If you missed my United first class review be sure to check it out HERE before or after this post! But if you don’t know already, Paul and I went to Honolulu, Hawaii for a week of relaxation with my family. We decided to live it up and book first class seats to and from Hawaii. As part of my Hawaii travel series, I wanted to share our experience in first class on a semi-long flight during COVID.
First class aka “Delta One” on this aircraft was a 1-2-1 seating arrangement. Paul and I sat towards the front of the cabin in row 2. It was a red-eye flight leaving Honolulu and 8:15pm and set to arrive around 6:00am the next day in Salt Lake City.
Seats
Overall, the pods were pretty similar to our United flight. If you sit in the middle of the cabin like we did, just be aware that there is no partition in between seats. If you don’t know the person next to you, you can’t press a button to close a partition for privacy, which was available on United. Additionally, the seat width/pitch was a tad bit smaller because Paul (who is 6’3) couldn’t lay down completely flat. There were overhead air vents, which was helpful because I was freezing and Delta did not provide any blankets or pillows.
Service
The Delta flight attendants were friendlier and seemed more accommodating than our experience on United. Once again there were no pre-departure beverages offered and it took about an hour after we took off to get water. I was so thirsty and downed my mini plastic water bottled as soon as they dropped off my “Covid goodie bag”. The goodie bag consisted of water, sanitizing wipes, and cookies. I don’t believe Delta is currently doing hot meals regardless if you are in first class so instead we were provided a snack box. I wouldn’t have waited for the drink/”meal” service before I tried to sleep, but I was so thirsty I needed water. When we boarded, I was surprised to not see a pillow or blanket in sight and as we going to cruising altitude, it was frigid. Even on previous red-eyes in economy, blankets and pillows are provided when you board. Multiple people around us were also freezing so we asked if we could get blankets. Apparently due to COVID, Delta is not providing these “extra” amenities at this time. The purser said he turned up the heat a tad, but I was still chilly underneath my light sweater I had grabbed from my carry on as a makeshift blanket.
Other thoughts
The flight went by pretty quickly and I got maybe 2 hours of sleep in total. There must have been some significant tailwind because we arrived to Salt Lake way ahead of schedule. It was 5:45am when we got off the plane and our connection to Denver wasn’t scheduled until 9:45am. My parents have Delta Sky Priority so they get access to the lounges. I would think First class tickets would come with day lounge access, but I must be on a different planet because that isn’t a thing. We decided to splurge and pay to get access to the lounge with my parents while we killed time before the final flight. The Delta lounge at the SLC airport is beautiful and the food (even grab and go style) was delicious. It made the United club at DIA look pathetic. We had an hour flight from SLC to Denver and was in the “first class” cabin on that aircraft as well. It wasn’t anything exciting, just more space. The tv screens weren’t working and after my sister let the flight attendant know, he said he would reset it and then he never was to be seen again. And no, the entertainment still wasn’t working.
My rating for the service on Delta was 6/10 and seats were 7/10. I thought it was ridiculous we couldn’t even have a blanket while on United it was no problem. The food/drink service was mediocre and the only real benefit of flying in the Delta One cabin from Honolulu was being able to lay down and have more space. But if you are tall like my husband, I am sure he would have got the same amount of sleep in an upright economy seat. Additionally, my immediate piece of advice is for airlines to put water bottles and a care package on the seats prior to passengers boarding. That will go a long way with quality of service. Hopefully as COVID protocols ease and travel is less restricted, the amenities and benefits of flying first return. Until then just be mindful you won’t be getting what you pay for.
My mom organized our Hawaii vacation and planned our daily adventures to beaches around the island as well as other activities. She also helped us navigate the Hawaii State requirements. If you’re thinking about booking a vacation in 2021, reach out to Lisa with Lisa’s Dream Destinations. Working with a Professional Travel Agent can save you both time and money and in turn, reduce stress that comes along with travel planning.
Lisa: Destinationsbylisa@gmail.com
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xoxo Olivia
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