Delta Links Salt Lake City to Peru and Refreshes Its Inflight Menu
The airline is expanding with a new South America route and fine-tuning its premium in-flight experience with seasonal menus
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines is making two notable moves this summer: one in its route map and another on its menus. Both offer clues about how the airline is navigating shifting international demand and the expectations of premium travelers.
Beginning December 4, Delta will launch its first nonstop route from its hub in Salt Lake City (SLC) to Lima, Peru (LIM). The daily service, operated by a Boeing 767-300ER, runs through January 25, 2026, and marks the first direct flight between Utah and South America.
Photo: Lima, Peru. Courtesy of Aarom Ore / Unsplash
For Salt Lake City—a key Delta hub with up to 265 daily departures—it opens a new door to Latin America’s western corridor.
According to Delta, Lima is the most in-demand South American destination from Salt Lake City, and this new link offers a one-stop option for travelers connecting from cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Denver, and Las Vegas. But its limited schedule suggests Delta is testing demand before committing long term.
“With this expanded connectivity through our Salt Lake City hub, we’re proud to offer a faster, more convenient way to reach Lima,” said Paul Baldoni, Delta’s SVP of Network Planning.
Photo: Delta, Boeing 767-300ER. Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
The launch also leans into Delta’s ever-growing joint venture with LATAM Airlines. From Lima, passengers will be able to connect across the region, including to São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Santiago—major business and leisure destinations long underserved from the Mountain West.
The political reception has been predictably warm. Utah’s governor and Salt Lake City’s mayor both praised the route as a symbol of growing economic and cultural ties. But its real significance lies in the bigger picture: Delta now offers nonstop service to four continents from Salt Lake City—North America, Europe, Asia (via occasional charter flights), and South America.
The Premium Cabin Push
While expanding routes in the network, Delta is also giving its Delta One cabin a seasonal refresh—and not just with food.
Earlier this year, the airline debuted an expanded partnership with Italian fashion house Missoni, bringing its branding to new bedding, amenity kits, and accessories for Delta One passengers on international routes. The upgrade appears aimed squarely at the kind of frequent flyer who compares hard products—and soft goods—across carriers.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta
The food and beverage offerings, too, are in flux. Each season, Delta rotates its wine selections, a strategy that Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, the airline’s wine consultant, frames as a way to “highlight both classic regions as well as up-and-comers.” This summer’s wines include Taittinger Champagne in Delta One and new Une Femme canned wines in other cabins.
On the food side, Delta has expanded menu items from chef Mashama Bailey—such as shrimp and grits with creole sauce—beyond its original Atlanta base. In July, travelers on select international flights can expect handmade artichoke ravioli and other seasonal dishes.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Stephanie Laster, Delta’s Managing Director of Onboard Culinary Experience, said the changes reflect “what customers tell us they want.” But that’s likely based on careful data parsing. Popular dishes get expanded; less popular ones disappear.
Economy Class Joins the Pre-Order Game
Delta is also extending one of its most popular digital features to more travelers. Meal pre-selection, long available only in Delta One, is now rolling out to Delta Comfort+ passengers on international and long-haul Hawaii routes with full meal service.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
The move—starting with options like chipotle chicken and mushroom mezzaluna—offers more control, and perhaps more predictability, to travelers used to standard cabin service.
For the airline, it’s a relatively low-cost way to personalize the experience and better manage inventory.
Farmer’s Fridge Takes Off
On domestic flights, Delta is adding and extending other food options. Following positive feedback during a trial, the airline will now offer Farmer’s Fridge items—including pesto pasta bowls and Greek yogurt with berries—as standard buy-on-board options for flights over 1,500 miles from Los Angeles.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Shake Shack’s cheeseburgers—introduced last year in Delta First—will now be available on more routes from seven additional cities, including Detroit. The offering includes a burger, chips, and a chocolate brownie.
And for those who prefer a simpler snack? Cheez-It crackers and Garden Salsa SunChips have returned to the snack basket.
What It All Suggests
While Delta frames these changes as part of its centennial celebration, they reflect a larger recalibration. Rather than radical transformation, the airline appears focused on refining key aspects of the passenger experience—especially for its higher-paying customers.
Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines
The new Lima route is limited in scope, but it’s a signal: Delta is still looking for unserved or underserved demand pockets with the help of its joint venture partner, LATAM Airlines. Its updates to food, wine, and amenity offerings in Delta One show a continued investment in premium services, though not necessarily a reinvention of them.
Whether these adjustments add up to a meaningful shift in traveler satisfaction—and loyalty—will depend on execution. But in an industry where perceptions are shaped by small details, Delta seems to be betting that the right wine, a pre-selected meal, and an added Latin American route might make the difference.
