As demand for medical supplies continues to grow in the US, Delta is expanding its cargo-only flights to Asia to give vital supply lines an even bigger boost.

Beginning this week, Delta’s scheduled cargo operation will grow to daily service with the addition of flights from Los Angeles, supplementing the Detroit service that launched March 30.

The flights will operate daily to and from Shanghai, with a stop in Incheon.

Detroit-Incheon-Shanghai service will operate four times weekly, and Los Angeles-Incheon-Shanghai will operate three times weekly.

All flights will use a fuel-efficient Airbus A350-900 aircraft, a widebody jet that can carry up to 42 tons of cargo in its hold. Once the cargo arrives in Detroit or Los Angeles, it will be transferred to domestic passenger flights to be shipped to destinations around the US.

"We know getting surgical masks, gloves, gowns and other protective equipment expeditiously to facilities across the country is imperative to protecting medical professionals and helping address the COVID-19 pandemic," said Shawn Cole, vice president-Delta Cargo.

"Operating regularly scheduled cargo flights means suppliers in China can get these supplies to hospitals and healthcare facilities across the US within hours, not the days or weeks it would take via cargo ship," he added.

Starting April 14, the dedicated scheduled service will depart Shanghai on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving in Detroit. From April 16, a similar all-cargo flight — utilizing Delta's A350-900 aircraft — will depart Shanghai on Monday, Thursday and Saturday bound for Los Angeles.

Delta said it will continue to explore opening additional US gateways, depending on demand.

China-based suppliers of medical protective equipment recently restarted production but with passenger flights suspended, they have been looking for alternative paths to the U.S.

The airline said it is operating cargo-only flights between Asia and the US to help keep vital supply lines open.

Recently, Delta began operating on-demand charter flights to support the growing need for air cargo. Last month, the airline flew several flights between Dublin and Atlanta and Los Angeles and Sydney.

The new cargo charter operations provide safe and reliable transportation of essential goods to communities around the globe using aircraft that would otherwise be parked.

Delta Cargo annually flies 421,000 tons of cargo around the world, including pharmaceutical supplies, fresh flowers, produce, e-commerce, global mail and heavy machinery.