Delta Just Flew Around a Tariff. Literally.

To avoid a 10% import tax on a brand-new Airbus A350, Delta Air Lines made an unconventional—but entirely legal—decision:

They didn’t fly the aircraft straight to the United States.

Instead, they routed it through Tokyo.

Here’s the playbook:

  • Under U.S. trade law, an aircraft is subject to import duties if it arrives directly in the U.S. without having flown commercial service outside the European Union.

  • Delta flew the A350 from Airbus HQ in Toulouse, France to Tokyo Narita —with paying passengers on board.

  • Because the aircraft had now entered revenue service outside the EU, it was classified as “used” under U.S. Customs law.

  • Result? No tariff due. No 8-figure cost increase. The plane then flew to the U.S. tariff-free.

This is not a loophole. It’s trade strategy within the boundaries of international customs law—and it’s not the first time Delta’s done it. During the last round of aircraft tariffs in 2019, Delta made a similar move and issued a clear message to Washington:

“We are not paying these tariffs.”

 

Why This Matters—and What It Says About Smart Trade Navigation

This story isn’t just clever aviation. It’s a textbook example of the kind of legal, forward-thinking strategy that global firms must embrace to stay competitive in high-cost environments.

At Far Point Global, this is our lane.

We guide developers, infrastructure players, and industrial buyers through the complex web of tariffs, shipping restrictions, and geopolitical trade risk—all through compliant and highly strategic navigation of global trade law.

  • We’ve rerouted product through tariff-exempt ports.

  • We’ve classified inventory in ways that meet spec and reduce duty exposure.

  • We’ve split shipments, adjusted country-of-origin certification, and leveraged treaty advantages—all legally, transparently, and to our clients’ financial benefit.

This kind of work isn’t flashy. It doesn’t show up on a product label. But it saves millions, protects timelines, and ensures projects move forward—even when policy or price says they shouldn’t.

Tariffs do not need to be walls. They’re systems. And when you understand the system, you don’t get blocked—you get smarter.

Let the rest take the hit.  We help our clients fly around it.

Myles Alexander