The competition for customers traveling between New York and Chicago — already a crowded field — is about to get more crowded. Delta is launching a new shuttle service between LaGuardia and O’Hare, to complement their flights to Boston and Washington.

For those who have never had the pleasure, a “shuttle” operation typically means high-frequency, some perks aimed at business travelers, and open seating — no reserving that aisle or window.

The press release adds some detail:

Delta’s new hourly shuttle service between New York-La Guardia and Chicago O’Hare will begin June 10 and replace existing flights between LaGuardia and Chicago Midway. The flights, which are a strategic part of Delta’s commitment to expand in New York, will operate between Delta’s convenient Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia and O’Hare’s Terminal 2.

In advance of the launch, Delta will install new dedicated Shuttle check-in and self-service kiosks at O’Hare, which will become a new Delta Shuttle station. The kiosks feature the ability to purchase tickets for travel that day to LaGuardia, replicating the speed and convenience that customers enjoy in other Delta Shuttle markets. The airline also will assign the Chicago-New York flights to dedicated gates located nearest to O’Hare’s Terminal 2 security checkpoint and offer complimentary morning coffee, tea and newspapers to customers departing from these gates.

Flights on this route will be operated with Embraer 175 jets equipped with 12 seats in First Class and 64 seats in Economy Class. Both cabins are configured with no middle seats. Delta’s enhanced onboard Shuttle product will be offered in both classes, including meals in First Class, and, in economy, bagels on departures before 10 a.m. and complimentary wine and Sam Adams beer.

There are a few things notable here:

For starters, more frequency in a crowded field. The announcement means eleven Delta shuttle flights a day in each direction. But talk about a crowded field: American has 17 flights between O’Hare and LaGuardia alone, plus 8 flights to Newark and a single, solitary flight to JFK. United has 15 to LGA and 8 to Newark. JetBlue has three flights to JFK. Continental has 7 flights to Newark. And Delta has two flights to JFK in addition to their new shuttle service. (The online schedule still shows 9 flights between Midway and LaGuardia, but those are due to be cut.)

At first, I thought that the increased frequency between two of the busiest airports in America would mean greater delays. But Delta recently picked up a number of slots at LGA in a convoluted 6-way transaction with other airlines, so there should be no congestive effect of the increased frequency.

The shuttle service also will include some amenities for the folks in coach, including a snack and a included alcoholic beverage (ironically, on the heels of Continental’s elimination of free meals in coach).

Some might object to the use of Embraer 175 regional jets, in lieu of larger Boeing or Airbus aircraft. The aircraft have been flown by subcontractors under the Delta Connection label in the past. Personally, I find those Embraers comfortable, especially for a short flight like the 733 miles between New York and Chicago.

So I like this. It improves the product on a busy route while increasing competition. I’ll be interested to see how they choose to price these flights — at a premium to other airlines? — and how they fare with business travelers.