Delta Airline's recent announcement that it will offer nonstop flights between Pittsburgh International and Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris is magnifique. The importance of having nonstop air service to a major European destination can't be overstated.

Beginning June 3, the Delta flight will depart Pittsburgh at 6:15 p.m. and arrive at Charles de Gaulle the following morning at 8:20 a.m. That eight-hour journey compares to Delta's next-fastest itinerary option, a 10-hour journey with a 27-minute connection in Cincinnati that leaves little margin for error.

The extra two hours' difference is about the same on the return journey. The Delta nonstop is scheduled to leave Paris at 10:40 a.m. and arrive in Pittsburgh at 1:55 p.m., with 9 hours and 15 minutes in the air, as opposed to an 11-hour, 45-minute, one-stop trip that departs Paris at 8:25 a.m. and gets to Pittsburgh at 2:30 p.m., with a 90-minute connection in Cincinnati.

Delta routings that make connections at New York's JFK airport average two to three hours longer than that each way.

In addition to being a minimum of 25 percent longer, that difference in departure and arrival times on connecting journeys will mean passengers must get to the airport earlier and will arrive home later in the day. At very best, it can be the difference between a long but manageable day of travel and a grueling journey that can leave you jet-lagged for days.

Or worse. In addition to the extra travel hours they involve, one-stop itineraries greatly increase the possibilities of mid-route mishaps entailed by making a connection at a busy East Coast hub like JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, Dulles or Charlotte, from weather and schedule delays to misdirected luggage.

Another factor to consider is that the connecting flights between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, JFK, Newark and Dulles are almost always on smaller commuter jets such as the Embraer 145, which are much less comfortable than the Boeing 757-200's Delta will fly between Pittsburgh and Paris, with 174 seats in coach class and 16 in BusinessElite, with full meal and entertainment amenities.

Don't underestimate the hassles of getting your luggage and clearing customs and immigration at other busy terminals, as opposed to the relative calm of coming in to Pittsburgh International, where that will be the only international flight of the day.

The recent merger between Delta and Northwest will result in the world's largest airline, and a joint venture with Air France will offer flight connections from Paris to 120 destinations across Europe, Africa and Asia. While air traffic at Charles de Gaulle is subject to all the potential delays as any major hub, with a few particularly French quirks to boot, the availability of so many connection options is a huge benefit, as is the railroad links from the airport.

If all these scheduling advantages weren't sufficient, the nonstop flights are actually cheaper than the connecting ones.

Delta is now accepting reservations for its Pittsbugh/Paris flights at its Web site (www.delta.com) and other booking channels. It is quoting nonstop fares for next July at $1,436.73 round-trip, including all taxes, security fees and surcharges, while the round-trip fare for the connecting flights is $1,564.73, a $108 savings. And there's a special deal as low as $599 each way for trips booked by Nov. 21 and completed by June 30.

So the nonstop flights are faster, less expensive, more convenient, more comfortable and more reliable than connecting flights. That's a deal that should be hard for any area trans-Atlantic traveler to ignore.

We hope their support will convince Delta that not only have they made a wise decision introducing this service, but that they will consider adding flights from Pittsburgh International to other European destinations.

So bon voyage and bon chance.