Both Delta and Qatar Airways introduced business class suites with doors last year. I had flown Qatar Airways Qsuites just weeks before this trip and was blown away by the experience, and was wondering how the new Delta One Suites compared. I boarded through door L1, and then turned right into the business class cabin…
Continue reading: Review: Delta One Suites A350 Detroit To Beijing
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Hey Lucky, the WiFi issue is due to the polar routing of the flight. Most communication satellites utilized are in a geostationary orbit so they move with the spin of the earth and cover a large part of land without ever appearing to move over head. This usually means telecommunications companies don’t typically invest in launching satellites to cover polar regions as there’s not a lot of people there to utilize them. That’s why your coverage resumed as you got further south towards land. I really do wish Airlines who utilize polar routes would make this obvious to flyers.
Lucky, thanks for the fair DL review (even though I disagree with you on the finishes, but that comes down to a personal preference). I'm flying in the same seat DTW:AMS next week and expect a similar experience sans mid-flight meal before connecting on with KLM. In my experience the DL international cabin crews coming out of DTW and MSP still have a lot of legacy NW team members and are consistently less friendly and helpful than those coming out of ATL, SLC, SEA, and even JFK.
Random question: did they proactively offer you or have on the beverage cart the Lanson Champs in flight? In my experience they keep it in the galley and make you request it including refills. My suspicion is that this is part of the program because the Lanson retails for 2-3x what the other wines on offer run.
@ Mitch Cumstein -- They don't. But if you're in the center seats you'll be sitting fairly close to your companion.
@ Rob -- Thanks for the heads up. In the past I've certainly had issues with wifi on Polar routings, though I find in the past it has mostly been an issue when going really far North, while I was surprised by how quickly the wifi cut out here. But you're right, I do wish they'd make it more clear where there is and isn't coverage.
@ DLPTATL -- Funny you mention that, as I noticed that and thought it was odd. They did indeed keep it in the galley, and had to run to get it. I'm guessing that's to limit consumption, as you note.
Although it's nice to have air nozzles, it's important to note that due to the lack of overhead bins, the center bins do not have air nozzles. Temperature sensitive travelers need to avoid these seats.
What would make the bedding better? I love that blanket and the pillows are comfy.
@ Neil S. -- A mattress pad of some sort would be nice, and personally I found the bedding to not be very soft/new-feeling. That's probably due to how many wash cycles it has been through. Don't get me wrong, the bedding isn't bad, it's just that I feel like Delta used to be the best among the "big three" when it came to bedding, while now I think United is better, and American has caught up as well.
@ Tommy Trash -- Yep, they do indeed plan on reconfiguring the 777s:
https://onemileatatime.com/delta-777-changes/
The shoulder harness is required based on crash test results with head injury. The reason that you see them on some airlines vs others with similar seats is due to the customization aspects of the seat and also the angle they are installed. I dealt with this while working at an airline recently and actually had to go back and add shoulder harnesses to the business class seats after failing numerous crash tests.
Just to add on to what Mark said, some airlines only have harnesses on certain seats. Basically, they're tested at 16 Gs and depending on the angle of the seats or what is in front to cushion possible impacts, they might need harnesses. I know this was an issue with OZ when they had the crash at SFO -- while the seats held up, all the force was concentrated where the lap belts are. Passengers seated with harnesses weren't injured to the same extent.
Fun reading in 14 CFR 25.785 if you care for the details.
Delta's also had issues with GoGo not installing the WiFi properly. The radomes they initially installed weren't de-ice proof, causing a whole bunch of connectivity issues.
did you or tiffany try the espresso and/or notice what the asterisk stipulated?
1. I wouldn't say that pajamas are offered on "select" long-haul flights when Delta only offers them on flights to China and Australia.
2. You know that Delta is going to take your statement that its amenity kit is "industry-leading" out of context by claiming its Delta One business-class is "industry-leading." They've done this with other people's reviews and ratings. The same for when at the end you wrote that Delta has "ONE of the world’s best business class seats." I'm sure they will claim they are now "the world's best business class seats."
3. Not only are the lavatories smaller, but Delta's A350 has significantly fewer lavatories per passenger than the 747 or 777. Delta's A350 also has fewer lavatories than other airlines with the A350.
I believe part of the reason for the shoulder harnesses is that certification rules for seats with a lot of space in front of them have gotten stricter recently, so seats that were certified before the new rules can get away without the shoulder straps, but they're likely to become increasingly common on any new seats introduced going forward. Airlines can either use shoulder straps or the airbag-style seat belt (like what Virgin Atlantic has for example). And the rules are getting tougher even in coach -- I know some of JetBlue's newest planes have airbag seat belts in coach at seats with a lot of room in front of them.
Personally I prefer the shoulder harness for any seat that reclines into a bed using the same seat belt, since the airbag seat belt would be very clunky in bed mode -- on Virgin the bed flips over so there's a different bed seat belt.
Also I totally agree on the headphones. I really can't imagine what they were thinking with this partnership and making such a big deal out of it, because the sound quality of these headphones is complete garbage. I think the crappy old non-branded headphones they used to have might have been better.
And it's not like Delta couldn't have found this out before or ordered a cheap version of the product -- I have a LSTN speaker at home that I got for free during a promotion and it's also terrible. I think all of their products have the same problem.
It's really pathetic when you have to say "So for a US airline this was pretty good, but I was hoping for better."
People should really hold US airlines to a higher standard.
@Cedric personally I am in love with AA as my last J class flight from LHR to DWF was awesome in all aspects. But praising an airline based on nationalist wouldn’t create competition and this has disastrous results because airlines don’t feel any urge to compete with overseas carriers and this led to make Asian airlines the best in the world. Give a look at Skytrax and see the ratings. Alitalia my national carrier is a 3* (and I think they also have been quite generous). Airlines should feeel the pressure and understand that loyalty is not given for granted.
"In my experience the DL international cabin crews coming out of DTW and MSP still have a lot of legacy NW team members and are consistently less friendly and helpful than those coming out of ATL, SLC, SEA, and even JFK."
LOL. I've had some dreadful ATL crews. I would suspect quite a few SEA-based folks are legacy NW, btw, since DL didn't have much of an operation there.
I'm flying DL in C ATL-EZE later this year on a 767. Can I expect basically the same amenities (including the headphones) but just a different seat?
Lucky,
I love your site and your reports! One thing, any chance you could add a link to your homepage to the top of the screen (Next to the "Start here" "best credit cards" Trip reports" ect..) ? The only way to get back to your homepage after reading an article is to scroll all the way back up (in Chrome at least). Not a huge deal.. Just makes it easier to navigate your great site. Thanks! P.S. Loved the nice comments about the Detroit Airport- We love our Main terminal here 🙂
I second what Grant said about the homepage link. So much scrolling to get back up to the top.. (to get back to the home page, to read another article).
I think it would be helpful if you created a matrix to review both the hard and soft product.
It's difficult to weigh comments such as, "I feel like they didn’t spend enough time testing the seat in a way that would be useful to someone actually on a plane, including how difficult the suite door is to open, how difficult it is to push the seat controls, the lack of flat surfaces to store things, and more" against "I rank this as one of the world’s best business class seats."
A hard product likely boils down to (in no particular order) privacy, aisle access, storage, bed comfort, seat comfort, entertainment / wifi. There's items like air nozzles / cabin temp which can likely be dumped into one of the above categories. For an example, see Doug DeMuro's Doug score on cars he reviews on YouTube. Find a few categories that you and your readers find important and compare products across those categories.
@D3KingAmerican
You can take a look at this:
https://onemileatatime.com/best-plane-787-a350/
Tirmenat : agree.
I'm not that old, and I can remember Prague being behind the Iron Curtain with American visitors being spied upon, forget about being swarmed with American tourists. And Communist China being the most Forbidden of all destinations, pun intended. So to read a review of a routine flight to China, pulling up along another American airliner on a routine flight, I still find remarkable, even though I'm well aware of the extensive travel now between the two countries.
Remember, the spread of capitalism - the spread of wealth and growth in living standards - is a slow running river that carves a canyon. So I'm happy to read stuff like this hoping that we erode the rule of a corrupt government over time.
@Lucky:
Even though you were eventually able to use the internet, I'd still request a refund from Delta, if you haven't already. Both from Gogo's own blog as well as the satellite operator's website, the SES-15 satellite used for Gogo 2Ku should cover all of the continental US and the vast, vast majority of Canada providing uninterrupted service throughout North America. While @Rob is correct about geostationary orbits and lack of service on polar routes, you shouldn't have encountered any connectivity problems until you were nearly leaving Canada's provinces of Nunavut and Northwest Territories - at least a couple of hours into your flight. Additionally, you shouldn't be redirected to the Gogo/Delta splash page requiring you to purchase another pass. This sounds like a hardware/software problem on the plane as a result of the drop in initial connectivity. Plus, Delta needs to be more forthcoming about the inherent limitations of satellite footprints and beam coverage if they're selling a pass for an entire flight even though the plane will be outside the footprint for half or most of it.
Great review, looked like a nice experience! I just flew United in business to Beijing last week and had a great flight. One thing that Delta appears to offer that United doesn't is a lunch arrival snack, while United typically serves breakfast on their Asian arrivals. @Lucky do you know if that's the case for all Asian routes Delta flights?
Nice report about this much talked about DL One Suite..I find it an extensive report and would not bother to try it as I will be fly SK and QF this year and I believe they are the same seat only without a door. I like the amenity kit and pyjama most, sad no matress pad, terrible headphone..had you have a great sleep..the space seems narrow..
The SAS Business version of Vantage XL has shoulder belts, but they are not required in cruise and you can detach the shoulder belt from the lap belt. Not sure what the policy is with Delta.
How on earth did you get that flight for $2,000????? The A350 D1 is usually around $9,000 on a GOOD sale!
I think you may have gotten a wonky seat. When I flew the D1 suite DTW to NRT, I had no problems with the seat controls or the door. The door glided open smoothly, and closed without needing much force. I also didn't notice much of a gap - maybe 1 cm. I was in a middle seat, if that makes a difference.
I completely agree with you on the design, however; they could have utilized the space much better and included more storage (there was lots of "dead" space). Maybe they prioritized form over function (and missed both). Having said that, the pictures make it seem smaller than it is - it's actually quite spacious, and I would choose it over any other business class seat from the domestic 3.
Oh, and those LSTN headphones are garbage - mine buzzed the whole flight. They seem like the old unbranded headphones with some tacky wood grain stickers on the sides.
I really don't understand the mentality of serving champagne in plastic cups. For the whole business cabin, they might be carrying 40/50 more champagne glass and it makes a lot more class than serving drinks in plastic cups?
The food looks great and the doors on the 'suites" are a nice touch. Great review btw. I flew yesterday FRA-EWR on UA's 773 and I have to say I love the Polaris cabin which IMHO seems much nicer in design and cabin colors - Delta One seems very bland
Complain about the Wi-Fi is ridiculous. Delta has no control over that service that is provided by a third party. Agree on the rest but you should compare Delta with United and AA. You cannot compare any US airline with an international because there is no comparison.
I'm sorry, but that menu screams out for comment.
First, the so-called "Chinese" menu is appalling. The first starter appears to have some vaguely Chinese-ish elements to it, though it falls down on the Brussel (sic) sprouts and the cherry tomatoes. These ingredients are totally foreign to Chinese cooking. And I'm doubtful about the grilled pear, the asparagus and the Michigan cherries. Which region of China is Michigan in again? (And bloody learn to spell Brussels sprouts, Delta!)
The salad is completely disgusting to Chinese tastes. Vegetables should be eaten cooked, and the thought of goat cheese would make them retch. (Personally, I think the salad would be lovely, but I'm trying to speak from a Chinese perspective here.)
And the soup is totally Western. Again, maybe a perfectly fine soup, but to describe it as Chinese is absurd. (Yes, I do notice that the same salad and soup are also on the Western starters as well. Point and match.)
Salmon is not well known in Chinese cuisine, though the black bean sauce and steamed rice are reasonable.
If Delta wants to offer a Chinese menu, they should offer things that Chinese people actually recognize as food. Frankly, with this menu they might as well offer pizza as Chinese food.
Then let's turn to the wine menu. No full-bodied red on offer is a bit of a problem, but the GSM might be lovely. But what's the deal with the indication of the pronunciation of Gigondas "(jhee-gone-DAHS)"? Is this because they think their clientele are such Philistines that they need a hint on this one word (and why only this one)? And why not give a hint on Rioja (REE-owe-jaw)? Really, Delta? Do you normally insult the intelligence of your business class passengers? Do you think that's a good marketing strategy?
And under the rubric of spirits we have something called "Single Malt Scotch Whisky". OK, which one? Is there a region there, Highland, Lowland, Speyside ...? Any hints at all? What should I expect if ordering this? There's a bit of a range here.
This is not a well thought through menu. Not at all.
@YULtide ..... uhhhh, you do understand that both Rioja and a GSM from the Rhône are full bodied wines? Hmmmmm, maybe you don’t. You do understand that many people, from many different cultures, don’t actually know how to pronounce those words? Hmmmm, maybe you don’t.
Yawn, your complaints are silly. And uninformed. But you sure sound snooty.
I agree with Grant, I usually just go back to my email to start another report.
Yes, I do. Does Delta? Read the menu. The GSM is labelled "Medium Body" and the Rioja is labelled "Light Body". Given that they are using a sommelier to select and describe the wines, one has to wonder what is going on here.
And, yes, I get that people from different cultures don't know how to pronounce words from other languages. I have the same problem with unfamiliar languages. Danish is beyond me. But, honestly, there is no obvious reason that this one (and only this one) word has been treated as needing a pronunciation gloss out of all the various words in the menu. Why not "porcini"? And where should it stop? It sticks out like a sore thumb.
Wifi on my Delta flight worked all the way across the pacific from Sydney to LA. It was great, Snapchat and videos on fb all loaded fast! That was the older Ku on the 77L too.
Ya - SYD to LAX is not trans-polar so why do you suspect that the wi-fi worked?
Very thorough report. The most dismal aspect of US carriers premium cabins these days is the ludicrous spirits selection - there is absolutely nothing premium about it (Tennessee Honey Whisky? Really??).
I flew Delta One, twice in last 12 months. Not on the A350. But both times we had mattress pads. The bundle of bedding was quite large and took up a lot of space. I actually was impressed with Delta's bedding. I slept quite well in Delta One.
@Lucky I've flown the Delta A350 and my door worked just fine. It just must've been a problem with your door and you got unlucky.
@geoff No the A350 has better seats than the A330 🙂 I've flown both. A350>A330
Please address the pajamas.
Where and how did you change?
What did you do with your clothes and wallet/valuables?
How/where/WHEN did you change back?
Do you keep the pajamas or give them back?
Are there different sizes?
Men's and women's??
Thank you!