario exists: the 757 can use its excess power to perform fully loaded takeoffs from airports like Eagle/Vail, which are at an altitude of 6,547 feet. An A321, in turn, would have to take a payload cut because its engines are less powerful and more optimized for the size of the aircraft than the oversized and more powerful engines of the 757.
The conclusion
The 757 is undoubtedly an amazing and well-built aircraft. It has evolved from a 727 replacement to a much better aircraft, and Delta has taken full advantage of those statistics in the jet’s day-to-day operations.
But like all good things, the 757’s days must come to an end at some point in the future. Replacing the jet, however, will be difficult. The A321 is a decent replacement in some respects, but it still has shortcomings in all three core aspects discussed in this article. It doesn’t have the capacity to replace the 757-300, it doesn’t have the range to match the 757-200, and even if it comes close, it will suffer performance penalties that will reduce the maximum allowable payload of passengers and cargo, resulting in lost revenue that could otherwise have been generated had a 757 been used instead.
It’s likely that Delta will fly these jets for as long as it is economically possible, and hopefully a more suitable replacement will come to market by then. But for now, we need to enjoy these incredible aircraft while they are still around in abundance, and appreciate the things they have done not just for Delta, but for the entire airline industry.
