Delta Air Lines announced their new business class suite that will be equipped on board Airbus A350-1000 once those begin delivering next year, and that they’ll be adding suites with doors to their Airbus A330s as they refresh the interiors of those planes. Perhaps more importantly, they are making modest improvements to both premium economy and coach.
The new A350-1000 business class suite, still on the Thompson seat platform (VantageNova vs. VantageXL for their older Suites), will offer a bed that’s 3 inches longer than their current one, to provide over 6.5 feet of sleeping length. The seat adds a pillow-top layer over memory foam, plus dedicated storage for shoes (oddly no storage compartment that closes), a place to keep a phone within reach while in bed mode, and a hook for eyeglasses. That’s on top of its mattress pad and Missoni bedding.
Delta Business Class, Credit: Delta
Delta Business Class, Credit: Delta
I told you the new seat was coming last summer, and have even shared a photo. So in a way this feels anticlimactic.
The A350-1000 business cabin will use a reverse-herringbone layout, with window-adjacent seats will angled toward the windows, and the center pairs will have a movable divider that can be opened for companions or closed for privacy.
While not at quite the same level, Delta promises that many of the same design elements will also appear on the A330-200 and -300 suites even though it’ll use the current VantageXL seats, including the pillow-top seat layer, wireless charging, and USB-C power.
They’re promoting a skew towards premium seats (they’re not as premium-heavy as United), and this by the way is a good part of why Delta will follow United Airlines in introducing basic business class – they will often have excess seats to sell at their lowest business class fares, and they want to impose restrictions on those so that customers willing to pay more don’t get the product they’re after for less.
Delta Business Class, Credit: Delta
Delta Business Class, Credit: Delta
Somewhat oddly, they spend time promoting a new self-service snack area and it just seems odd to me they didn’t already have this. On the A350-1000 it will be at the main entryway and on the A330s it will be at the front of the aircraft.
Delta Business Class, Credit: Delta
Now, the announcement is full of the usual Delta embellishment. They go to great lengths to define their own categories while being technically accurate. (Some of the coverage I’ve read has been tricked into giving Delta more credit for ‘firsts’ than they are lawyerly claiming.)
- Delta says they offered the first all-suite business-class cabin among U.S. airlines. Qatar Airways had all suites in business class before Delta did. JetBlue had suites before Delta did, but it was a mix of seats with doors and those without. So “all-suite” and “U.S.” are doing the work here in a category where Delta came third.
- Delta says that by 2030 they plan for 90% of their business class seats to be suites with doors. In other words, even four years from now they’ll still be flying around some of the worst business class seats in the sky. Even today their 767 product is embarrassing.
Maybe what’s more important than the headline new business seat is that they’re saying every seat in every cabin will get its largest seatback entertainment screens, Bluetooth audio, USB-C, AC power, and memory foam cushioning.
Delta Premium Economy, Credit: Delta
Delta Premium Economy, Credit: Delta
Lack of seat cushioning is one of the real problems in economy, where airlines have skimped here both because it’s cheaper without it and because leaving it out creates the illusion of extra space between seats.
The biggest claim is that the seat design in coach adds 1 inch of legroom and a small seatback shelf for personal items.
Delta Coach, Credit: Delta
Delta Coach, Credit: Delta
Ultimately, most passengers travel in coach so even small touches matter here and in some ways matter more than up front – except that today, Delta’s business class on its Airbus A330s are falling behind and its 767s are worst in the industry. They need to update the A330s and retire the 767s.
These aircraft will use the broader onboard interior design aesthetic that Delta began rolling out last year, and that will extend to more than 800 aircraft within five years. They report that aircraft with the new design interior get a 25-point increase in customer satisfaction.
35K can’t come soon enough! Overall, looks good. Consistency will be key (that’s why the 763, 332 gets its ire). Darker color scheme is also more elegant. 5 years is a while to implement (maybe just setting low expectations, so as to exceed them.)
I would pay for business basic just to get the eyeglass hook. I have lost my glasses several times, twice they did not survive the loss.
1990
just remember, which Gary doesn’t seem to grasp, that DL’s 763s compete heavily with UA 757s and/or domestic 777s (which are both increasingly being grounded).
Let’s see which models are out of the fleet and int’l usage first – DL’s 763s or UAs 757s and 777 domestics
@Tim Dunn — I’m Dr. Strangelove, because I’ve ‘Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the (Delta 763)’ since many older ones have no Premium Select, so I can use RUCs and GUCs for Main to D1. Still, this plan for greater consistency is a good one, so that folks like @Gene will stop whining about the ancient interiors. Bah!
Not impressed. Looks worse than the current A350-900 seats.
Weird, Tim
I don’t see UA flying the domestic 777s or 752s to…
HND
ARN
BRU
UIO
BER
DUB
CTA
DSS
CPH
MLA
MXP
NAP
OLB
OPO
All DL 763 destinations this summer
You really need to chill with the whole “Delta flies these mainly where UA bad products fly”
nope. Delta flies them wherever they want them, product be damned.
“Fly Delta Jets”
@Gene — Better than the Tu-454 787-knockoff death-trap that the Russians just unveiled… talk about an Aeroflop (formerly SkyTeam… *cough*).
@MaxPower — Interesting. Because I don’t see Delta or United flying to BUD, yet American has the audacity to do so. Maybe DL and UA are planning for Budapest by Blimp instead… they can assist Orban to flee to the US. *facepalm*
The Delta A330-300 and A330-200 Delta One cabins are dated, uncomfortable, ugly, and definitely not premium, nor are they elevated. They are just about the worst, lapped only by the 767-300 and 767-400 Delta One cabins which are also, awful.
@MaxPower — When is DL flying 763s to HND? That would be a pretty horrible ride.
@Gene — I’ve seen them. I think via HNL.
(And, I think it’s mostly for the Japanese tourists, or US servicemembers, like, flying commercial onward to bases in E. Asia. Speaking of Hawaii, the most Japanese people I’ve ever seen in one place outside of Japan is… the walk/hike up Diamond Head just outside Honolulu. Maybe just a coincidence, nice weather, etc. But, I guess the Japanese really do like Hawaii… *clearing throat*)
Yeah. 1990 is right. It’s on the HNL-HND route
The route is doing very badly for DL so they also put their worst plane on it.
@MaxPower — I’d imagine, if it had the range and was allowed over vast oceans, they’d’ve put the 717 on it… thankfully, I haven’t seen any of them lately. Used to be a staple for EWR-MSP, and quite a few ATL short flights in the South.
Now you guys have me depressed, We’re flying D1 this summer to ARN and returning from CPH.
@WileyDog — Oh, don’t fret. I’ve taken DL’s 763 to SFO and PRG; as long as you’re D1, the lie-flat gets the job done. Sure, it doesn’t have a door and isn’t as private as the newer stuff, but it beats Y. And, if you’re routing via JFK or BOS (or SEA), you get D1 lounge access. It’s still something to look forward to. Not to mention, both Stockholm and Copenhagen are lovely in summer. Safe travels!
@Max Power you’re completely correct and Tim once again can’t actually state the truth. I tried going for other ways and look for where they do have overlap.
LAX – HNL: The only domestic route where UA exclusively flies 757s and the HD 777s and DL flies 763s
NYC – LAX: United has plenty of nice Polaris options
NYC – SFO: United has plenty of nice Polaris options
NYC – EDI: The only international flight that they both fly where United uses 757s and DL uses their 763s.
Thats it, 4 routes. I can also fly DL’s crappy 763s to Dakar, Brussels, Lisbon, Lima, Quito, Santiago, Anchorage, Maui, Tokyo, Osaka, Anchorage, Puerto Rico, Phoenix, Las Vegas, SLC, MSP, Detroit, Orlando, Kansas City and Miami – so when you say “compete heavily” Tim – do you mean they don’t compete heavily at all and you’re just lying to make yourself feel better about Delta?
I am curious why you lie so often, like what makes you so emotionally tied to an airline that you feel you need to just lie on the internet about it? Most of us will happily say when we like or dislike what any airline is doing, but you can’t seem to admit that Delta does anything wrong and then always compare it to United? Maybe just admit you’re wrong on this one, take the L and celebrate that Delta is finally coming to the party on next-gen business class and retiring their 767s.
@Andy — Why you sayin’ NYC when it’s EWR? United trying JFK yet again? *wink*
I love how Max and the rest of the argumentative UA crowd loves to manipulate facts and reality because they can’t accept that DL’s 763s are competitive for the routes they serve.
How many widebodies does UA fly to UIO?
How many of those 763 cities does UA or AA even serve AT ALL?
How many US airlines besides DL fly HND-HNL? It sure isn’t AA or UA.
and am I correct that United failed at Dakar? so whatever DL uses clearly was more attractive to the market than UA’s service – on any aircraft.
Yeah, my statement should be that DL’s 763s heavily serve cities and routes that are flown by 757s or domestic 777s including Hawaii and Ireland and the UK and they also serve routes that have very little US carrier competition, if any
argue all you want but if DL’s 763s were really a drag to the company, they would have grounded them yesterday – but they do have a place ALONGSIDE DL’s other fleets including its 764s, A330CEOs and NEOs and 359s.
and the bigger point is that the 35K will be larger and more capable and more efficient than any other aircraft in the US carrier fleet.
IOW, DL can and will use them to grow its network over the next few years.
and DL will be paying hundreds of millions if not billions less in fuel over the next few years which will mean DL can make money – and sustain routes – that other airlines will have no choice but to drop.
Keep arguing about the DL 763 fleet, Max and co.
DL will absolutely have the last laugh the second week after the end of every quarter as DL announces earnings and while UA pays the most for jet fuel of any of the big 4
@TIm Dunn
DL may have the last laugh but we’re all laughing at you.
Tim you asked:
How many of these cities do US airlines serve at all? Literally most of them – excluding the new launches this summer there are like 2 on the list not served by AA or UA.
Oh dang – UA doesn’t fly HNL to HND, oh no, not like I could get on their partner airline ANA and literally get there more comfortably than on DL or UA…
You said routes with very little US carrier competition – funny you scoped to US carrier, as if people would prefer a US carrier over others… JAL and ANA are strong competitors and then Hawaiian is on the route too with a decentish product (at least for business it is okay). then looking at the other destinations – yes no US competition because no one else is hubbed in Atlanta??? So the DL option is to fly to Atlanta and then get on a terrible 767 to the destination – how astute of an observation Tim. It’s like me saying no US carrier flies IAD to Brussels other than United – well duh Tim, United is the only US carrier hubbed at IAD.
Yes United was not profitable in their first year at Dakar so they pivoted their assets to other routes… okay man – I still got to fly the route and it was fun, I’d recommend Dakar to everyone even if they have to endure a bad DL 767 to get there. Not like Delta also hasn’t failed on a route lately… Brussels… Geneva… – you know major European cities filled with business travellers (UA even uses a high J for GVA and Delta can’t make it work)
“If the 763s were a drag to the company they would have grounded them yesterday” – turns out we never said they are a drag to the company, they are a drag to the customer experience…
Honestly couldn’t care less how much each airline pays for jet fuel – I care about the customer experience, as I’m a customer – I don’t own shares in either of them. I don’t care how much profit any of them make either as long as they make enough to be sustainable. I have friends that work for all of them so know a lot about each of the companies. I’m glad Delta is finally starting to invest again – more competition forces them all to be better. I just wish Tim would use facts to debate rather than sniffing whatever bad jet fuel Delta is making in its refinery…
@Andy — “more competition forces them all to be better” PREACH!!!
Well this is a fail for me, this layout has no actual window seats, only aisle seats.
“they want to impose restrictions on those so that customers willing to pay more don’t get the product they’re after for less.”
We wouldn’t want people to accidentally get actual value now would we? That’s not the Delta way. For examples, see Skymiles.
I find little value in the IFE. I wonder why someone who has whatever it takes to sit in Delta One would waste precious time watching movies and playing games. The only use for me would be to use it as an external monitor for my laptop so that I can work more efficiently if I choose to work or get things done (which I probably would on a day flight). During a night flight I would be getting as much rest of possible, so the extra legroom and body room is very welcome.
Why anyone would fly Delta is beyond me. A bigger piece of trash than United.