In light of Delta’s upgraded international main cabin service that was announced today, I figured this review is long over due. If you’re a frequent traveler, there is a chance that you have seen the premium cabin if you’ve ever been on a long flight (cross country, crossing an ocean, etc). I know that I’ve personally envied these cozy looking seats that look fit for royalty. For my flight to Hawaii, I decided to take a chance and book one of these seats for my leg from Minneapolis (MSP) to Honolulu. It was due to be about a 10 hour flight so I figured that it would be perfect for a test drive.
First things first, Delta One is different from regular first class seating. It is not just a bigger seat in the front of the plane. It is an experience in itself. Here is a list of some of the main amenities that come with booking a seat in Delta One:
- Priority Boarding (aka you get to board first)
- Cube Seating (in your cube, your seat has an arm rest table with tray inside, tv and seat that reclines and goes flat to make a bed)
- Bedding by Westin
- Premium Dining and Beverage Options (included in your fare)
- Tumi Amenity Kit (featuring items from Kiehl’s, eye mask, socks, dental products, etc)
- Noise Cancelling Headphones and Multiple Charging Outlets
- Priority baggage handling (aka you get your bags first off the carousel)
My plane was a Boeing 757 and had the older style Delta One cabins. The new ones are absolutely beautiful. Regardless of age, I was excited to have a seat that turned into a bed for this long flight. Upon arrival to my seat, they were serving Rum Punch and playing Hawaiian music. Already in my seat was the bedding, headphones and amenity kit. The seats are seated in a 1-2-1 formation in this cabin.
Shortly after take off, meal service began. I received an email from Delta a few days prior notifying me that I could preselect my meal. I opted for the beef filet. Meal service started with warmed nuts, an alcoholic beverage of my choice and a glass of sparkling water. When this process starts, the flight attendants drape your tray with a linen napkin and everything is served in glassware and china. After this came the entree and for airplane cuisine, it was pretty delicious. It came with an appetizer of shrimp cocktail, a side salad, choice of roll and my entree. After this round, it was topped off with a hot fudge sundae. The flight attendants were so attentive and kept the beverages flowing all flight long.
Next came time for relaxation and the sleepiness. I decided to try out the long awaited bed seat to try to relax (my restless leg syndrome was having no part in that unfortunately). Thankfully I am very short in stature so the length was not an issue for me, I could go flat. I will say due to the older model, it wasn’t as comfortable laying flat as I hoped for. This has been changed a bit with the newer design. The bedding was delightful and so comfortable. My ideal comfort position was a slight recline with the foot rest elevated all the way.
I really enjoyed the Tumi amenity kit. Having the eye mask was great, especially when you have that one person who refuses to shut their window and then falls asleep. The Kiehl’s lip balm was amazing. I saved the rest of the amenities for later in my trip since I would be gone for 14 days in total. Delta tip: After your flight, you can take your amenity kit to Tumi and have it personalized with your initials!
After a few hours of working, watching a movie, reading a closing my eyes for 45 minutes, it was time to get ready for arrival. Around 90 minutes out we were presented with another meal. My understanding of this was a “snack” from what I had read. I think this is 100% false. This was a full on lunch. I opted for the Reuben sandwich and it was really good. It came with Cape Cod Chips, an oatmeal raisin cookie and condiments. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, after clean up, the flight attendants came around with chocolate covered macadamia nut truffles!
So the question stands, was it worth it? In my opinion yes, although it is different from what I thought it was going to be slightly. I thought I was going to get this beautiful rested sleep in my cube and that didn’t really happen. Granted, my body was going to a different time zone that was 6 hours in the other direction of my home and I had only been home for 4 days after my trip to Italy that week. I do think that had a hand in it. What I honestly enjoyed the most was being able to sit in a recline with my feet up. That was extremely relaxing for a long flight. As always, Delta never ceases to impress me with their offerings and impeccable service. My Verdict: I would book Delta One again on a flight that was 6+ hours long.
What do you think of my verdict?
