Review: Delta One Boeing 767 business class (LA-New York)
Delta puts its best foot forward on the busiest domestic route in the United States, but there's still room to improve.
By Chris C., September 19 2019
Route
Los Angeles - New York (JFK)
Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300ER
Airline
Delta
Flight
DL2164
Cabin Class
Business (Delta One)
Seat
5D
Notes
The Good
- Fully-flat beds with direct aisle access at every seat
- Complimentary Delta Sky Club access, inflight messaging
The Bad
- Older-style seat with small TV and little privacy
- Only breakfast is served on an all-day flight
X-Factor
- Westin 'Heavenly' bedding makes inflight rest a breeze, even during the day
Introduction
Soon to become the only US airline pairing fully-flat beds and direct aisle access on every Los Angeles-New York flight, Delta's Boeing 767s 'Delta One' experience has you covered, whether your inflight plan is to work, sleep, relax, or a little of all three.
Check-in
- Frequent flyer program: Delta SkyMiles, SkyTeam. Partner programs include Virgin Australia's Velocity Frequent Flyer and Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club, among others.
- Checked baggage allowance:
- 2x32kg: standard allowance
- 3x32kg: All elite frequent flyer tiers including Delta SkyMiles Silver, Velocity Silver, SkyTeam Elite, and above. Plus, U.S. military members on personal travel.
- 5x45kg: U.S. military members flying on military orders.
- 2x32kg: standard allowance
- Carry-on baggage allowance: 1x114cm bag (no maximum weight), plus one personal item such as a briefcase or handbag. Duty-free goods, retail or food purchases from the airport are allowed on top, as are jackets, umbrellas, and assistive devices.
- Airport fast-track: Make use of the private Delta One check-in area at LAX, followed by the Sky Priority lanes at security screening and boarding, with priority-tagged baggage greeting you on arrival.
Lounge
When beginning the journey at LAX, forget about searching for the regular business class check-in: here, there's a private 'Delta One at LAX' check-in lounge instead.
Reserved exclusively for passengers booked to fly in Delta One, as well as members of Delta's by-invitation 360 Diamond Medallion tier, there's seating to relax and get your belongings ready for security, along with domestic and international check-in facilities, of course.
There's a selection of drinks and snacks, too: so you don't have to rush – perfect if a friend or family member is seeing you off, given this mini-lounge is located before security screening.
When you do head through security, your Delta One boarding pass unlocks Delta's Sky Club lounge, where there's a broader variety of food and drinks, showers, WiFi, and power points.
Keep in mind that unlike many business class and first class flights within North America, when your flight is sold as 'Delta One', Sky Club perks are guaranteed, regardless of your destination.
Flight
Delta runs multiple daily flights between Los Angeles and New York's JFK Airport, with departures every 1.5-2 hours during the day, along with an overnight service from LAX.
Flight time is approximately 5.5 hours, but varies throughout the day.
The airline currently uses a mix of different aircraft types between the two cities, but from November 4 2019, every Delta flight between Los Angeles and JFK will be served by the Boeing 767, fitted with this type of business class.
Read: Delta upgrades business class on LA-New York flights
Seat
Business class adopts a staggered layout aboard Delta's Boeing 767s, with seats in a 1-2-1 configuration alternating between being closer to the aisle, and to the window or centre.
Seats are simply lettered as A-BC-D, so 5D above is on the right-hand side of the aircraft, and happens to be closer to the window. Each transforms into a bed measuring approximately 190cm.
Westin 'Heavenly' bedding is provided including a duvet and a full-sized pillow: most appreciated even on a daytime flight.
Although unplanned, it invited an impromptu two-hour sleep on this five-hour flight – after a movie and the meal service – to help recover after several days of more extensive travel.
When not in bed mode, each seat provides a fixed angled foot rest, with the upper padded section later forming the tail end of that bed.
The seat controls, and a massage setting, are found on a side panel.
In terms of storage, there's a pouch in front suitable for literature, as well as the supplied water bottle, with another slim pocket just below.
There's also a sizeable bench aside the seat, large enough for laptops and the like when not in use.
This can also be a handy place to charge your devices with AC and USB power available, and plenty of space around that international AC slot to accommodate larger power adaptors.
Just keep in mind that as the seat alternates between being closer to and away from the aisle, this shelf sits on that opposite side.
Meal
Cabin crew promptly offer drinks before take-off, with a choice between juice, sparkling wine or a Mimosa, blending the two.
Menus are then distributed, which have a distinctly premium feel:
The full bar opens after take-off. Delta has a signature cocktail blending Bombay Sapphire gin with cranberry-apple juice and ginger ale, but if you want to stick with something lighter like the Mimosa, that's fine too.
Beverages are joined by BBQ Marcona almonds.
Then it's a single tray service offering a choice from the bread basket plus fresh fruit, avocado spread with crostini, and one of the following main courses, being a breakfast flight:
- Cheddar scrambled eggs with chorizo sausage patty, roasted button mushrooms and tomato salsa
- Cinnamon French toast with Tamai Family Farms strawberry butter and bacon
- Coconut granola with plain Greek-style yoghurt
The French toast sounded the most appetising, which arrived nice and soft, and went well with the accompanying strawberry butter.
That said, with a departure time of 9:20am and a scheduled arrival into New York at 6pm, it's fair to assume that by the time the inflight meal is served, most passengers would have already eaten breakfast: especially Delta One guests who can do so in the lounge before boarding.
Lunch would instead be a better pick for the inflight service – even by adding just one lunch-like option to the existing menu – which would avoid the dinnertime arrival into New York after effectively two breakfasts.
Otherwise, chocolate chip cookies are served closer to landing. There's no second meal service, although drinks can be ordered at any time.
Entertainment & Service
Seatback entertainment is available for each passenger, with content spanning movies, TV shows and music.
It's a relatively small screen, and while it can be tilted downward to match your eyeline when reclined, the physical screen is mounted well below eyeline when sitting upright, making it less comfortable to watch for long periods.
The system can be operated by touch or via remote control, found underneath a side panel – however, better cleaning of this area is clearly needed in between flights:
Over-ear headphones are provided but which were understandably no match for a high-end BYO pair. As for other inflight entertainment, don't forget to open your window shade when flying out of LAX, especially if departing to the west:
Inflight Internet access is available for purchase too, although basic messaging via Apple iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp is complimentary for every passenger and worked well on this flight.
Well-stocked Tumi amenity kits are also provided: particularly solid for a domestic flight. Service from the crew was prompt and friendly, but without personalisation.
There's room for improvement, although as Delta will be the only US airline to offer both a fully-flat bed and direct aisle access from every business class seat on every Los Angeles-New York flight come November, this will be distinction-enough to swing many bookings in Delta's favour.
These seats are also undeniably less private than the airline's flagship Delta One Suites as are flying to Sydney and other destinations – these having closing doors – but for a daytime domestic flight, the Boeing 767 Delta One experience remains a comfortable one.
Executive Traveller review: Delta One Suites, Sydney-Los Angeles
Chris Chamberlin travelled as a guest of Delta Air Lines.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2011
Total posts 359
Flew this recently and while overall was reasonably impressed, the seat was simply too narrow. Did enjoy the bedding and that pillow is fantastic.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Sep 2013
Total posts 16
I need to travel on this route a couple of times over Dec/Jan and I'm interested to see a comparison between the business class offerings on the different airlines. My preference is AA due to my QF platinum status. The lack of direct aisle access doesn't bother me as I'll be travelling with my wife and infant.
Qantas
31 Oct 2013
Total posts 12
Just arrived home from US this morning.
Domestic US, we flew DeltaOne SFO/NYC & Delta First Class NYC/Hou/SLC/SFO.
SFO/JFK DeltaOne was fully lie-flat in a 2/2 configuration on a Boeing 757-300.
As above descriptions of food/lounge/service. Benefits to me are non-stop. lie-flat, early boarding.
Was a great way to travel but $$$. If you can be flexible, there are deals available, depending on availability of seats. If not, it can be above 3k for 1 way.
LGA/IAH AIRBUS A220-100 & IAH/SLC/SFO AIRBUS A220-100
First Class is comparable to domestic Australian Domestic Business Class. Benefits are early boarding so you are guaranteed of being able to find storage for carry on.
Premium economy (Delta Comfort+) looked quite good, especially if you can get on the 2 seat side of the 2/3 configuration.
Not a great deal of legroom in First Class.
28 Feb 2018
Total posts 14
Totally agree that the meal options do not suit the timings.
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 146
Are the odd shaped glasses made that way to purposely slot into drink holders ?
They
Make me nervous thinking how they would go with turbulence..
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Jun 2012
Total posts 58
I thought the same thing. They look top-heavy.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Jul 2012
Total posts 118
"The airline currently uses a mix of different aircraft types between the two cities, but from November 4 2019, every Delta flight between Los Angeles and JFK will be served by the Boeing 767, fitted with this type of business class."
If I am not mistaken, your statement is incorrect.
Your review shows old-style business class seats on 767-300ER.
Delta is actively refurbishing its 767s.
767-400 planes between NYC and LAX have the new style seats.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Jul 2012
Total posts 118
Ouch sorry... Yes they are downgrading all NYC-LAX services to 767-300 :(
22 Dec 2017
Total posts 26
I find Delta domestic service to consistently be the best of any legacy US airline but their food lets them down.
25 Feb 2015
Total posts 66
Could the finishes inside this cabin be any uglier?!! I really wonder what Delta are thinking with their dull blue leather upholstery (not to mention hospital-like grey plastics and steel fixtures).
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