Delta to add nonstop flights between Philadelphia, London

Delta Air Lines will add nonstop service between Philadelphia and London Heathrow. The move comes as Delta continues to develop its new joint-venture partnership with Virgin Atlantic, the London-based carrier that's majority-owned by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson. Announcement of the route also comes on the same day that Delta rival American announced plans to beef up service on the same route.

Beginning April 8, Delta will begin flying one daily round-trip flight between Philadelphia and London Heathrow on 164-seat Boeing 757-200 narrowbody jets. The London-bound flight will depart Philadelphia at 7:04 p.m. and arrive to London at 7:30 a.m. the following morning, all times local. The return will leave Heathrow Airport at 12:30 p.m. and land in Philadelphia at 4 p.m., all times local.

"We are almost one year into our joint venture with Virgin Atlantic and our commitment to improving connectivity between the United Kingdom and United States remains as strong as ever," Perry Cantarutti, Delta's SVP for Europe, Middle East and Africa, says in a statement. "By starting flights to Philadelphia, customers not only have more choice on this route, but it also offers greater access to the north eastern corner of the United States."

Philadelphia is not a hub for Delta, but the new route to Heathrow is not a huge surprise given Delta's ties with Virgin Atlantic. Delta announced in 2012 that it would purchase a 49% stake in the carrier. The airlines have since received regulatory approval for a joint-venture partnership on flights across the Atlantic. The pact allows the carriers to coordinate schedules and share revenue from flights on those routes.

Delta's Philadelphia passengers will be able to connect at Heathrow to Virgin Atlantic flights to Asia and Africa.

The move comes on the same day that American announced it would beef up service on the same route. American, now the world's biggest airline following its merger with US Airways, announced on Monday that it would add a second daily round-trip flight to its Philadelphia-Heathrow schedule. American has its own London-based joint-venture partner in British Airways, which is the busiest carrier at Heathrow airport.