Delta Air Lines appears to have plans to introduce a very premium domestic narrow body aircraft, with a staggering 44 first class seats. However, this might not necessarily be by design, but instead, to make the best of a frustrating situation…
In this post:
Delta planning 164-seat A321neos, with 44 first class seats
JonNYC reports that Delta intends to introduce a new Airbus A321neo configuration featuring dozens of first class seats. Specifically, this configuration is expected to feature 44 first class seats, 54 extra legroom economy seats, and 66 standard economy seats.
As a point of comparison, Delta’s standard A321neos have 194 seats, including 20 first class seats, 60 extra legroom economy seats, and 114 standard economy seats.
Let me emphasize that there aren’t any flights on sale yet showing these configurations, but clearly JonNYC has some insights regarding this planned layout, so I’d take him at his word on that.
With the amount of premium demand nowadays, plus given how lucrative loyalty programs are, I’ve long argued that US carriers should increase the average size of their first class cabins. However, introducing a cabin with 44 first class seats is quite the stretch! So, what’s actually going on here?
Is Delta making the best of A321neos that are in storage?
I’ve written about how Delta plans to introduce a new subfleet of Airbus A321neos, which will be in a premium configuration. The airline plans to add 21 of these A321neos to its fleet, specifically for premium transcontinental flights.
These planes are expected to feature just 148 seats, including 16 business class seats, 12 premium economy seats, 54 extra legroom economy seats, and 66 standard economy seats. However, several of these planes are now in storage, as Delta is having issues with getting the business class seats certified (that’s very Lufthansa of them, eh?).
With there seemingly being no end in sight to these certification issues, the theory is that Delta is going to put these planes into service with modified interiors. Keep in mind that the premium economy seats on these planes are comparable to domestic first class, so the idea is that in place of the 16 business class seats, the airline will instead temporarily install 32 first class seats.
Parking planes for months on end is obviously costly, so this seems like a logical enough way for Delta to get some use out of these planes, until those certification issues can be worked out. Besides, the airline can temporarily install these first class seats on the plane, and then later install them on other newly delivered A321neos.
I’m curious to see how this situation evolves, as these planes could enter service in the coming months. With 44 first class seats, they better increase staffing on these planes, or else service will be challenging. We’ll mark this as “developing” for now, but it seems like this is likely to happen.
Bottom line
Delta has plans to introduce a new Airbus A321neo layout with a staggering 44 first class seats. While this part is only speculation, it appears that what’s going on is that the airline may be making the best of its A321neos that are in storage.
Delta is planning on introducing new premium transcon A321neos with flat beds in business class, but the airline is having issues getting those seats certified. So rather than keeping these planes in storage for months on end, Delta may just throw some standard domestic first class seats into the business class cabin, and fly the planes on other routes.
I’ll be sure to provide an update once these planes are scheduled on some flights…
What do you make of Delta’s planned premium A321neo configuration?
While this is 99% wishful thinking: we'd better say prayers and light candles that Delta finds some unexpected success in deploying this type of configuration for scheduled service, wherever they place it.
If they do, it could actually be the start of something grand: a market below lie-flat transcons, but above regular domestic configurations.
There'd still be time for Delta to configure some of their incoming MAX-10s, to address that, if so. But again,...
While this is 99% wishful thinking: we'd better say prayers and light candles that Delta finds some unexpected success in deploying this type of configuration for scheduled service, wherever they place it.
If they do, it could actually be the start of something grand: a market below lie-flat transcons, but above regular domestic configurations.
There'd still be time for Delta to configure some of their incoming MAX-10s, to address that, if so. But again, it's probably just wishful thinking. If these routes just become "upgraders' paradise" then there's no chance of them sticking around in that configuration, long term.
Doesn’t Delta also have charter configured 757s with a lot of first class seats? Maybe this A321NEO config could be used for charter
Hopefully the revenue data supports and this leads to 24 first class seats in future 321neos and max9s
Rumor has it a select few Delta 360 members might receive an upgrade on these flights.
Sounds like a lot of in app buy up offers will be coming to Delta flyers for this plane.
The airline that made the most out of a premium boom putting in more premium products to capture more of the premium boom. I can't say anything about long term, but I totally get the thinking behind it.
Absolutely, jnrfalcon …. Premium economy seats rule the U.S. domestic market.
Finally! A complimentary upgrade might clear.
This makes me wonder why couldn't lufthansa have done something similar. There must some second hand seats seats certified for 787 available. they may not be cutting edge but at least its better than none at all.
Sorry Ben, also those who talk these seats up to be First Class …. to the discerning passengers, these seats are simply premium economy seats which just happen to convert to lie flat beds.
The lie flat action alone does not and will never make them anything more than last century business class seats.
It is all very well attempting to talk up this product, it might work in the U.S. market, but...
Sorry Ben, also those who talk these seats up to be First Class …. to the discerning passengers, these seats are simply premium economy seats which just happen to convert to lie flat beds.
The lie flat action alone does not and will never make them anything more than last century business class seats.
It is all very well attempting to talk up this product, it might work in the U.S. market, but never on the world stage. A domestic small ‘p’, premium economy seat, only folks, yes?
That's so incredibly stupid
Ok JonNYC …. I will bite, do explain if you are capable?
The seats are made for your butt and for your sleep, but no no no, let the mouth run free
To whom are you directing your comment to jnrfalcon, you do not elaborate. Therefore, one must assume that it is to the glimmer jonNYC, to whom you are referring, yes?
But, jnrfalcon. Your “Mouth is running free” and saying absolutely nothing. Anyone with a modicum of commercial airline passenger knowledge can see the reality of this U.S. domestic market hype. Furthermore, when compared with World Class airlines and their products, this Delta stopgap measure can be seen for what it is …. premium economy seating.
You are not alone, AeroB13a, I'm not even sure if the criticism is aimed at you, or what the criticism is meant to add up to.
"That's so incredibly stupid"
"The seats are made for your butt and for your sleep, but no no no, let the mouth run free"
Not gonna name names, but I think certain prominent people in society have modeled a certain semi coherent rant style of response to statements of facts they don't like.
My initial thought was the lack of ovens. So what I’m assuming, delta being delta, will just keep them on flights under 900 miles so they don’t have issues with consistency.
I had the same thought, but the planes were likely delivered with ovens - just maybe not enough ovens for 44 hot meals, depends if they opted for ovens with capacity for extended racks. Id guess you’d see restrictions on how many pre-order hot meals were available and more cold choices.
This will be the king of the status upgrade route then. Buy MC+ and get an almost guaranteed free Business Class upgrade. Unless they run into issues with a too front heavy plane and need to distribute loads?
Having fewer passengers up front would make the plane tail-heavy, but based on some edge-of-a-napkin math this configuration shouldn’t violate any weight and balance “rules.”
4 domestic first class/PE seats likely weigh less or about the same than the lie-flat seats intended for the space.
They could fly them on ATL-HSV and still have Diamond million milers sitting in regular legroom coach seats. But think about all of the $49 upgrades they could sell!!
Who needs a lie flat seat on a transcon flight? I'd rather they just do this
Lie-flat is very useful on the transcon red-eye flights. And you're able to do this if you want it - it's premium select.
The difference between letting your butt carry your weight for 6 hrs vs letting your entire back and legs carry the same weight for at least 4 hrs out of that 6.
Absolutely jnr, premium economy seats rule over cattle class every time! …. :-)
Right. YOU would rather. Therefore, no one else would want one. Let's just engineer the entire universe based on what YOU want. Are you a Millennial or a Gen Z?
To whom do you address your post Tom?
Quite frankly it does not make much sense old bean.
LOL it's boomers and Gen X who think the world revolves around them. Which it does, as they've clung to power and wealth like Gollum did with the one ring.
It’ll be funny if these turn out to be the best performing (in terms of profit) aircraft in the fleet, and it makes DL and others think harder about more premium-heavy configurations!
This is pretty cool and creative. Now maybe Diamonds out of ATL have a chance at getting an upgrade! ;)
still going to be diamonds whose free upgrade wont clear out of ATL
it was obvious that the failure of the 321NEO D1 certification test meant something had to happen.
This is certainly a temporary fix until a new D1 321NEO seat can be installed.
Well suited for ATL west markets. only 10 more premium seats than on the 764 although these are really Premium Select seats
btw, commendations to Jon for breaking this if it turns out to be true.
You didn't like Jon...
Did you actually mean
"btw, commendations to Jon for breaking this if it turns out to be positive about Delta."
I don't know Jon. He, like me, is an internet username.
I can't like or dislike a person I don't know.
I do like and dislike things that Jon has done and have communicated that.
These planes were scheduled for service out of NY and Boston primarily to SFO and LAX. They won’t be used in place of delta one.
Will be interesting where Delta deploys these too.
This makes some sense at least.
The US3 airlines have not gotten their premium narrowbody plans off the ground, might as well use them to do some money-making in the meantime.
Curious which routes will use them though given that this is such a high number of premium seats, but NYC transcons warrant using lieflats.
I'd say any transcon route out of JFK, BOS, or ATL that doesn't currently have flat beds/D1 is a candidate for this as most people are expecting Delta to expand premium transcon service once the seats do get certified.
So think routes like:
JFK-SEA
JFK-SAN
BOS-SEA
BOS-SAN
ATL-SFO
ATL-SEA
LAX-Hawaii might be another candidate at peak times like spring break.
ANC and KEF already have D1 from JFK during...
I'd say any transcon route out of JFK, BOS, or ATL that doesn't currently have flat beds/D1 is a candidate for this as most people are expecting Delta to expand premium transcon service once the seats do get certified.
So think routes like:
JFK-SEA
JFK-SAN
BOS-SEA
BOS-SAN
ATL-SFO
ATL-SEA
LAX-Hawaii might be another candidate at peak times like spring break.
ANC and KEF already have D1 from JFK during peak summer (and I think also either ATL or MSP for ANC) so I'll leave those out.
Can one assume dx, that DL will limit this premium economy cabin layout to the U.S. domestic market?
Maybe also for Caribbean/Latin America flights that have premium demand if there are any, but I think JFK-KEF was the last non-regional route that had a domestically configured plane (domestic first sold as premium economy) before Delta switched to D1 widebodies for all flights to Europe.
Half the transcon routes you listed (JFK-SEA, JFK-SAN, and BOS-SEA) used to be D1 routes. They really should reinstate SEA to their D1 transcon network to compliment the Delta One lounge that just opened at SEA as well as add ATL to their D1 transcon network as it’s Delta’s biggest hub.
"They really should reinstate SEA to their D1 transcon network"
Even though they've tried it 3 times in the last 7 years, then pulled back each attempt? What's a 4th, I guess.
Should be noted that Jetblue also tried Seattle-Kennedy twice with Mint, and also pulled it down shortly.
I suspect Delta will probably add/re-add D1 routes once the new business class seats get certified as this will increase the fleet size (although some will likely be earmarked for JFK-SFO to replace the 757 subfleet that has flatbeds for that route). As you note, there are most likely more domestic routes beyond JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO, BOS-LAX, and LAX-DCA that have sufficient premium leisure/business demand for at least some frequencies, if not all of them.