Delta Starting Austin-JFK Nonstop

Austinites will finally get to fly nonstop to New York City proper next month when Delta launches two new daily flights from Austin-Bergstrom to JFK. The flights begin October 15. This route will be serviced by new Delta Connection operator Shuttle America using 70-seat Embraer EMB-170 regional jets.

While LaGuardia is a geographically more convenient option than JFK for much of the city, Austin is just outside LaGuardia's 1,500-mile perimeter limit, so we won't be seeing nonstops there unless those restrictions are lifted. To its credit, JFK now has a semi-direct rail link into Manhattan. You can also take a train from Newark - where Continental flies nonstops to Austin - but you still have to ride the bus to the subway station from LaGuardia.

Delta's decision to start nonstop JFK service from both Austin and San Antonio is likely to keep JetBlue from expanding into Central Texas anytime soon.