Crew members with Delta Air Lines' Flight DL582 pose at Pudong International Airport yesterday to celebrate the first A350 deployed on the route.

Delta Air Lines' newest international long-haul flagship aircraft, the Airbus A350-900, was deployed on its non-stop service between Shanghai and Detroit over the weekend.

The US carrier's first A350 with Flight DL582 took off from Pudong International Airport to Detroit Metropolitan Airport around noon yesterday, making it the world's first airline to operate the A350 on routes from Shanghai to North America.

Delta also plans to operate the A350 on the Pudong to Los Angeles route from July 3. Previously, the airline introduced the state-of-the-art plane on its Beijing-Detroit route. By this summer, China will be the most A350-served market in Delta's trans-Pacific network, the airline said.

"The introduction of the A350 on our China-US flights demonstrates Delta's strong commitment to the fast-growing China market," said Wong Hong, the airline's president for China and Singapore.

The A350 features an award-winning suite and brand new cabin service, named Delta Premium Select, as well as an enhanced main cabin.

The aircraft features larger windows and optimized cabin pressure, temperature and humidity to help customers feel more refreshed after a long-haul flight. It is also the first aircraft in the world equipped with high-speed 2Ku internet connectivity.

The suites offer up to 32 customers a private, personal experience, with a full-height door for privacy. Each suite features a fully flat bed seat with direct aisle access.

The rate of outbound travel from China to the US is fast growing, with the number of passengers departing from China to the US expected to more than double those traveling from the US to China by 2020.

Delta has been increasing its non-stop flights between China and the US since 2009 to cater to the growing demand in the market. It currently operates daily non-stop flights from Beijing to Seattle and Detroit, and from Shanghai to Seattle, Detroit and Los Angeles.

The airline has also announced they will open a new route from Shanghai to Atlanta in July to expand their network connections in China and the US.