What Bernie Sanders Served for Dinner on His Chartered Delta 767 to Meet the Pope

Bernie Sanders’ trip to Rome (there’s no airport in Vatican City, though there’s a heliport) was on a chartered Delta Boeing 767-332ER with 26 flat business class seats, 29 extra legroom economy seats, and 171 standard economy seats.

It’s worth noting that while Bernie Sanders charters from Delta, the Pope prefers American Airlines. While Papal infallibility only applies ex cathedra, promulgating official teachings of the Church, it’s interesting that his charter flight choices didn’t have persuasive power with the Bernie Sanders campaign. (In fact, Sanders has more in common with former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee who has earned Delta Diamond.)

Sanders’ outbound trip was Delta flight 8878 from New York JFK to Rome Ciampino and his return the next day was Delta flight 8879 back from Rome Ciampino to New York Kennedy.

Yamiche Alcindor tweeted the menu from the flight.

Here’s the menu detail:

Other important View from the Wing election coverage:

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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  1. I wonder if Bernie took a middle seat in Basic Economy, forbidding anyone to join the Delta One Percent club up front.

  2. I seriously feel for the old guy, I mean that’s a tough turnaround for ANYONE, especially someone at his age, fly over & fly back…It usually takes me a day to get acclimated.

  3. He took 10 of his family members (including 4 grandchildren) for a 5 minutes audience with the pope. The total people onboard the chartered Delta 767 was around 50. That leaves over 170 seats empty. He may not take money form the oil industry but he made them a little richer using 32,000 gallon of jet fuel for this trip. I hope all those “out of work” Bernie supporters who donated $10, $20, $40 to his campaign enjoy the fact that he took his family on a quick vacation to see the pope with their money.

  4. Up until now I was really hoping Bernie was different than the other politicians.

    But the thoughtlessness of this flight proves otherwise.

  5. Looks like it was a strategic decision, and I hope it worked. Bernie is on a seriously right schedule and maybe it wasn’t possible to fly commercial and get back in time to continue politicking before the NY primary.

  6. Well no one need worry about Bernie having the slightest commitment to his Jewishness. The menu of crab and non kosher meat shows that he is not in any way affiliated. Even the Jews in the Reformed movement who behave no different to gentiles in most things prohibit eating crab and non kosher meat.

  7. @Harry

    The vast majority of American Jews are non-observant. Just like the vast majority of American Catholics are non-observant. I have Jewish family members, who belong to progressive congregations, they eat everything. While the Kosher diet is observed in the Community Center, once out the door, they eat just like every one else.

  8. Typical Socialist (sic) behavior, ranting about the One Percent and income inequality (sic) while using contributions from naive ‘little people’ to fund his one-percenter life style.

    How anyone concerned with “Climate Change” (sic) can justify chartering a nearly empty 767 to fly TATL r/t is a total mystery to me.

    And if he did then give a talk on a “moral economy” after having done all that, it just makes the hypocrisy that much more disgusting. 🙁

  9. This was pretty spendy for someone who has $25,002-$65,000 in credit card debt, but of course it doesn’t matter when he’s spending other people’s money. Do as I say, not as I do, eh Bernie?

  10. I will not vote for Bernie, but it’s silly to whine about the empty seats on this flight. You can’t exactly fly a ERJ across the ocean.

  11. Hopefully he bought carbon credits to offset those 32,000 gallons of jet fuel burned for a less than 5 minute ‘Hello, nice to meet you…sorry can’t stay…gotta go now (to resume campaigning)’ conversation with the Pope. Perhaps he asked for ther Pope to pray for divine guidance on exactly how to implement his 20 trillion (ok, maybe it is only 10 trillion) dollar ideas??

  12. Funding his 1%er lifestyle? The entire trip was less than 24h. Delta One isn’t exactly the kind of experience that makes you want to fly for the sake of flying. He’s a presidential candidate with a Secret Service detail and an embedded press corp. How many of those could you have fit in Gulfstream?

    The purpose of the visit wasn’t a 5 minute audience with the Pope. Regardless of whatever ludicrous talking points you’re being fed, he went to speak at a conference relevant to his campaign platform. You know, the same way Hillary did for AIPAC.

    Unless you’re a donor yourself, stop worrying about how other people spend their money. If you’re so concerned about the impact on Bernie’s “out of work” supporters, how about you support some of his policies instead?

    And since when does anybody reading Boardingarea.com give two hoots about how damaging air travel is to the environment? Are you kidding me? Talk about double standards!

  13. With whose money did he pay for this trip? We all know Bernie does not pay for things himself….

  14. The main course is the exactly the same as the delta one flight that I took from BOS to AMS three weeks ago. And the pre arrival meal is the exact same as the flight I took from AMS to BOS.

  15. A G5 will get you across the Atlantic. You don’t need a Boeing 767. Even Trump fly on a smaller jet.

  16. Giving bernie crap for not being kosher lol. Kosher is the most idiotic waste of time thing ever, all because of some book

  17. Gosh propaganda talks about “unless your a donor” it’s not your business how he spends his money. I wish more people felt that way about Hillary. Bernie himself is the one who brings up the “Wall Street ” money and the Clinton 1%. Personally I think given the tight scedule they have he should travel the way he does. And as far as people gripping about the $200k Hillary took or takes for giving a Wall Street talk…if they are willing to pay who cares? If he were offered that kind of money to give a speech, if who’s offering it is willing to give it why not take it. It’s about your value to others It’s Time to stop grumbling about this petty stuff. (Yes carbon footprint and other stuff counts but that’s not the spirit in which this article focused). I am tired of reading about Bernie supporters throwing dollar bills at a Hillary motorcade or any of this silly stuff. The Bernie supporters are very annoying. Both these candidates need to have the focus more on their policies and resumes then the bull crap stuff. I just read an article about how did this country get to This point?; that we have two “old people” running. What is the problem here? I told Bernie a number of years ago how I was in love with him. Now he’s starting to remind me of a politician I once admired the maverick – until he turned into a weird right to the right fundamentalist suck-up guy who ran in ’08. now it feels like (for someone who knew his name for years before becoming a candidate. Bernie is doing the same sucking up to the to the worst attributes of the millennials many good and not so admirable traits. crowd-pleasing for the vote is as yucky as being “unbendable” as the Bernie boppers complain Hillary is. Can we all agree to focus on the task at hand that we, the people, the electorate, learn our job of why and who to vote for in November… First by picking the best nominee we want to speak and act for us…. And then standing by whomever that person who is chosen is? And for that matter. Standing behind and hoping whoever the president is does a good job for us, the citizens?

  18. I am a Bernie donor and have no problem with him taking a chartered flight to Rome to speak at the Vatican. Go Bernie! The world is feeling the BERN!!!

  19. Please read progapanda’s comment carefully if you are here, it clearly describes the situation. At least be well informed if you are going to disagree with actions of political candidates.

  20. Nice to know that the uninformed can still weigh in with idiotic comments. Sanders did not go to meet the pope. He went to give a speech on climate change and income inequality. How he got there is not relevant and who gives a damn about the food? He’s the only truly honest candidate running. The rest are mired in graft, corruption and Wall Street money, especially Hillary. Go Bernie!

  21. Oh, the hypocrisy. He flew in his expensive chartered flight to speak about income equality, and then he speaks about climate change while flying in a huge, oversized, mostly empty jet. But Bernie isn’t a hypocrite like the other hypocrites. Do as I say, not as I do, eh Bernie?

  22. Old fucking, marxist, hypocritical, America-hating shitbag should go and die.

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