Delta Air Lines is dropping drink service in coach from short flights. They will no longer offer drinks on flights that are less than 350 miles – even though competitors United and American do.
This change, first reported by aviation watchdog JonNYC, starts May 19:
Delta, some service changes pic.twitter.com/68Ol3Lcc0m
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) April 30, 2026
Flights from 251 – 349 miles will lose beverage service entirely. Meanwhile flights from 350 – 499 miles will offer a standard drink service, rather than Delta’s current limited ‘express service’. In contrast,
- American offers drink service and snacks on flights of 250 miles or more.
- United service is available on flights starting at 300 miles.
Currently Delta limits service on flights from 251 – 499 miles to ‘Express Beverage Service’ which means just coffee, tea and water however ‘select flights’ can have more.
One Mile at a Time notes that this means about 600 flights go from express beverage service to full beverage service, while 450 flights lose beverage service altogether.
It’s unclear why Delta is doing this cutback in coach service on short flights.
- Not loading the galley carts up with beverages does save some weight though that’s less of a benefit on short flights than long ones (weight requires fuel and fuel has gotten expensive). Nonetheless, it’s a cost cut for those flights, and means that Delta is less generous than peers.
- Fewer flights where flight attendants have to work could become a talking point for why crew don’t need a union – AFA-CWA keeps promising a union election at Delta.
Many of the affected routes, though, aren’t going to be ones with non-stop competition. (Some, like LA – San Francisco, are service by Alaska, Southwest, Delta, United and American!) For the most part passengers are connecting as part of longer journeys, especially when distance is closer to the lower end of this distance range.
Prior to the pandemic flights of 350-499 miles used to receive full beverage service, so that’s a cut that’s being restored finally. However full drink service (and not merely ‘express’) was Delta’s standard a decade ago, when they really began their premium push. Now it’s being eliminated entirely.
And while airlines sometimes talk about ‘premium’ referring to premium cabins, it’s worth noting that this change applies to ‘Delta Comfort’ as well as ‘Main’ and that’s where most passengers actually fly. And, in Delta’s telling, it’s where they get customers who eventually begin buying up to premium cabins.
One Mile at a Time thinks these changes are ‘fair enough’ since it can be difficult to do a coach service on a short flight, but that service gets suspended if there’s too much turbulence. Other airlines do this service, and airlines in other parts of the world will do a meal service on sub-300 mile flights. I’m always impressed at the hustle of Bangkok Airways crew, for instance, flying Bangkok – Samui.
Thanks Delta for screwing us all!
@ Gary — This is another Diamond benefit cut. I suppose pretty much all Diamonds are auto upgraded to Delta Comfort (I actually dont know from personal experience, as we don’t book economy), and now they won’t get beverage service. Delta continues leading the race to the bottom.
@Peter suggested an excellent idea at OMAAT, for Delta to just distribute mini-water bottles at boarding, otherwise, tis is certainly not premium. It’s cheap. Ed does not deserve $100,000,000 in incentives when they’re knickeling and diming like this. Not to mention, airlines overseas, especially in Asia, often provide full-meals, even in economy sometimes, for ~1 hour flights. C’mon!
Prior to COVID AA would hand out small water bottles on sub 300 mile flights, like MIA/TPA. Then the COVID scam came and that went away particularly as FAs complained about their “safety.” Never came back. I find that on short AA flights of less than 500 miles (about 1.15 in air or less) F still gets a service but often Y you hear an announcement that there will be only a service in first or just on demand in coach. Often using “rough air” as an excuse.
This is where AA could be more “premium.” At least hand out a 15 cent small bottle of water on short flights.
Somebody’s gotta say it – very premium.
Does this mean I can’t even get a glass of water on a flight from SFO to LAX?
@George Romey — Ugh, always with you… Millions of people died… be grateful you survived. It’s not pandemics or workers to blame for your lack of water bottles: It’s corporate greed…
Are you bad at physics Gary?
Weight matters substantially the same on short flights vs a bit longer than short flights – getting the weight up there is much harder than keeping it up there. You’ve got quite a bit of flying to do before length of flight is outweighing (see what I did there?) gaining altitude.
Sign of the times…35 years ago Delta offered full beverage service in coach on 20 minute flights.
Now…United just offered water in E+ on my last ORD-LGA flight. AA is secretly “on request only”, even in first on plenty of 300 mile flights, and they even “hies” the second transcon drink service by offering water and then saying “you could have rang your call button” if inquire about the full second service. Regardless of policy, the FAs have their own MO across the board. In general, I’ll bet the DL ones will still be doing more than expected, where UA and AA do less than expected.
Having spent 20+ years Flying from Florida to the only destination (ATL) here’s my take. When Delta was flying MD-88s or RJs, the pax/crew ratio allowed for real cabin service.
Now the MDs have been replaced with 737-900s and 321s. Cabin crew are at an absolute minimum and service followed.
Coach water service for most flights is near zero or unfinished.
It is all about $$$. Real service requires more staff.
In Europe, you get a meal in coach on a one hour flight.
US airline coach service appears to be less than third world to the rest of the international aviation community.
@1990 – I mean, they could hand out some biscoff with that water as well. Could everyone have a refillable water bottle? Sure. Do I want to carry 4 refillable water bottles when traveling with the family? Nope.
Look, the idea that I can’t get a cup of water on, say, a flight from NYC to Pittsburgh is absurd. 335 miles so under the threshold, although of course they actually flew 396. Take Tuesday’s flight for example on Delta-
Scheduled 12:54pm
Gate Departure 2:24pm
Takeoff: 3:01pm
Landing: 4:03pm
Not sure when boarding was but figure it’s around 2pm. So you’re on the plane already for an hour by the time it gets in the air (not atypical at LGA). You might, I don’t know, be thirsty! FAs have plenty of time to walk through an E175 with cups in one hand, a water bottle in the other, and pass out some water. This isn’t that hard.
So all the drink vouchers that elties get cannot be used on hundreds of flights. Like upgrades or mileage award redemptions, another benefit that only exists in theory.
@Peter — Agreed! Let them eat Biscoff!! (Right, @Gene? Also, WFBF.) As for LGA-PIT, that’s not great (1-2 hours late… still better than Amtrak, 8.5 hours, but, maybe driving woulda been better (6.5h). If it’s 2+ hours delayed, really should get like $50 in Delta SkyPesos for the ordeal…
@ 1990 — Yeah, George seems to have trouble understanding about all those dead people.
Of course they had to
Delta is a premium carrier said nobody ever
I’m not sure why anyone is surprised — Delta has always led in the race to the bottom with SkyPesos, changing a second full beverage service on international to “Bellinis or nothing” but trying to make it look like an upgrade, 30″ pitch (yes. Delta was the first of the US3 to lead this charge with their Airbus retrofit), basic economy, and soon it seems basic business though UA might beat them to it
The Delta marketing sheen is long gone for anyone that pays attention — it’s only the fanatical Delta fanboys that keep the marketing gimmick alive.
I’ve done DL IAD/DCA JFK/LGA recently with mixed results in whether or not there’s been drink service. I agree that in any normal circumstance drinks aren’t necessary. But as people have mentioned, status, delays, families with small children, there are a lot of circumstances where having a blanket rule probably isn’t the best ideal.
Would be a proponent of a tray of water bottles and snacks that people can take if they choose when they board.
You all should check your COVID facts. Included what the “wonderful vaccine” has done to people. It’s why politicians keep screwing us. Ignorance.
@L737 — Have you tried Acela? I prefer their service over those short shuttle flights, which are so often delayed. The NexGen cars are pretty nice. Also, I read recently that Amtrak actually turned an operating profit of $23.7 million, a $96.8 million improvement over March 2025. Woop!
@George Romey — Operation Warp Speed? Wait, I thought your guy did that… huh…
@1990 — Yes, big fan of the choo choo! Luckily been no delays on those flights for me, knock on wood. I traditionally take the train but since the new airport lounges opened at LGA/JFK I’ve been flying. Once the novelty dies down I’ll be back on track (pun intended)
@ George — You are quite gullible.
@L737 — Abundance (of great lounges, everywhere!) Ever try the Amtrak one at Moynihan?
@1990 — No, I need to! Adding to the bucket list thank you