Delta Air Lines took delivery of its first A330-900, one of 35 A330neos the Atlanta, Georgia-based airline has on order. With new fuel-efficient engines, aerodynamic improvements, and the advanced Airspace by Airbus cabin the A330-900 will give Delta a premier long-haul, widebody aircraft with exceptionally low operating costs.

Delta was the launch customer for the A330-900, ordering 25 in November 2014 and an additional 10 last year. With the addition of the A330-900, Delta is now operating both of Airbus' newest widebody models. It has 13 A350-900s in its fleet with another 12 on order. Delta operates more than 265 Airbus aircraft including A321s and A220s, and the airline's order backlog with Airbus exceeds 270 including 100 A321neos.

Delta is one of the world's leading airlines, an industry pacesetter. As the A330-900 is placed into service on Delta's global network, it will complement the airline's growing widebody fleet of A330s and A350s, setting new standards for efficiency, profitability, and provide passengers with extraordinary travel experiences.

An environmental milestone was set as a Delta crew ferried the new A330-900 back to the company's Atlanta base using a jet fuel blended from conventional sources and non-petroleum synthetic fuel.

Delta will initially base its A330-900s at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where it will operate the aircraft on flights to Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo Narita. Delta will configure its A330-900s for 281 passengers, including 29 in business-class suites, 28 in premium economy, 56 in extra-legroom economy seats, and 168 in standard economy. The aircraft will feature Delta's new internally developed in-flight entertainment system.

The A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft, building on the features of the popular A330 features and leveraging technology developed for the A350 XWB technology.

Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and featuring a new wing with increased span and A350 XWB-inspired Sharklets, the A330neo provides an unprecedented level of efficiency - with 25 percent lower fuel burn per seat than previous generation competitors.

Equipped with the Airbus Airspace cabin, the A330neo offers a unique passenger experience with more personal space and the latest generation in-flight entertainment system and connectivity.

The A330-900 can accommodate 287 seats in a typical three-class layout or up to 440 for high-density configurations with a range of up to 7,200 nautical miles.

Contributed by Airbus