I’m presently shuttling back and forth between Brazil and the US on Delta (thanks to the mistake business class fare they had earlier in the year) to qualify for Alaska MVP Gold 75K status.
Continue reading: Review: Delta BusinessElite Sao Paulo to Detroit
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
They also know how to run FF program, except it is only for their benefit. Their take on it is to give nothing of value to the frequent flyer, with useless SWUs and miles
DL business class is 45K to Europe from North America on AS. Combine with a couple CX awards, and, boom, instant RTW...
Thanks for the nice comparison between AA and DL. I wonder if the fact that DL is two-class makes any different to how the service seems to go better on Delta. But I have to agree to you that Delta really tries very hard lately in its premium product. Delta employees seem to be very happy lately and are proud of their offering, which makes a big different on the "soft" side of the product.
I also can't help to notice the latest improvement on Delta's catering. I am very impressed. The breakfast is now served in two courses, which is nicer than the previous one tray service.
About the Delta's reverse herringbone seats on mostly 747-400s and newly renovated A330s, they are a bit less fancy than AA or CX versions. They are a bit like a better version of US Envoy suites, but not as fancy as the ones used by American or Cathay.
After reading all your reviews, maybe you should give United premium products a try. I wonder how that Jeff S's United compares to American and Delta, which are spending $$$ in improving products, while United seems to be in murky water!
Glad you see the difference in crews. It really does shine. And yes they do the beef really well.
You should try them on the SEA-JFK flights. Basically the same service you experienced but on a 5 hr domestic flight.
On flights out of LHR they place a post card signed by the station manager on the seat of high elites sitting in biz elite.
Glad you enjoyed Delta, and can confirm that those of us still willing to give them a chance aren't smoking anything funny when we say we really enjoy flying them.
I haven't flown the staggered setup, only the 777 lieflat. My next DL award is SEA-NRT-LAX on the 747 with the reverse herringbone business class, so I'm looking forward to that.
Love your review but I find it funny how it is different strokes for different folks.
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I AVOID the herringbone 777 like the plague and so much more like this product as a back sleeper. I find the herringbone to be claustrophobic, narrow and strange to fly sideways.
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I agree that one of the best things about DL is the people. They really get it (in BE).
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But you did credit the points to the wrong program 😉
Top tip for the Delta 767 lie flat is that the cubbies on the bulkhead row are significantly bigger than those on other rows, great for a side sleeper. Also they seem to be easy to snag as most of the seat review sites have them as bad seats being near the galley but I find that the closet and galley storage are pretty deep especially for the middle seats and there isn't too much bleed through noise from the galley.
Ed is 100% correct about the slight differences in the seat design. Also the 767-300ER's with 1-2-1 lie flats differ slightly from the 767-400's. You should really enjoy the 747 reverse herringbone though.
Just flew Delta to LHR this weekend and came back home now. The crews were friendly and generally happier than AA and UA. Even the ground staffs at JFK were nicer. Food was good on both segments. Seat is lie flat not as good as AA's new business class. I hate to say this but Delta is probably the best US airline now. UA is definitely the worst.
DL crews do shine! From sitting in the back of the plane to the front to waiting at the gate I always notice a difference.
Hi Ben - I totally agree with the comments regarding Service. Delta is above and beyond the legacy carriers in this area. I've always been more happy to be in Delta Business than AA First, simply because of the service and the quality of food when compared to AA First.
You didn't mention but I was also really impressed with the movie selection on Delta's renovated international fleet -- it is probably similar to what is on the ex-CO UA aircraft and the new AA aircraft, but since AA has lots of unrenovated aircraft and the ex-UA UA aircraft have a much more limited selection, I'd say Delta wins in that category for the time being. Delta also has a far greater installed base of domestic AVOD IFE planes than the competition, though the domestic planes have a smaller set of content to choose from.
Oh -- but I would agree, Delta's omelettes, which they also serve in domestic First on morning flights, are not great. AA and UA both do eggs better.
Loved the review, and thanks for looking out for us plus sized foot folks.
I would avoid that plane no matter what the soft product. It's not only a question of sleep, but I wonder if it feels like "foot jail".
What you call a "mistake fare" is actually something else. Ask some of your friends in the airline industry to expalin you what a CMI is, and you'll understand.
Noticed that the chocolate the FA gave you came from a cool chocolatier in Campos do Jordao - wonderful small resort town in the hills about 2 hours from Sao Paulo. Paulistas go there to escape the heat - town made to look like Switzerland complete with Swiss chalets despite the fact the temperature there rarely dips below 60 degrees 🙂 Not Berchtesgarten, but amazing vistas, it's Brazilian chic and fun -- worth a visit if you ever get the chance.
Having flown in this type of seat with SWISS, I must say I totally agree about the foot cubby - I found it far too small (esp in the 'Captain Kirk' seats) and almost slightly claustrophobic when trying to sleep on one's side.
Ben — I'm curious, what airline do you think has a better lie-flat product on a 767? I know you're not a fan of this seat, but I think one challenge is finding an economical lie-flat configuration given the width of the 767. As you note, Delta has a terrific reverse herringbone seat (similar to CX and AA's new offering) on their 747s and A330s, as well as herringbone on the 777 (I bet they would have the reverse herringbone on the 777, too, except the seat wasn't yet on the market when these came online). The reverse herringbone doesn't fit on the 767, at least not as 1x2x1.
On the 767, the only viable alternative seems to be the herringbone seat as on AC, but that seat gets plenty of complaints too. The other 767 lie-flat alternatives (e.g., United and LAN/TAM) don't have direct aisle access from every seat, which is probably a deal-breaker for Delta.
So out the 4 staggered seats you're tried in all, is there 1 that gets a slight recommendation over the others? Was one at least more comfortable (especially when sleeping) as opposed to the others? In this case, it seems like the duvet went a long way in making more comfortable...
Though I haven't sat there myself, I hear that there is more room in the cubby at the bulkhead seats. It might be worth a try.
Agreed on the service. As a Delta Platinum, I'm constantly surprised and delighted by how friendly the crew is on the ground and in the air. (Especially after years of flying with UA and AA.)
Excited for the BE seat on the 747 in a few weeks from JFK - NRT - BKK.
Keep enjoying your competitive Delta products. I'll keep flying out of MSP, where they only fly RJs and MD90s and control 85 percent of the gates.
@ wwk5d -- Last night back down to Sao Paulo I sat in the window seat that's closest to the window and not the aisle, and quite liked how private that was. Not all that much more spacious, but the privacy made it pleasant.
Actually, I was asking between Austrian, Brussels, ANA, and Delta 😉 It seems like the only major difference is the duvet Delta hands out?
But also good to know which seats within each cabin is the best...
@ wwk5d -- Ah, whoops. Clearly rather exhausted. 😉
Hmm, to be honest I don't really like one much more than the others. Austrian has great bedding as well, so I'd say Austrian and Delta would be my two top picks in terms of hard product.
@wwk5d -- I haven't flown it personally but I believe the ANA staggered seat is very different -- it is only 4 abreast on a 777, whereas DL is 4 abreast on a 767. I believe Austrian has a staggered seat on a 777 that is at least 5 abreast.
I'm pretty much a DL hostage since I'm based in the SE US, and I've been quite underwhelmed by DL's BE service. This is due mostly to the fact that I keep getting flights with their old recliner seats. I was on ATL-LIM two weeks ago and ATL-DUB back in the spring. Both flights were 767-300s with recliners. I'd agree that food and service on DL are pretty good, but their older hard product is the pits.
@eponymous coward: I was of the understanding that DL didn't offer one-way awards using AS mileage, and at last check, BE from NA to Europe was 90k. Hardly a value vs. the competition, but am I incorrect - how do you get to 45k to Europe with no one-way award??
After flying in BE on Delta's 777s on multiple occasions, I just flew to LHR on a 767-400 in BE. I like the 767 seat much better than the 777 as I felt too cramped on the 777. When lying down, I felt I had more room to extend on the 767 vs the 777.
@Lucky Was just wondering have you ever listened to the podcast Betty In The Sky With A Suitcase, who is a flight attendant for Delta Airlines (although she's never officially confirmed it) and she has monthly episodes regarding funny stories while working in the air.
As a Delta Diamond, it is finally appreciated to get some love towards Delta. Yes their milage program for redemption may not be the best, but at the end out of 4 international trips I do a year, the rest of my 200K is done domestically. Their service is always great, and their food is definitely one of the best in the industry. You need to use them for Asia, or in the transcontinental route for dinner, as those meals are quite amazing (Caramel Gelato if you get lucky!) I hope you get the tomato Basil Soup in one of your flights as it is quite tasty. Also I feel they have been loyal enough to me this year as I have had to change by tickets probably 10+ this year and I have yet to pay a penalty fee. It is not always easy, but after talking to the right supervisor they have been more than generous.