For the second segment ofmy Allegris round the world journey, I flew Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 first class on the 3hr25min flight from Minneapolis (MSP) to Vancouver (YVR).
Continue reading: Review: Delta First Class Airbus A319 (MSP-YVR)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Too bad about the meal. If I had to guess, I would say they served a snack since it was after the usual dinner time hours. Though as you said, they could have plated it nicer (unless they were inspired by fellow Skyteam airline KLM on how to serve snacks 😉
I wasn't aware that Vancouver was an exception, but Delta has a whole litany of UNPUBLISHED exceptions to its hot meals policy. It's unacceptable. At the very minimum, it should be disclosed. But it isn't. Basically, Delta is too cheap to pay for catering in the destination airport. Tucson is another example. Most of the Caribbean outside San Juan too. Even though Delta had catering in these airports before the pandemic.
@ Julia -- Just to clarify, this flight departed at 10AM and arrived at 12PM (2PM at the origin airport), so I don't think it was after dinner hours. 🙂
I had the exact same disappointing meal service on a ATL-ABQ at dinner time this May, 2024, including not being able to preselect a meal. They started these in the pandemic and I’d given up hope of them bringing back hot meals and proper plates when leaving smaller cities (like ABQ), but until this spring, departing from a hub on a meal-qualifying flight always meant a hot meal that you could pre-select. I even had a hot meal for a 2pm SLC-STL flight on the same trip, which felt like it could have done without, but a 7pm ATL-ABQ had a box lunch/dinner. I agree that it’s incredibly disappointing for any airline, especially Delta, who prides themselves on being a “premium” product. What a disappointment to get a sack lunch on a first class seat leaving at a meal time and flying over 900 miles. I look forward to those Delta hot meals too, as they’re usually quite tasty.
Hey Ben
Correction
This aircraft isn’t 37” at all 12 seats
It’s 35-37” pitch . Four seats are 35”, 8 are 37”
https://www.delta.com/us/en/aircraft/airbus/a319
Whoops! Brain fart from my end. Yeah then, it does seem strange that there wouldn't be a full breakfast service offered for that time.
I had pretty much the same first class, meal experience on a roughly 3 hour flight from MSP to Dulles but I was on a regional plane so the galley didn’t have the ability to cook meals. In my case, I questioned the choice of plane, not meal, as the former dictated the latter.
Feel like the surgeon situation is a moment where you should have just minded your own business and ignore it because by posting about it, you could affect these two surgeons and one flight attendant’s careers whether it’s right or not.
There's a set of outstations where, for whatever reason, DL hasn't entered into a catering contract since the pandemic. For these stations, both the flight out from the hub and the flight back get snack boxes (except for morning flights where the plane stayed overnight: F gets a choice of shelf-stable snack boxes that are otherwise for sale in Y). The sub-900 mile routes out of SEA that get F meals to compete with AS also get the fresh boxes.
Notable airports in this category include ABQ, IAD, SBA, most of the Caribbean, and all of Canada.
Yeah it's completely unnecessary and detracts from an otherwise objective review. It adds nothing of substance.
Minneapolis is a major hub. And Vancouver is hardly some small-market outstation. It's a major airline with plenty of caters. Two years after the return of full meals in domestic first-class it is wholly inexcusable that Delta not only hasn't actually brought back hot meals, but that it fails to disclose the routes without real meals.
The surgeons will be identifiable to their co-workers and family. This was unnecessarily detailed!
I found the surgeon situation amusing, and see no reason to not have included a story from a public place.
I fly first class all the time domestic and international. The food is the least of my concerns. I roll my eyes every time I hear “expert” reviewers focusing on the brand of wine or the refinement of the food in an airport lounge. This isn’t the 1970s. True airline luxury isn’t spending time in an airport, it’s avoiding it and its hordes of people all together. As for the flights, I want a comfortable seat with good IFE. I don’t bother eating or drinking the coffee due to filthy storage tanks and poor/dirty catering facilities that no one seems to be aware of. If it’s a long international flight, all I (and most other elites I know) expect is a tasty but simple meal. The focus of these reviews is pretty basic and immature.
Delta is a common carrier just like every other US airline. They carry all kinds of people. You see a cross-section of the human race. Presumably, the two surgeons booked after you and couldn't sit together.
as for food, every US airline sets meal windows based on the departure time of the flight with no consideration of the arrival time or the destination city.
@ Tim Dunn -- The point is twofold regarding meals. First of all, on flights of a comparable length at a comparable time, American and United would both serve full meals in first class. Furthermore, American and United both have plated meals in first class on all flights departing hubs, and don't serve anything in a disposable box. This is inferior to the competition.
BigLaw V10 will get lots of work from the "surgeons on a business trip...." part of the story.
Can you imagine how boring this website would be if it was stripped of all anecdotes? Perhaps the surgeons could help you get the stick out of your ass.
AA and UA do have meal time windows that determine what they serve and when. You got a hot, plated breakfast out of MIA at, wait, wait, breakfast time.
Your point of comparison is valid but, as others note, the service given by the flight attendants is far more significant than the food served.
btw, did you happen to note how long the upgrade list was on this flight?
Oh please. Ben just gave a quick anecdote. Half of the country under the age of 30 would have filmed them without permission for TikTok/Instagram views.
If you want complete privacy in 2024, stay home and/or fly private
"the service given by the flight attendants is far more significant than the food served."
Nice deflection there.
not a deflection.
Ben acknowledges that Delta people generally give higher quality and more consistent service than its competitors.
Meal times and windows are pretty readily available.
ALL airlines have windows in which they serve meals and the type of meal depends on the time window.
10 am is not meal time.
Meals and every other service element are based on the departure time for the flight.
Are Delta's meal windows different than American or United's?
perhaps.
Did Delta's meal windows affect Ben's purchase decision? since he said he booked this trip based on cost enroute to a longhaul international flight, it doesn't appear that it does.
Since Delta carries a higher percentage of corporate traffic than any other airline and does serve what Ben calls higher quality meals during the windows when it does serve meals, it doesn't seem that Delta's potentially narrower meal windows matter to the vast majority of customers.
If you have data to prove otherwise, feel free to share with us.
and the food was a snack, not a meal, so of course it wouldn't be plated.
How many times did the FA(s) come through for refills and to offer the snack basket? THAT is what DL consistently does better than its peers.
According to Flyer Talk:
Current exception stations where only cold meal boxes (with no pre-selection) are offered in FC on 900+ mile flights (both to and from station). Market/Bistro snack boxes are served on flights that are AM return flights to hubs from previous evening arrivals (as the cold meal boxes would require refrigeration overnight ):
ABQ, AUA, ASE, BOI, BTV, BZN, COS, EGE, ELP, EYW, GEG, GUA, HDN, JAC, JAX, LIH, MCI, MTJ, NAS, OAK, OMA, PLS, PSC, PSP, PUJ, PVD, PWM, SAL, STT, SXM, TUS, VPS, YYC, YYZ, YUL, YVR
Seen it multiple times specifically on Canada routes and one from ABQ. Incredibly frustrating each time.
We have flown this route in first many times in the last few years and it is always a boxed meal although there is usually a turkey sandwich option which typically goes fast. Our next trip is comfort plus in part because the meal is so unappealing.
@ Tim Dunn -- I think you're missing the main point I'm trying to make. The issue isn't the quantity of food (which was fine), but rather how it was presented. I think we can objectively agree that presenting something in a disposable box isn't classy presentation.
Regarding purchase decisions, see the comment above from Jan:
"Our next trip is comfort plus in part because the meal is so unappealing."
Ben please just acknowledge this is the most Premium offering from any airline ever. We're tired of you equivocating. Thanks so much.
P.S.: Delta is THE Premium airline.
first, I read Jan's comment.
You yourself stated the reasons why you chose to fly Delta and it had nothing to do with food.
The vast majority of customers want some sort of elevated experience and some airlines use food to be part of that equation.
Food is not a significant purchase decision according to repeated research. It is a distinguishing factor between classes of service.
Different airlines have different windows in which they serve.
In summary, Delta has narrower meal windows but, based on your own comments from your MIA-MSP flight and your review 2 years ago of a DL flight from the NE to Florida (I think RSW), has higher quality food served by nicer people that deliver a more consistent level of service.
DL fed you what you said was a decent meal with decent service that included normal breakfast time from MIA.
The lengthy trip reports are interesting but, as others have noted, seeing a comparison of various service elements between the 3 US carriers - and even on somewhat "like" flights.
Forgive me for reducing this once again to business but Delta like American and United and everyone else invests what it needs where it needs; they are acutely aware of what matters to customers and how it affects purchase decisions and ultimately DL's bottom line.
Your experience and judgment is yours and I respect that.
I do wish you had the opportunity to visit the new SkyClub at MSP.
and I do hope you have early plans to visit the Delta One lounge at JFK.
I am guessing the boxed meal in F is a two fold problem.
1. It is highly probable that when refurbished the 319s, and other aircraft, they put in a smaller galley with limited chilled storage capasity for only one flight at a time.
2. While YVR is a large airport, I think after the pandemic airline caterers are trying to be more 'lean' and shed any servicing that is not large or strategic enough to justify the extra work (service wear storage and inventory management, preparing/plating meals, provisioning the aircraft, understanding/meeting airline requirements, cleaning/organizing offloaded items). With what appears to be only two narrow body flights a day on DL that would need provisioning for F, they probably said "thanks but, no thanks".
DL likely could do a regular meal out of the hub and the boxes on the way back, but probably decided not to for whatever reason.
Then why are you here? Most people that read these reviews *are* interested in the mundane and the minutia which is why we are here. If you don't like the content, then don't read it - nobody is forcing you to.
Seriously? Lighten up for gods sake. This was so glaring to you that you needed to jump on here and whip up this comment?
Dunno why so many people get annoyed by poor airline food. It’s always poor, it’s on a plane and prepared many hours earlier. Accept it.
It’s just served to waste some time as you sit bored in a seat and wait for the flying machine to return to earth.
I here because I like to read about new routes, premium products, planes, airline/airport news and I enjoy Ben's luxury hotel reviews. I am also considering his partner for booking travel with Virtuoso. My opinion is just as valid as yours and I couldn't care less about what he or other reviewers think of their airplane lunch on a 3 hour domestic flight (I'm not alone).
Yeah. I don't know why anyone would buy first on this route. I'd take bulkhead aisle in comfort plus and maybe even buy the middle seat if the price was right.
That's an exceptional number of routes, none of which are disclosed by Delta publicly.
Some airlines offer better food than others. Delta is probably the best of the Big 3 US airlines, and have decent meals on domestic flights. Which makes what was served on this route disappointing.
It is deflection.
You mention that American and United do the same thing.
Lucky counters with no, on similar length routes, they serve a real meal, not a boxed meal.
Then you try to switch it from "AA and UA serve real meals" to "It's about the service!" basically, trying to steer the conversation away to something else. Because heaven forbid if AA or UA do something better than DL...
"10 am is not meal time."
Say who?
Imagine booking business all the way to Aruba from JFK or BOS, a 5 hour international journey, and only getting that box. Hardly "premium"
ORD-DC9 I just don’t see it. MSP is a hub and if they can round trip cater a flight they can do it properly. AA round-trip caters all their flights to MCI and all daytime turn flights ex-PHX get a hot meal in both directions on aircraft with ovens; the route is typically served by 738/319/320. I don’t know why DL would settle for providing an inconsistent experience across their network.
You personally don’t care about food on a plane so therefore even discussing it at all in an actual review is “immature”. Very juvenile.
It's called the Sad Box, we have been dealing with this since Covid. Delta hasn't contracted catering in those stations, and thus we get the Sad Box. This is a pure money grab!
by Ben's own assessment, DL serves higher quality meals when they do serve meals - but DL doesn't serve meals as often.
On balance, I can assure you that a very, very few number of people buy a domestic ticket for food.
go back and read why Ben said he bought DL from MIA-MSP-YVR in the first place. Food had nothing to do with it.
I understand for some people, these reviews are aspirational. That’s great. However, it shows a lack of maturity and actual traveler insight for an “expert” to focus on such trivial shiny objects like wine brands and not more useful/insightful travel/airline information. I appreciate this site and read it for the general travel industry info/updates but it’s pretty clear from the reviews that Ben’s knowledge of the travel industry is actually pretty basic.
I worked decades in the travel industry, managing and consulting five star hotels with Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt, etc. I’ve managed air operations for 2 major US airlines, 2 luxury cruise lines and private/global concierge companies. I actually do know what I’m talking about and can spot a free travel thirsty pretender a mile away. Good for him for building a brand and following for himself, though.
@L-1011Lover - Don’t waste your time. Premier Flyer is the absolute definition of holier than thou TRASH. The exact same type that will tell you we don’t need law enforcement and to defund them. Then they’re the first to call police the second a minority is walking around their property.
As though Premier Trash couldn’t prove my point any clearer you now have that last post from them. Jesus what a miserable person they are. Such a thirsty pretender!
I’m guessing this would have been return catered, it sure isn’t first class , well, American first class is what the rest of the world would call business or premium economy and at least you ended up with actual glassware
"On balance, I can assure you that a very, very few number of people buy a domestic ticket for food."
Again, you are deflecting/making excuses for DL, as per usual. Whether or not they offer better service is irrelevant to the point Ben and others were making regarding the food served on this route in comparison to what the competition offers on routes of similar lengths departing from hubs.
I have a feeling Premium Flyer's politics lean more to the right than to the left...he is fantastico, after all lol
And yet San Juan has catering. Delta used to have catering in Aruba. It was actually one of the better catering stations. You used to get red snapper from the Caribbean!
Tim, this style of catering on DL has absolutely NOTHING to do with "meal windows".
There are certain stations where DL refuses to enter into catering agreements. My home base of TUS is one such station. ALL meals to/from these stations are boxed, cold meals. A 3.5 hour dinner flight ATL to TUS will be your choice of that chicken grain bowl or a turkey croissant. The same choice as a few days earlier TUS-ATL on a lunch time flight. It gets old. Fast.
I've heard that such stations have always been double catered out of the hub but such catering (when windows dictated such) could be trayed, hot meals both directions (except overnights where the breakfast on return needs to be shelf stable). When covid hit then stared subsiding, all flights had boxed meals. As catered stations (the hubs) started getting hot meals again, the non-catered stations remained with boxed meals. At this point in time it seems as if DL does not plan to return to (double catered) hot meals.
The worst was when my TUS-ATL 1pm-ish flight returned to the gate with a mechanical. We were eventually told the new departure time would be 7am the next day. To DL's credit, we indeed did push again at about 7:02am. Same plane, same crew. Inflight, as I inquired when the breakfast box would be served, I learned we had the same catering (thus no edible meals). I was shocked that DL doesn't even have an agreement for one-off situations like this. Premium airline indeed.
I can't speak for UA, but AA also has double catered flights.
Per the meal times & windows, they will be normal meals (again, with the obvious exception for overnight returns).
Contrary to what you (and some others) will insist, some people DO care about this. I hate arriving at the hub with a quick connection to a snack only flight then arriving at destination near mid-night with everything closed. And the only food since breakfast being being the small grain bowl I had hours ago. I "want First, so Pay for First" and expect as little more. Actually started driving to PHX more often to have meals (and a wonderful SkyClub) but that also gets old. So I started flying AA more often and with the exception of no IFE and mean Gate Agts, I've been pleasantly surprised.
It seems like it will be the trend soon for domestic first class with boxed meals.
I exclusively book domestic and transborder first and I avoid Delta because their meals are inferior. All of my important clients and associates agree with me that American and United simply offer better dining than Delta. Fortunately we never have to go to Minneapolis, Salt Lake, or Detroit because we're not small town simpletons. I pity people who have to fly Delta. Their meal service is objectively inferior to American and United.
American has catering in some of those international stations. Gua, Sal. The catering companies are there, they just decide not to get catered there.
That's not true. Delta has the worst food of the US3, and it isn't even close.
That's definitely weird. As a DL Diamond and AA EXP, I find Delta is more stingy about serving meals on flights, but that they're generally better meals, especially the pre-order limited selections. They're tastier and healthier than AA's meals or my limited experience with UA meals. I had a salmon poke bowl last week that I'd order any time. However, AA does win in one way by having the warm nuts.
I've only had the boxed meal on flights operated by regional carriers, not mainline DL flights. But I don't have data on flights to Canada as I generally get stuck on AC going to Canada flying out of DC. And that's always a miserable experience.
Also, Ben, those snacks were from the Comfort+ snack basket. The FAs will usually bring the remaining snacks to First after they run the basket through comfort+. Although lately I've seen it come through F first, making me wonder if comfort + is getting the snack basket at all!