In the spirit of positive reinforcement, in this post I wanted to share the things that I think Delta Air Lines does well. In separate posts, I’m taking an updated look at the things that American Airlines and United Airlines do well, as well as my least favorite things about the “big three” US carriers.
Delta is often regarded as being the best of the “big three” US carriers. I think the airline has lost a bit of its edge since the pandemic, though the airline still has some significant competitive advantages. In no particular order, below are eight things I like about Delta Air Lines…
In this post:
Free, high speed Wi-Fi
Delta is probably the most improved airline when it comes to inflight Wi-Fi in recent years. The airline has aggressively been retrofitting its fleet with high speed connectivity, and has also been introducing free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members.
This is already available on a majority of Delta’s fleet, and by 2025, Delta’s entire fleet should feature free Wi-Fi. That’s a fantastic development, since Delta is way ahead of American and United on that front (though all three airlines trail JetBlue, which has been offering free Wi-Fi to everyone for years).
People, service, and profit sharing
One of the things that most sets Delta apart from other airlines is the people. The employees at Delta are simply more invested in the success of the company than at American and United. Period.
Sure, there are of course some good employees at other airlines and some bad apples at Delta, but Delta employees are consistently the most professional and grateful for their customers. Delta employees view customers as the reason they have a paycheck, rather than as an inconvenience.
This comes down to a couple of factors. For one, Delta has a very clear vision for what it wants to be, and that makes it easy for employees to buy into that vision. Furthermore, Delta has by far the biggest profit sharing of any US airline, and that means employees profit off of the success of the company.
In fairness, I think Delta’s competitive advantage when it comes to service has decreased, even if it is still noticeable. That’s because we saw so much turnover during the pandemic, and a large percentage of Delta employees are new.
Seat back televisions on most planes
Among the “big three” US carriers, Delta is in a league of its own when it comes to the number of aircraft with seat back televisions. The airline offers this throughout a vast majority of its fleet, and it’s an amenity that passengers really appreciate.
To look at the competitive landscape, American has gone exactly the opposite direction, and has removed TVs from most narrow body planes. Meanwhile United is following Delta’s lead, but it will take a considerable time until the airline has caught up.
While Delta’s narrow body fleet is largely outdated, you wouldn’t know it based on the interiors of the jets, as they’re largely quite modern. Compare that to American, which has the newest narrow body fleet of the “big three” US carriers, but the cabins aren’t much to get excited about.
20-minute bag guarantee
For those of us who sometimes check bags, Delta’s 20-minute bag guarantee is awesome. Delta guarantees your bags will arrive at baggage claim within 20 minutes of your flight’s arrival, or you get 2,500 bonus SkyMiles.
I’ve found bags with Delta consistently arrive a lot faster than bags with American and United. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve waited for 45 minutes at American’s baggage claim in Miami…
Counting award tickets toward status
Delta was the first of the “big three” US airlines to count flying on award tickets toward status. Nowadays you can earn Delta SkyMiles Medallion status exclusively based on the number of Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) you rack up, and you earn one MQD for every 100 SkyMiles redeemed on Delta (in other words, that values each mile at a cent).
Many frequent flyers on the status hamster wheel end up not redeeming miles because they feel they need to pay for flights to keep earning status, so this takes some of the sting out of redeeming. I wish this were a consistent perk across programs.
Pricing tickets well
In my experience, Delta does a good job at pricing its various cabins and products. Delta generally has higher revenue per available seat mile than American and United. This can partly be attributed to the markets the airline serves, and partly to the airline just pricing tickets better than the competition.
This isn’t necessarily good news for upgrades, but Delta sells a very high percentage of its premium seats. When I am looking at fares on Delta, I generally find the price difference between Basic, Main, Comfort+, and First, to be reasonable. Meanwhile sometimes at other airlines, that’s most definitely not the case.
Delta Sky Club®, sort of
Delta Sky Club can be a bit controversial, and even if I don’t personally love them, I appreciate Delta’s hustle.
Delta Sky Club® are superior in quality to American Admirals Clubs and United Clubs, in terms of food and drinks, and largely also in terms of design. There are so many ways to access Sky Clubs, and I think that’s part of what makes some people pay a premium to fly with Delta. The catch is that due to the number of ways to access these lounges, crowding is a serious issue, and it’s common for there to be a line to get into lounges.
Personally I don’t use Sky Clubs often, since I value a quiet place to sit over an area to knock back drinks and chow down, so I’d rather sit in the gate area than most Sky Clubs. However, I appreciate what Delta goes for with its Sky Clubs — the airline offers high quality lounges that are heavily utilized.
Later this year, we’re supposed to see the opening of Delta One Lounges, and I can’t wait to see what those are like, and how they compare to American Flagship Lounges and United Polaris Lounges.
A clear vision of being premium
On balance, I’d say flying with Delta is a bit more pleasant than flying with American and United. The thing is, while the airline may be a bit better, it’ll never be as good as the company’s executives think (or say) it is. However, I think that hubris largely works to Delta’s advantage.
Let’s be honest, for the most part, the US airline industry isn’t very aspirational, and most people don’t have positive thoughts when they hear an airline brought up. But Delta executives always talk about how premium the airline is, and I think along with some aspects of the Delta experience, they’ve been able to convince the public more broadly that Delta is superior.
There’s power to that. That’s what gets people spending on Delta credit cards, wanting Sky Club access, etc. I think Delta also does a good job considering that overall vision with its product investments, as Delta pretty consistently leads when it comes to soft product as well (hard product is a different story).
Bottom line
Delta Air Lines has a lot of things going for it, from great people and service, to seat back entertainment and free Wi-Fi. If you’re a frequent domestic flyer and are just looking for the most consistently good airline, Delta is probably it. Of course Delta isn’t perfect, and also has quite a few weaknesses, which I’ll talk about in a separate post.
I’m curious to hear what OMAAT readers think — what do you think Delta Air Lines does well?
I was a client of PanAM and after American for more than 27 years, I lived in the Washington DC metropolitan area my trips were more international than domestic, DCA, IAD and BWI so I became a million miles and gold life menber, but when I retired, I moved to Atlanta and for convenience I started using Delta, I am very happy for the convenience of having direct flights to South America and Europe, now...
I was a client of PanAM and after American for more than 27 years, I lived in the Washington DC metropolitan area my trips were more international than domestic, DCA, IAD and BWI so I became a million miles and gold life menber, but when I retired, I moved to Atlanta and for convenience I started using Delta, I am very happy for the convenience of having direct flights to South America and Europe, now I only travel 4 or 6 times a year, but before in Washington I always had to make one or two stops before my final destination.
Regarding the Delta service, I am happy that I have only flown with Delta for six years. I really appreciate your input. I have been receiving your comments for two years, which I find very positive. I appreciate your objectivity and the clear way of presenting your reviews. Thank you very much and continue the good work.
Sincerely,
Roberto
Why is Tim Dunn such a loser?
Oh, I win day in and day out - at the debates that you and others are incapable of having.
So you resort to personal attacks.
None of which changes that Delta is simply the best run airline and business in the US right now.
Anything can change at any time but it is pure hope by some that sees Delta falling off its well-earned pedestal anytime soon.
With further expansion of...
Oh, I win day in and day out - at the debates that you and others are incapable of having.
So you resort to personal attacks.
None of which changes that Delta is simply the best run airline and business in the US right now.
Anything can change at any time but it is pure hope by some that sees Delta falling off its well-earned pedestal anytime soon.
With further expansion of war in the Middle East possibly happening this weekend, let's see not only what is being discussed next weekend but what the next round of airline strategies will entail.
You're the only one who thinks you 'win" in these arguments, most of which don't even have a wonner or a loser. It's sad to see.
given that people turn the discussion into a discussion of me, I do win. All anyone has to do is say what they have to say and let others do the same.
The reason why I win is because I am able to dominate the discussion and everyone knows it.
Winning the Internet!
I would add the million miler program on here. Yes, the benefits are not as good as United, but they are better than AA. And it is much easier to earn compared to United or AA. Miles flown on award tickets count, as do partner flights. The million miler gifts were a nice touch, and the new upgrade priority for MM is noticeable.
Given that WN JUST announced that they are now expecting to receive only 20 new MAX aircraft this year, DL made a very wise choice over a decade ago to almost exclusively source its mainline jets from Airbus.
AA has long split orders between Airbus and Boeing but Delta managed to pivot to Airbus in time to avoid the endless and repeated groundings and delays for the 787 and MAX.
DL's decision to...
Given that WN JUST announced that they are now expecting to receive only 20 new MAX aircraft this year, DL made a very wise choice over a decade ago to almost exclusively source its mainline jets from Airbus.
AA has long split orders between Airbus and Boeing but Delta managed to pivot to Airbus in time to avoid the endless and repeated groundings and delays for the 787 and MAX.
DL's decision to buy a bunch of late production run 737-900ERs and then follow up with a large purchase of used 737-900ERs during the pandemic has allowed DL to keep growing when other airlines cannot. The same can be said about the A350-900 purchase from Latam.
Both fleets will be reconfigured but the ability to keep growing and do so cheaply has been a brilliant stroke by Delta even w/ the short term product inconsistency.
UA is certain to now tell us that its growth will be even less than it expected due to far lower MAX deliveries.
Dependence on Boeing has been very costly for a number of airlines including most of DL's largest competitors.
What a characteristically ignorant thing to say about delta when they have 100 Max10s on order and now has 163 737-900ERs in the fleet. Many/most delivered within the last ten years after the order for 100 in 2011, topped up in 2017, and delta then sourced used ones from Lion Air since they liked the plane so much.
Sorry buddy. Delta has been ordering from Boeing whenever they can to include wanting the 7e7.
only you can misconstrue a factual statement into rubbish.
I SAID that Delta has avoided Boeing during the worst of its 787 and MAX messes.
Delta was one of the few airlines that had most favored nation pricing with Boeing - which was ruled illegal.
Delta HAS BEEN a very loyal Boeing customer and wanted DL to build the 7E7 but because that didn't happen, DL has relied on older generation aircraft as...
only you can misconstrue a factual statement into rubbish.
I SAID that Delta has avoided Boeing during the worst of its 787 and MAX messes.
Delta was one of the few airlines that had most favored nation pricing with Boeing - which was ruled illegal.
Delta HAS BEEN a very loyal Boeing customer and wanted DL to build the 7E7 but because that didn't happen, DL has relied on older generation aircraft as well as re-engined versions of those models rather than commit to all new aircraft.
The A220 and A350 are both all-new aircraft which have performed well for Delta which is unique among US airlines in embracing them.
DL still believes in Boeing and wants the MAX but is far less dependent on Boeing than WN or UA or even AA. Like AA, DL has a diversified order book and is not dependent enough on Boeing to not execute its strategic plans. and Delta still has dozens of Airbus options which I am sure they will exercise to offset Boeing delays.
WN and UA simply are in a world of hurt strategically and do not have the ability - at least not yet - to replace the capacity that Boeing cannot produce.
Read and respond to what is written, not what you want to argue about.
“Read and respond to what is written, not what you want to argue about.”
Pot, meet kettle. Or Tim.
People can read what you wrote, Timmy. Delta has not made any decisions whatsoever to almost or nearly source mainline planes exclusively from airbus.
No need to run away so quickly from what you just wrote when it’s in black and white
the inability to read and understand basic facts is beyond breathtaking, Max.
Delta has bought HUNDREDS of Airbus aircraft over the past decade and precisely 130 737-900ERs as well as 3 dozen used copies of the same jet.
The 739ER order was really a conversion of the cxld NW 787 order while DL has ordered from EVERY Airbus family including the only airline in the world that has orders and has taken delivery...
the inability to read and understand basic facts is beyond breathtaking, Max.
Delta has bought HUNDREDS of Airbus aircraft over the past decade and precisely 130 737-900ERs as well as 3 dozen used copies of the same jet.
The 739ER order was really a conversion of the cxld NW 787 order while DL has ordered from EVERY Airbus family including the only airline in the world that has orders and has taken delivery of planes from ALL FOUR Airbus passenger models.
The inability to comprehend the truth - because you are wedded to a narrative which exists only in your mind - is beyond stunning.
DL managed its fleet plan extraordinarily well and continues to do so.
Meanwhile WN and UA will see their growth plans dramatically reduced.
That is a fact.
Learn to read Timmy.
Nobody said delta hasn’t ordered from airbus. Delta has clearly gone after fleets no one else wanted like the 330neo or the a220 at the time delta got a good deal. While also with common orders at the end of the line like the a321ceo (following AA’s lead) and the Neo. With the a220, The plane was on death’s door and delta got a good deal.
But that had nothing...
Learn to read Timmy.
Nobody said delta hasn’t ordered from airbus. Delta has clearly gone after fleets no one else wanted like the 330neo or the a220 at the time delta got a good deal. While also with common orders at the end of the line like the a321ceo (following AA’s lead) and the Neo. With the a220, The plane was on death’s door and delta got a good deal.
But that had nothing to do with avoiding Boeing as delta has done with more than 200+ Boeing orders precisely during the time you’re trying to say delta is avoiding Boeing orders.
They aren’t, buddy.
You can save your insults. You’re doing your normal thing when you’re wrong: just insult insult insult. Just admit you’re wrong. You are.
Max,
if you find it insulting for someone to point out that your reply was illogical and factually incorrect to my original post on this topic.
Delta simply HAS NOT ordered from Boeing when it could. It ordered exclusively from Airbus for more than a decade other than for the 737-900ER order which was directly related to the cxld NW 787 order.
Airbus offered better terms - including getting engine MRO rights which...
Max,
if you find it insulting for someone to point out that your reply was illogical and factually incorrect to my original post on this topic.
Delta simply HAS NOT ordered from Boeing when it could. It ordered exclusively from Airbus for more than a decade other than for the 737-900ER order which was directly related to the cxld NW 787 order.
Airbus offered better terms - including getting engine MRO rights which Boeing and GE could not or would not do - and every one of the Airbus models is more capable in their current most advanced form than the competition.
The A220 was ordered from Bombardier which could not commercialize it but it is the most advanced narrowbody in the skies. It is far more economical than comparably sized original Airbus or Boeing products. crapping on the A220 because Airbus can't build more of them doesn't make it an inferior product.
The A321 is now the best selling model ever. As with the 737-900ER, Delta saw the value in buying end of production like CEOs and then following it with NEOs.
The A330NEO is a low acquisition cost aircraft that has very similar economics to the 787-9 for flights under 12-13 hours which is almost exclusively how Delta uses it. Again, if Delta can find products that do what Delta needs, it simply does not matter how well those planes do commercially.
Delta waited longer than AA or UA to commit to an all-new widebody and went with the A350. DL will now have the most capable and efficient widebody in the US carrier fleet with the arrival of the first of its 16 latest build A350-900s to be followed by at least 20 -1000s.
As much as you want to argue otherwise, Delta HAS avoided all of the drama with Boeing, has grown and will continue to grow, and did not build unrealistic and unachievable growth plans that were heavily centered around Boeing.
And Delta does want the MAX but can wait just like UA will have to do and AA is willing to do.
And Delta does want an all-new aircraft which Airbus is working on. Boeing will likely miss the whole next generation of aircraft unless it extricates itself very quickly from its current mess and clears its backlog.
And the Japanese could very well take the lead in aircraft development; they have the money and technological know-how - they have been a close Boeing partner for years. and they are friendly to the US. The relationship between Boeing and the Japanese might switch with the next generation of aircraft.
and Delta will order the next generation of aircraft from a proven company and, until that happens, Delta will find drive the best deals on aircraft and figure out how to use its fleet better than any of its competitors.
those are facts no matter whether you accept them or not.
So true Tim! Delta numbah one!!!
Why stop at 8? Delta does EVERYTHING PERFECTLY!
You all should be crying tears of joy that you get to witness such perfection!
Very little premium about Delta's narrowbody first class bulkhead seat. I'm kind of amazed more bloggers don't write about it. Many grilled AA over that bulkhead oversight (not diagraming the cabin, etc) yet Delta has been flying around an inferior first class seat with the exact same issue relative to the rest of their first class cabin for a decade+ and it doesn't come up very often.
I've been stuck in it twice the...
Very little premium about Delta's narrowbody first class bulkhead seat. I'm kind of amazed more bloggers don't write about it. Many grilled AA over that bulkhead oversight (not diagraming the cabin, etc) yet Delta has been flying around an inferior first class seat with the exact same issue relative to the rest of their first class cabin for a decade+ and it doesn't come up very often.
I've been stuck in it twice the last two months and it's a very noticeable difference vs the rest of the cabin.
I recently was stuck in 1A on a 757 4-hour flight, and being 6'2", my legs and feet were sore and numb after that flight. Absolutely no space or legroom at all. One of the more uncomfortable flights in recent memory, even more so than flying in economy.
And don't get me started on the cold meal box, despite this being a flight to the caribbean where DL was asking over $6K for first class (I used miles and an RPU thankfully).
I guess my experiences are atypical. I'd say I get PDB less often on DL vs. UA, although only slightly better than AA. Typically (I usually only fly F), DL is 2x the price vs. AA/UA for the same dates/cities I wish to travel to. Their skymiles redemption rates are truly horrendous, although UA is rapidly (IMO) approaching DL. Ironically I've had far more "stable" AA and UA flights (in regards to schedule changes) vs....
I guess my experiences are atypical. I'd say I get PDB less often on DL vs. UA, although only slightly better than AA. Typically (I usually only fly F), DL is 2x the price vs. AA/UA for the same dates/cities I wish to travel to. Their skymiles redemption rates are truly horrendous, although UA is rapidly (IMO) approaching DL. Ironically I've had far more "stable" AA and UA flights (in regards to schedule changes) vs. DL. I typically book very far in advance (10+ months). The last 5 flights I've had, AA changed once, UA once, DL I'm at 7x and counting.
IMO, not worth the "premium" they are charging. But everyone's experiences will vary. I'm sure others in better/larger airports will have/see better pricing.
I think there's no single right answer. It's person specific. I have the exact opposite experience on short-haul/regional. For me, DL has the most stable schedule and costs the fewest points. For me, UA point prices are nearly double what DL charges. As for AA, its point prices are in the middle but its on-again-off-again network schedule is what led me to throw in the towel.
To be fair, the same question that I asked of UA should be asked here. How much have you ACTUALLY flown DL in the last 12 months, or more specifically, since you last did this same series of articles.
I, too, noticed that the list has gotten shorter with every airline you have covered but you honestly could have stopped here and that would have been all that needed to be said and be accurate:
To be fair, the same question that I asked of UA should be asked here. How much have you ACTUALLY flown DL in the last 12 months, or more specifically, since you last did this same series of articles.
I, too, noticed that the list has gotten shorter with every airline you have covered but you honestly could have stopped here and that would have been all that needed to be said and be accurate:
People, service, and profit sharing
"One of the things that most sets Delta apart from other airlines is the people. The employees at Delta are simply more invested in the success of the company than at American and United. Period."
No truer statement has ever been made on this site. and it goes hand in hand with this statement:
"Delta has a very clear vision for what it wants to be"
and Delta has had the strategic foresight to see what it needs to do to be at the front of the industry even as competitors legitimately become better themselves.
Seeing more than 10 years ago that RJs would no longer be economically profitable and becoming the most mainline operated US airline that uses RJs (WN etc obviously has no airlines but serves 100 fewer domestic cities than DL), finding a real solution for fuel prices, truly leveraging its relationship with Amex for both parties, having a large BALANCED domestic and int'l route system and figuring out how to use a diverse and complex fleet better than its peers are all wrapped in that strategic leadership.
and for the ever-present fleet discussion, DL has figured out how to leverage a complex fleet, buy opportunistically, and not rush into being the first unless a plane is really groundbreaking - like the A220 and what DL wishes Boeing did with the 7E7 - and negotiating to get terms better than any other airline - such as now having MRO rights on all new generation engines flying on western aircraft except the GE engines on the 787 (that will come).
And DL DOES do the best job of financial and customer service leadership. ALL US airlines have both responsibilities.
Now, let us know when you last flew WN and the article you produce on them. Given how large they are in the domestic marketplace, they should be a part of this series.
I thought Delta was eliminating the 20-min bag guarantee?
@ Jannis -- I've only seen that rumored, though haven't seen anything to support it up until now.
Ha yes, "vision of being premium" is a great way to put it. Like they've been given a word from the LORD; it may not be true today, it may not ever come to pass in actuality, but doggone it they *deserve* to be regarded as premium anyway, it is their god-given right!
"premium" is one of the most belittled words by those fans of other airlines that can't achieve it.
"Premium" for any brand or service is the willingness of customers to pay more for the same product or service and it is easily seen in other industries. Delta has succeeded at applying it to what many see as a commodity- air transportation which is at its core just getting someone from A to B.
It doesn't...
"premium" is one of the most belittled words by those fans of other airlines that can't achieve it.
"Premium" for any brand or service is the willingness of customers to pay more for the same product or service and it is easily seen in other industries. Delta has succeeded at applying it to what many see as a commodity- air transportation which is at its core just getting someone from A to B.
It doesn't matter if you or others don't get it. Business leaders talk about what Delta has achieved and DL's success in that regard is measurably true. It isn't a right - it is earned.
When an airline becomes one of the most valuable brands in the world - far beyond other airlines and in a league with Apple and Google, DL has succeeded at developing itself as a premium brand.
I actually do think Delta receives a slight revenue premium but I do think you conflate that with their heavy degree of monopoly pricing and simple frequency advantages in major markets to make your points far too often to be amusing.
you trot out the same dribble, MAX, but fail to note that Delta has grown the most in NYC, BOS, LAX and SEA over the past 5 years = all highly competitive markets - even as DL's revenue premium has grown.
If monopoly hubs really drove DL's much higher revenues - over $4 billion more than UA and $5 billion more than AA - why haven't those two airlines figured it out years ago and...
you trot out the same dribble, MAX, but fail to note that Delta has grown the most in NYC, BOS, LAX and SEA over the past 5 years = all highly competitive markets - even as DL's revenue premium has grown.
If monopoly hubs really drove DL's much higher revenues - over $4 billion more than UA and $5 billion more than AA - why haven't those two airlines figured it out years ago and do it also?
You and others simply don't want to accept that DL has done the best job not just of any US airline but one of the best in the world in figuring out how to run its business - and nearly all global airlines as well as all large jet US airlines are first and foremost businesses.
You really should read delta investor days. They’re the ones that talk about monopoly pricing at their core hubs.
Growing in high rasm markets doesn’t talk have much to do with anything. Delta didn’t make them high fare markets, they already were by nature of geography and frankly only suggests further there’s less of a delta revenue premium but that they’re in high fare markets like Boston, Seattle, and NYC.
No surprise to...
You really should read delta investor days. They’re the ones that talk about monopoly pricing at their core hubs.
Growing in high rasm markets doesn’t talk have much to do with anything. Delta didn’t make them high fare markets, they already were by nature of geography and frankly only suggests further there’s less of a delta revenue premium but that they’re in high fare markets like Boston, Seattle, and NYC.
No surprise to anyone but you how adding high revenue markets (with associated high cost) will make your revenue naturally higher. Coupled with delta’s monopoly hubs, it does inflate their revenues vs other markets.
Provide a quote where Delta says ‘monopoly’
You can’t because they don’t use it
Typical loser mentality from those that Delta succeeds at what its competitors never saw as a goal
Typical narcissistic mentality of a fired Delta employee typing away in his basement with no other life.
the only narcissism comes from the same small group of people that real participants of aviation sites is not welcome.
And let's also be clear that the narcissism comes because some people - currently almost entirely UA fans including employees - can't stand to accept reality so make up lies and then accuse others of doing that.
If I was fired by Delta, why would I become one of the most active internet...
the only narcissism comes from the same small group of people that real participants of aviation sites is not welcome.
And let's also be clear that the narcissism comes because some people - currently almost entirely UA fans including employees - can't stand to accept reality so make up lies and then accuse others of doing that.
If I was fired by Delta, why would I become one of the most active internet participants with a clear interest in Delta?
It makes no logical sense and all you write shows that you don't really want to contribute to the discussion but attack someone that says what you don't want to read.
You’re welcome to read their investor days. Of course they aren’t stupid enough to say the word, monopoly. But they are direct with investors about their core hubs and why they’re sustainable.
I’d recommend you read delta investor days. I believe it was 2022 when delta was quite a bit more explicit than usual
I know exactly what Delta says.
They say that they get the MAJORITY of their profits from their core 4 hubs. That doesn't mean they benefit from monopoly pricing.
Do you know that DL's domestic average fare at ATL is lower than most of UA's hubs? How is that for monopoly pricing? It isn't.
ATL is as profitable as it is because it is a highly efficient, high volume, low cost hub.
And...
I know exactly what Delta says.
They say that they get the MAJORITY of their profits from their core 4 hubs. That doesn't mean they benefit from monopoly pricing.
Do you know that DL's domestic average fare at ATL is lower than most of UA's hubs? How is that for monopoly pricing? It isn't.
ATL is as profitable as it is because it is a highly efficient, high volume, low cost hub.
And you still can't explain why, even if DL really did benefit from monopoly pricing, AA and UA didn't figure it out and implement it. The US airline industry has been deregulated for the exact same time for all airlines. DL has simply swapped hubs and developed new hubs to create the most balanced and cost efficient route network and fleet in the industry
Feel free to actually QUOTE what DL said if you think they are doing something other than what I have said and which is different from what AA and UA could have done
Apparently you don’t know what delta says or why atl pricing trying to suggest what you are suggesting doesn’t work vs higher cost of living cities like sfo.
Your infatuation with a company that fired you is always cute, but I’m not going to keep arguing with you all day.
Learn to read and admit when you’re shown to be wrong.
Get outside in the sunshine. Looks like a beautiful day in the ATL....
Apparently you don’t know what delta says or why atl pricing trying to suggest what you are suggesting doesn’t work vs higher cost of living cities like sfo.
Your infatuation with a company that fired you is always cute, but I’m not going to keep arguing with you all day.
Learn to read and admit when you’re shown to be wrong.
Get outside in the sunshine. Looks like a beautiful day in the ATL. You and all your fake user profiles should go out together and talk about delta.
either Delta said monopoly or they didn't.
Arguing because you can't accept you are wrong is the height of narcissism.
The SOLE reason why you want to throw things around which are clearly false is because you can't accept that Delta is running a better business and airline than its peers that have had the same opportunities DL has and that is why Delta has become more profitable than its competitors.
denigrating someone because...
either Delta said monopoly or they didn't.
Arguing because you can't accept you are wrong is the height of narcissism.
The SOLE reason why you want to throw things around which are clearly false is because you can't accept that Delta is running a better business and airline than its peers that have had the same opportunities DL has and that is why Delta has become more profitable than its competitors.
denigrating someone because you refuse to accept reality doesn't change anything.
The rest of what you write highlights precisely what you are - fake multiple made-up usernames, lies about people that don't make any logical sense, and pounding on the keyboard while you tell someone else not to do the same.
Ben got it right. Delta's greatest attributes are its service, its profits and most of all its people. He could have stopped there and the clear dividing line with the rest of the industry would have been complete.
Ben. I think you missed one more line item. If you admire Scott Kirby at United, how can you not include Ed Bastian - Delta's CEO. He has led this airline with incredible vision and his passion for Delta's core values and its people. Unlike Kirby who blows wind every time he gets on CNBC Squawk Box talking trash about how great United is, Bastian talks with Phil Le Beau about his great Delta team...
Ben. I think you missed one more line item. If you admire Scott Kirby at United, how can you not include Ed Bastian - Delta's CEO. He has led this airline with incredible vision and his passion for Delta's core values and its people. Unlike Kirby who blows wind every time he gets on CNBC Squawk Box talking trash about how great United is, Bastian talks with Phil Le Beau about his great Delta team - and he is humble. That's not a quality I'd attribute to Kirby. Listen to Bastian talk about the pandemic in the video 'The Steepest Climb' ... and talk about leadership. You clearly missed the boat on this. And no, I'm not a DL employee or stockholder, but am a Million Miler.
well said.
Ed Bastian lost his mother during covid. That's tough but he soldiered on and most of the public didn't even find out until years later.
He is an accountant; as a personality, DL has far more charismatic leaders but he does his job better than any other airline CEO and he surrounds himself with people that not only add to what he does well but he builds those people up as...
well said.
Ed Bastian lost his mother during covid. That's tough but he soldiered on and most of the public didn't even find out until years later.
He is an accountant; as a personality, DL has far more charismatic leaders but he does his job better than any other airline CEO and he surrounds himself with people that not only add to what he does well but he builds those people up as well. That's what great leaders do.
It is also worth noting that Delta is cited positively more often in business publications than any other airline.
People outside of the industry know what Delta is made of and it started long before Bastian arrived at Delta from Frito-Lay.
I would certainly add doors in business class to the list. I realize that a lot of their aircraft (767s especially) have older seats without doors, but still, it's a nice feature that seems popular with passengers and that no other US carrier save for B6 offers.
I think that really just highlights one of the issues with Delta--the inconsistency in business class seats. I do like the D1 Suites with doors, but those are in less than a third of their wide bodies. The two most common wide body types they have (A330-300 and 767-300ER) are fitted with (much) older seats.
The 20 minute bag guarantee unfortunately has been discontinued.
@ Matt -- I've seen that rumored, but could you point to where you see that it's discontinued? The page about the guarantee is still up:
https://www.delta.com/bags/bagsClaimAutomation.action
Gary Leff had an article about it but I don’t believe it was ever more than a rumor.
https://viewfromthewing.com/delta-air-lines-ending-checked-baggage-guarantee-program-next-month/
I love Delta! One thing I wish they did better was marketing to kids by bringing back Dusty the Delta Air Lion! I first flew Delta back in the early 90s when I was a kid and still remember the mascot and its quarterly magazines and pawberry punches served onboard.
That’s a great throwback memory :)
And while they're at it, bring back "Adiemus"!!
To me, hearing that music immediately evokes Delta, in the same way that hearing "Rhapsody" immediately brings United to mind.
When did delta use the song? I’d forgotten
Delta is not the only airline in which redeeming for award tickets count towards status. United award tickets also count towards PQDs. 40000 points spent on an ticket = 400 PQDs.
@ David -- Good point, thanks. Updating the post to reflect that.
Ben - in terms of SkyClubs, I would posit that many of Delta’s newer, larger clubs don’t get too crowded (at least when I have visited them) and offer both a pretty relaxing experience and better food/drinks/design than most other airline clubs. I’m not talking about LGA, JFK, LAX or any of the ATL clubs. Over the last year or so I’ve visited great clubs in:
MSP G Terminal
ORD
BNA
MCI
AUS
Delta has more square feet (or meters) of lounge space than any other airline in the world and is growing it at a faster pace than any of its US competitors.
and that is before the Delta One lounges that are coming to JFK, BOS and LAX.
Given that Sky Clubs are clearly better than the competition's lounges, the D1 lounges should be even better and larger. The JFK D1 lounge will be larger than nearly every other SkyClub in Delta's system.
Tim’s Top Trumps
And they pack them in tighter than an industrial chicken farm
AUS has a line now every afternoon :/
wow. And with hardly any delta flying.
you going to add an article for each airline of what they do badly?
+ note you had 12 for UA, 11 for AA, and only 8 for DL
@ Khatl -- I'll have one article about the areas where I think all of the "big three" US carriers lag. And yes, regarding the number of things airlines do well, I think it's about quality over quantity. For example, free Wi-Fi, seat back entertainment, and better service at Delta, are more important than virtually anything on the lists of what American and United do well. But if there are any other major positives of Delta that I missed, please let me know.
I think operational reliability is huge for Delta. They’re the most on time airline and I fly the big 4 almost equally (Delta slightly more than others) and I’ve had much less delays on Delta
Also know someone who is a frequent flyer (Platinum status every year both airlines). On United had 1-2 mishaps a year (cancellations, missed connections, etc) while on Delta he has had 1 mishap in 8 years (generally connects on both carriers and goes to the same destination)
You forgot “Enlist an OCD weirdo to comment on every points / miles post across the internet in a Delta positive way.”
Delta's new Sky Clubs have set the standard and should be given credit for motivating (shaming) AA into upgrading its lounges. On the other hand, from a customer perspective, AA has set the standard for loyalty programs and Delta should follow AA's lead. And, for my dollar, AA's transcon product is superior to Delta's 767-300 product. Lastly, Delta has not fully deployed free WiFi on regional routes, although it is available to T-Mobile premium subscribers.
you mean the A321Ts that AA is discontinuing because it was THAT successful?
United gives PQP for award flights booked with its miles on its metal.
Yep
Waiting for a certain person to post in this article. ;) LOL.
He can cut and paste his diatribes from yesterday.
++1