New York is one of the most important markets we serve at Delta, and it has long been our goal to become the preferred airline for customers traveling to and from New York.

And we’ve made a lot of progress in the past decade. We built an international hub at JFK that connects the city to points across the globe, including Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. We broke ground last year on a $1.2 billion expansion and enhancement of Terminal 4 at JFK. And you’re seeing Delta’s name all over the city as the official airline of the Yankees and Mets, the Knicks, the Rangers and Madison Square Garden, just to name a few.

Today marks a new step in our New York expansion, and it’s Delta’s biggest move yet. We’ve unveiled our schedule for 2012 that creates a new domestic hub at LaGuardia Airport. We’ll be adding 100 new daily flights to nearly 30 new cities from LaGuardia. We’re adding new service to top business markets like Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth and Cleveland, and adding or expanding service to small- and mid-sized cities across the country, including Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, N.Y.; Richmond, Va.; Greensboro, N.C.; and Norfolk, Va.

Many smaller communities will be getting jet service on Delta to LaGuardia, a significant upgrade from smaller, turborprop aircraft that previously served those markets.

Overall, we’ll be adding 4 million new seats every year at LaGuardia.  And we can do that without increasing congestion simply by using larger aircraft than other airlines had previously.  In the end, our new LGA service will enhance customer choice and increase competition in the market. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently concluded that our New York expansion has significant benefits for consumers – and we strongly agree.

It’s the largest single-carrier expansion in New York in many years, which makes this an exciting and historic day for Delta and our New York customers.

To make sure we can handle all of these new flights smoothly, we’re taking over Terminal C at LaGuardia, and building a 600-foot bridge connecting it with Delta Terminal D. We’ll operate a total of 29 gates at both terminals, and we’re also going to add a new Delta Sky Club in Terminal C, in addition to the newly-renovated one in Terminal D.

Including our six gates at the Marine Air Terminal, we’ll have a total of 35 gates at LaGuardia by summer 2012 – more than double what we operate now.

I’m looking forward to seeing you in New York in 2012!

Gail Grimmett

Senior Vice President –New York

If you’re a parent who travels often with children you know the challenges of doing so. We are very brave souls! Between the bathroom breaks, requests for snacks and “are we there yet” questions, everything from getting through security to finding the gate can be difficult.

My little ones on one of many Delta flights

Personally, I love traveling and having children only gives me more ideas of places to go—from Disney to Oahu, Hawaii, my kids love to travel. If you’re getting ready to travel with kids, here are some tips that can help you, your child and, well, the entire plane!

Take off and landing

The change in cabin pressure can be awful for little ears. If you have an infant, take off/landing are the perfect times to nurse or feed the baby with a bottle. For a toddler, a pacifier or a sucker can be a great remedy. Chewing gum is also great for the kids that can handle it (once my 3 year-old complained of her ears hurting and I gave her a piece of gum to help. She put the gum directly in her ear—so be sure to give a full explanation of the purpose!)

And if your child has a stuffy nose or isn’t feeling well, be sure to give them some Tylenol (or such) while sitting at the airport. Waiting until the plane takes off will be too late.

During the flight

Younger babies (under 6 months) tend to sleep on planes, and many are lulled by the engine noise. Let them sleep! If your baby is awake and fussy, use a Baby Bjorn or baby sling to walk up and down the aisle to give them a change of pace. Be sure to bring some toys (stuffed animal, books, rattle to keep the baby amused), and don’t forget teething toys for babies needing something to chew. For toddlers: movies, a variety of favorite snacks, and making a little tent on the floor with a blanket can be a great distraction.

Also be sure to befriend the flight attendants and gate agents. There are so many nice flight attendants out there who are more than happy to help you. I’ve had some flight attendants help make my trip go more smoothly by delivering some extra Biscoff cookies (a favorite for big kids, too), allowing us to move around in the aisle, or provide an extra blanket or two.

Overall, the best thing you can do is relax and enjoy your trip. Traveling with small children can be intimidating, but with the right tips and tricks you can make it easy.

Do you have tips for air-travel with children? Share them here on the blog, on the Delta Facebook page or tweet them to us! We’ll feature the best tips to share with fellow parents!

Libby H.

Manager, Internet Marketing

Delta Vacations