Delta Air Lines said Monday it will restart its nonstop flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to Amsterdam later next month, the first long-haul international flight at MSP since the start of the pandemic in March.
The Atlanta-based airline said it will resume the popular nonstop route four times a week beginning Oct. 25.
MSP lost all trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights in the spring when the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus closed international borders. Many countries, including the United States and The Netherlands, imposed travel bans.
The move by Delta to reinstate the long-haul flight from MSP comes weeks after the U.S. government said it plans to end its enhanced health screenings of passengers.
Since March, all incoming international flights from high-risk countries — including most of Europe, China, Brazil and others — have been funneled through just 15 U.S. airports designated to perform the screenings, leaving MSP out.
It’s unclear who will be booking seats on the reinstated flight as The Netherlands and much of Europe still bans the entry of foreigners, including Americans, without a 10-day self-quarantine.
The Netherlands, like other countries, has exceptions to the rule, including essential workers, journalists or those who can prove they offer a “demonstrable value” to the Dutch economy or society.
Delta has announced plans to reinstate the nonstop route between MSP and Seoul, South Korea, in April. It has not said if or when nonstop service will resume between its Twin Cities hub and London, Paris or Tokyo.
Aer Lingus suspended its new nonstop route between MSP and Dublin and Icelandair ended its route between MSP and Reykjavik. The fate of both routes remain uncertain.