Airline Profile: Delta Air Lines

The Facts:

Founded	1924 as Huff Daland Dusters
Alliance	Skyteam
Hubs	Atlanta (largest) Detroit Los Angeles Minneapolis/St. Paul New York JFK New York LaGuardia Salt Lake City Seattle/Tacoma Boston Cincinnati Raleigh/Durham
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Frequent Flyer Program	SkyMiles
Fleet Count	Around 884 (Mainline)
Skytrax Rating	3 Stars (out of 5)
Type of Airline	Full Service Carrier
Travel Classes	Short Haul: Economy Delta Comfort (extra legroom economy) First Class (domestic) Business Class (short-haul international) Delta One (Select Transcontinental Routes, ex. JFK – LAX) Long Haul: Economy Delta Comfort + Delta Premium Select (premium economy, A350/757 only) Delta One (long-haul business class)
Parent Company	Delta Air Lines, Inc
Website	delta.com
Competitors	American Airlines   United Airlines
Subsidiaries	Delta Connection
Logo

A Delta MD-88 at Washington Dulles Airport

Analysis:

What to Fly: 

Airbus A350 and 777 (Refit) Premium Cabins: Delta Air Lines is only one of two airlines to feature fully closed suites in business class. Delta Air Lines business class on the A350s and some recently retrofitted Boeing 777s features fully enclosed staggered fully lie-flat seats. The A350 and some 777s are also currently the only planes with its premium economy seats, with more planes to be retrofitted with these seats soon. Also, on the 777 in economy, while most airlines (BA, American, United, etc…) have decided to retrofit the economy class section with 10 abreast seating, Delta decided to retrofit their economy with the more friendly 9 abreast seating, which provides much more seat width.

The New Delta One Suite

Travel Classes:

Economy: 

Economy features personal device entertainment or seat-back screens on all widebody aircraft, all 737s, 757-300s, A321s, and some 757-200s, A319s, and A320s. Personal Device Entertainment is featured on the rest of Delta’s mainline aircraft and on Delta’s Embraer E170/175s and on some CRJ 700s & 900s. Wifi is featured on most mainline jets and regional jets. All aircraft with fifty or more seats feature a Delta Comfort + section where the seats have around 4 inches extra legroom than in regular economy. On short flights, small snacks are free while meals are available for purchase. On long-haul flights, warm meals are available free of charge.

Economy Class on a Delta Airbus A319

First Class (Short Haul):

First class is featured on short-haul domestic and international flights. First class on Delta features recliner seats with more legroom and seat width without a leg rest on all narrow-body aircraft, besides internationally configured 757s which have flat bed seats. First class passengers also receive free meals or snacks, depending on the length of the flight. Short haul first class passengers do not have access to any type of airline lounge unless they are connecting internationally. 

Premium Select:

Premium Select (premium economy) is found on all Airbus A350s, retrofitted 777s, and some 757s. It features better food than economy, more recline, wider seats, more amenities, and a footrest. On the Boeing 757, Premium Select is the same exact cabin as on short-haul First Class flights. The only difference is that the cabin is marketed as Premium Select on some transatlantic flights: New York JFK to Reykjavik, Ponta Delgada, and Shannon, and from Minneapolis to Reykjavik.

Delta One:

Delta One is featured on most long-haul flights and select transcontinental flights and is Delta’s business class. All widebody aircraft feature all aisle access flat-bed seats in business class. Boeing 757-200s feature flat-bed seats in a 2-2 configuration in Delta One. Power outlets and in-flight entertainment are available to all Delta One passengers. All Airbus A350s and some 777s feature fully closed suites in business class. Passengers traveling in Delta One have access to the Delta SkyClubs (located at hubs and other airports within the US) and to partner SkyTeam lounges. Delta One is also featured on select transcontinental flights, such as from New York JFK to Los Angeles. Delta features a lot of business class seats in Delta One, so I will list them below, from worst to best:

• Boeing 757-200: On all Boeing 757-200s, Delta features flat-bed seats in a 2-2 configuration. I am ranking this seat worst because it is the only long-haul business class seat that does not feature all aisle access. The Boeing 757-200s which features Delta One only fly on short-haul or shorter transatlantic flights.
• Boeing 777-200 Herringbone: On most Boeing 777-200s, Delta features flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 herringbone configuration. Since the seats are angled from the window/center of the cabin to the aisle, it means that the seats feel very open, almost as if they are in the aisle.
• Boeing 767 – Staggered: All Boeing 767s on Delta feature flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 staggered configuration. While they do feature all aisle access, the seats are very narrow and tight, making them not ideal for business class on long-haul flights.
• Airbus A330 – Reverse-Herringbone: All Airbus A330s on Delta feature flatbed reverse-herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. With these seats, you face the window with the actual seat starting towards the aisle prompting much more privacy than in standard herringbone seats.
• Airbus A350/Boeing 777 Retrofit – Closed Suite: I talked about the Delta One Suite earlier in this post, so I won’t talk much about it again. The bottom line is that it features closed suites in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, making it one of the best if not the best business class seats on the market. You can read a guest review of Delta’s A350 business class here.

Future Long-Haul Routes:

• Boston – Edinburgh – Begins May 23, 2019 – Boeing 757-200
• Boston – Lisbon – Begins May 23, 2019 – Boeing 757-200
• Detroit – Honolulu – Begins June 29, 2019 – Boeing 767-300
• Minneapolis – Seoul-Incheon – Begins April 1, 2019 – Boeing 777-200
• Minneapolis – Osaka- Kansai – Begins April 1, 2019 – Boeing 767-300
• Tampa – Amsterdam-Schiphol – Begins May 23, 2019 – Boeing 767-300

Have you ever flown on Delta Airlines? Share about your experience below in the comments section!