Review: Delta First Class CRJ-900 San Jose To Los Angeles

I looooooooove that check-in desk. Sounds like I will have to head to the dessert and pick myself up a piece of future coffee table.

So cool they gave you an escort! First time?

The way you are writing makes it seem you traveled alone Nick?

Where do we sign up to be able to text Ben? 😉

I am surprised you'd be surprised that any flight is full these days. Do you pay attention to domestic load factors?

I fly the CRJ-900 a bunch, out of LGA. It's very comfy in First for shorter flights, and the service is usually good - with the drinks or snack basket.

We're all just so used to reading about AA domestically here that it's hard to believe a US carrier has its act together with regional jets.

Haha - well done Nick, glad the travel gods smiled down on you that day. While, when you cut to the chase, it didn't make much of a substantive difference to the transfer at LAX itself, it nonetheless gave you a nice buzz and a little TLC (so it doesn't matter that you still changed terminals using your own two legs). A little unexpected delight goes a long way 🙂

Seriously?
You are "surprised" that you get the VIP treatment?
The airlines know who all the bloggers are, and treat them accordingly (except MatthewLAX!)

my friend also got a VIP transfer at Seattle as a Platinum. Ive never gotten VIP transfers as diamond. Its very random outside of ATL porsche rides for DL 360.

Looks like a nice little lounge! And the check-in table definitely wins!

I have found that SkyWest operated flights in first are usually very professional with great service. SkyWest does a nice job.

I think the escort is a nice "idea", but the true benefit would have been an escort to terminal 2. I'm not sure I need someone to make small talk with on my way to the lounge... maybe I'm just grouchy on a Monday morning.

I wonder if your escort was the same person who does the Porsche transfers? Since it was a Saturday afternoon it's entirely possible they didn't have too many top-tier connecting passengers and so were instead just doing things like you experienced. Too bad they weren't able to use the Porsche to drive you around to T2 post-security though; that would have been a huge value.

So you were in San Jose and did not go to Stan's Donuts for a glazed donut?

Shame, Shame, Shame, ding ding.

@Neil S., to be fair I fly CRJs out of LGA on AA all the time and in F they're pretty decent. DL is a little more diligent with the refills and snacks but for a 1-2 hour flight it doesn't bother me.

It's seriously hard to believe that there's not been some sort of effort on the part of LA World Airports or the airlines operating at LAX to address this whole inter-terminal transfer thing. It was all well and good to have these distinct terminals back in the 60s, when the current terminals were first built, as there weren't all that many connections being made in LA (and even less interline connections), but even the very first, 1956, design for the modern LAX had the terminals connected via a central dome (which was never built, the "Theme Restaurant" being built in its place).

Some sort of transfer provision behind security needs to happen, even if it's busses. I'd actually really like to see a train running across the tops of the terminals in a loop with access airside.

Delta Diamond here,

This is customary practice when transferring to a different airline for their top tier customers still within the alliance/partnership.

Had the same when I swapped to an Aeromexico flight.

Delta does not offer up until few months ago at least car service in Los Angeles because it is prohibited by the airport. That is what I was told by the gentleman who greeted me.

Don't get why you flew LAX-SJC and then back to LAX. Assumed you are traveling on an award-was it some discounted J fare from SJC?

@ Josh G -- See the intro, where Nick explains that he was on a paid ticket ex-SJC:
https://onemileatatime.com/introduction-amsterdam-via-britain-and-indonesia-sort-of/

"...but I was impressed that my flight attendant was fairly attentive throughout, coming by a few times to see if I wanted refills on my Coke Zero, more water, or more snacks."

Hilarious how the USA public is impressed when people do their jobs. On a 40 minute Bangkok Airways flight, you would get meal service AND refills -- even in whY. Now THAT'S impressive. 😉

@jeff: There really is no way they'd have known I guest post for OMAAT, honestly.

@Louis: With due respect, this is how 45 minute regional jet flights have operated in the US for decades now. That's fantastic that in Thailand you get a meal service, but my expectations are very different for such flights in the US and Canada, and Delta met and/or exceeded them. 😛

I suspect you should likely lower your expectations quite downward if you plan on doing much domestic flying in the States, and then work within those expectations, because it's unrealistic to expect (and unprofitable for the airlines to provide) such over-the-top levels of service and catering for very short-hop flights, particularly in a country where overzealous seat-belt sign enforcement means you have maybe 22 minutes to move up and about the cabin.

I said nothing about "expectations." You mentioned being "impressed." I was addressing that.

Unprofitable??? Have you SEEN the report on how much the airlines made off their ridiculous fees???

Then again, I understand you may be too young to remember when we got beluga caviar on AA on a transcon…or movies on MANY flights around 3 hours in length. 😉