Delta is supposed to be ‘the premium U.S. airline’ and there are some things they do well. Their flight attendants are marginally friendlier than at their major competitors, but not as good as pre-pandemic (with all of the turnover since then)>
The airline has nice business class lounges, with weak wine, and they get absolutely crowded at peak times (especially JFK).
They’re a little more reliable than United and American, but that advantage has eroded a lot since the pandemic. They aren’t nearly as reliable as they once were, and the airline acknowledges this (and they admit their pilot contract is part of the problem).
- They have a strong brand reputation that surpasses the reality of the flying experience
- They had very strong core hubs, and a strong position in important coastal cities. These feed their credit card cobrand, which is an excellent deal and their position in top markets generates the most spending.
It’s striking though how Delta loyalists just believe they’re better even though they still have a fleet of 767s with the worst business class among competitors, and they have the least valuable mileage program. United is quickly overtaking Delta with its free wifi that works legions better than Delta’s, and United’s mobile app is better. Delta’s COO – who was their real operations guru – left at the start of the pandemic. Their President who really drove airline strategy has just retired.
When United’s Scott Kirby claims that there’s only room for two premium airlines in the U.S., it occurs to me that:
- It’s assumed that the two will be Delta and United.
- He said this when he was President of American Airlines – he indicated a desire to be one of the two then although American never leaned into this.
- There’s no real warrant for the claim that there can be only two, but if you accept that is true… why do we believe Delta will still be one of them, just because they are today?
Delta is getting lapped in wifi. They just introduced a new business class product that’s far from industry-leading. They’re behind in rolling out business class lounges. Their operation isn’t as good as it used to be, and their crews not quite as friendly either. SkyMiles delivers less value than AAdvantage, MileagePlus, and Mileage Plan.
They seem to make odd choices in where to invest – and where not to invest. For instance, their onboard food is (mostly) not very good, although I have to give them credit that their burger is better than United’s and American’s. Their buy on board food for sale product lags United and Alaska.
Delta’s choices for where to invest strike me odd. For instance, they don’t serve food on in first class on flights that other airlines would.
- They advertise meals in first class on flights over 900 miles.
- They advertise during booking that all these flights will have food.
- Yet they operate flights over 900 that don’t have their standard food in first class
This seems common on routes out of cities where they don’t have catering contracts – other airlines might board extra meals at their hub to use on the return trip (‘double catering’). Yet have a look at Spokane – Minneapolis.
It is over 1,000 miles. It is advertised as offering lunch in first class. Customers buy the ticket assuming they’ll have a meal. But when you go into your itinerary they no longer promise a meal. They’re non-committal over whether anything will be served, or what.
I understand not having a caterer in Spokane. But this is not even a plane that remains in Spoken overnight, where they would need to double cater from the hub with something shelf stable for the morning. This is a 2 p.m. departure and they don’t both to double cater it.
That is not very premium. And it’s a perfect example of where the marketing engine around Delta conflicts with reality on the plane.
Before the pandemic Delta was giving out amenity kits and welcome drinks on long haul flights in economy. They’ve cut complimentary earphones in coach domestic. In 2019, it seemed like Delta really was on its way to being a premium global airline. What happened?
Delta is “premium” in relation to US airlines.
In essence, they’re the skinny kid at fat camp.
You miss their key trategic advantage: Tim (Delta) Dunn. The first air travel bot who can reliably be counted on to extoll Delta’s virtues — even when there are none.
Delta has never been a premium airline in my mind. My city already has two world carriers and Delta is a rounding error stuck in the worst terminal. I have no reason to fly them, therefore they have no reason to exist.
“Let them eat (Biscoff)!”
Spend time in a Delta One cabin on a Delta 767-300ER, 767-400ER, A330-300 or A330-200 or a 757 and you’ll see it is anything but premium. The Delta Premium Select seat and experience is actually better. Delta is refurbishing the A333/A332 cabins starting late this year, but frankly, UA and even AA have for the time being, progressed a more impressive refurb design than what Delta has.
Delta created the D1 lounge to compensate for the Walmart experience in the sky.
@ 1990 — 🙂
How is this not fraud? Delta advertises a meal and then doesn’t provide it. There are dozens of routes that Delta doesn’t serve meals on. Worse, they don’t disclose it anywhere on Delta dot com.
I don’t value wifi as much as others, although better wifi would be a bonus. It’s true that Delta’s alcohol selection is pathetic. CVS probably has better wine. Asian business class (and first class) serve far better whiskey. When Delta can compete on premium whiskey with Asian airlines, then Delta might enter the conversation to be premium.
As for premium US Airlines. If the administration goes through with the stupid $500M bailout of Spirit, maybe they can claim to be the premium bailout airline.
The bottom feeders show up when they can get a subsidy for new service and leave as soon as the subsidy runs out.
What has happened since the pandemic is that Southwest, American, and Jetblue have all declined in quality (though American is now fixing that to a small degree but mostly on its long-haul flights). Alaska has better service and more leg room in first class, but its route network is too limited unless you are flying up and down the west coast. United has better wi-fi but its leg room in first class sucks and its first class tickets tend to be very expensive. That means that for many routes Delta is the “least dirty shirt” airline. As the other airlines have gotten “dirtier” Delta has able to roll around in the mud too and still claim that it is relatively clean (“premium”). The premium illusion quickly breaks once you fly a Middle Eastern or Asian airline.
You keep re-writing the same story over and over. It is clear you do not care for Delta. I think this is all rooted in your dislike for their mileage program.
I think also the on time advantage is mostly gone. Looking at the on time performance of the last couple of months – Delta nowhere near the top, but United rising (when also not perfect – Southwest has the easier fleet for on time performance) . Some overscheduling probably as well… Delta has lower on time departures than other carriers – but arrives more on time. Could be the sign of fluffing the schedule a little bit.
I’m not sure why certain commenters get irritated when anyone has a criticism of Delta, but I’m a Diamond and I agree with every word of this. There’s lots to like about Delta, but they’ve been sliding backwards in the last couple of years. The “premium” catering leaves a lot to be desired these days, the D1 experience is consistently inconsistent, the on-time machine has lost its edge, club crowding showing no signs of easing, no wi-fi over the pacific in 2026/slow rollout of changes, uncomfortable-ish domestic F seating, conservative route planning, IRROPs struggles, and so on.
It’s not that Delta is *bad* now, but their backslide is noticeable.
Why complain, whenever you want to travel back in time a couple of decades just hop aboard a tired 1990s era Delta 767 and you’re back in 2008 faster than you can say SkyPesos. And you can walk across your fellow passengers sleeping on the concourse floor for days after being stranded due to a premium IT meltdown that’s always “beyond Delta’s control”….
@Thing 1, lol.
No fair, Gary! Leave trolling Tim Dunn to us!
Every time I take a United or American flight I am reminded why I choose Delta if I can. I pay to fly up front, mostly domestic. The food on United is inedible. The seats on American are hard as park benches. I can neither stand upright or turn around in either’s 1st class lav. American’s booking and seat management technology is terrible. 50/50 chance of getting a surly, rude agent or FA on either airline.
Delta is less reliable than pre-pandemic but the service and performance are still light years ahead of other domestic products.
Flew last night DTW-FLL. Paid premium.
No PDB while I watched FA stroll around galley for 20 min. Then “I don’t have enough time to do a beverage service before departure.”
Push back and captain informs us that the Wi-Fi is inoperative. He then says, “watch a movie, read a book, or take a nap.”
My seatback IFE screen is inoperative for the entire flight, including the safety video. My reading light also inoperative. Ate dinner in the dark. Flight attendant did one pass after dinner service on a three-hour flight.
Better service on Spirit.
@Tim Dunn will now attack and say my experiences are anecdotal and I do realize this and that.