The marginal comforts of Economy are clearly no longer enough for the modern traveller. And those who can’t afford the substantial jump in price required for the pointy end are increasingly seeing the value in Premium Economy.
Yet it seems like Premium Economy seats are getting even more expensive, a natural knock-on effect from increased demand. To address this, you’ll find that several airlines around the world offer a clever in-between option, and I’m not talking about the Emergency Row (which used to be free on most airlines).
That’s what I find so interesting about Delta’s pitch for domestic flights. There’s no “Premium Economy” per se, but the USA’s leading airline leads with a compelling middle ground that I think is absolutely essential for transcontinental flights.
I’m talking about Delta Comfort+
I tested this last year when I flew Delta from LAX to JFK. At just over five hours in flight time, it’s considered a mid-haul that’s enough of a slug to make Economy feel like a compromise. I’ve flown this route several times before, almost always in Economy, and am far from alone when I groan at the thought.
While of course, I’d gladly take anything to hop on over from L.A, invariably one of the most accessible entry ports for Aussie travellers, to the eternally dynamic city and exciting city of New York. Anyone in their right mind would. But getting there with some relative comfort is invaluable, not just because of the hard product, but in a more abstract sense: comfort naturally means less stress, which translates to a better overall experience.
Much like how sleep sets you up for the rest of the day, your end-to-end transit experience can make or break a trip. Nothing puts you in a worse mood than a bad flight (which is why when someone has a bad experience with an airline, they become a life-long hater), and this kind of negative mindset often spills over to your first, even second and third, day of the trip.
Is Delta Comfort+ worth it?
Delta offers 10 peak-daily flights between L.A and JFK with most services using the Boeing 767-300, a widebody. Compare this with some of the other airlines that frequently service this route, which use narrowbody jets. Already Delta has the structure necessary to offer more comfort, so it’s not like Economy is an awful choice for the transcontinental flight.
So is it worth paying what is typically a few hundreds dollars more to be at the front of Main Cabin?
Here’s what you get for the cost of an upgrade:
- Seating at the front of the Main Cabin in the first five rows
- Up to three inches of more legroom
- Complimentary beer, wine and spirits and more snacks
- Dedicated overhead bin space
- Priority boarding
Plus, you’re flying Delta out of LAX, something which has become somewhat of a status symbol since the airline built its own dedicated terminal at the divisive airport. It makes the entire airport experience substantially less stressful.
Priority Boarding is a necessity in the USA
Earlier boarding is always my favourite of these perks. I’m almost always late to board by intention, but I’m the opposite in the USA. The American airport experience is, at its best, chaotic and stressful. Which means your fellow passengers are generally more selfish. There’s little worse, in this context, then boarding a plane and not being able to find sufficient overhead bin space because everyone ahead of you got in first.
Just as worse is having to park your carry-on a few rows behind you, so when it comes time to disembark, you’ll likely need to wait until there’s a gap in the slow-moving queue to get back to reality. When it comes to transit, seconds can make the different between a smooth exit from the airport and one that puts you in a sour mood.
Delta Comfort+ passengers board the Main Cabin ahead of regular Economy passengers, meaning this often-frustrating part of the experience is taken care of. The only people boarding ahead of you will be Delta One passengers, elite status holders, veterans, and those with special needs.
The psychology of American air travel has transformed priority boarding into something of a status symbol, but its practical benefits cannot be overstated on domestic routes where bin space often runs out before the final boarding groups.
Seating
Delta Comfort+ uses the same physical seats as standard Economy but they are distinguished by a red trim around the headrest. The main benefit here is the extra legroom, so you’ll typically get 34-inches as opposed to 31-inches. Any frequent flyer will tell you that the leap, although insignificant on paper, is very meaningful. Especially for those like me who measure over six feet.
My knees don’t feel squashed, even if someone in front of my feels the need to recline. During my flight, I was able to pull out my laptop and get a few things written up before stretching (relatively) out and diving into a book.
My flight, Delta 1184, was also a red eye that left LAX from 10:40pm and arrived at JFK at 7am the next day. A bit of shut-eye was necessary and I feel the extra 2 inches of recline helped me, a notoriously bad Economy sleeper, helped in that regard.
Service
Comfort+ passengers even get a basic amenity kit which includes earplugs, an eye mask and a small dental kit. The eye mask may be thin and cheap but it helps, while the earplugs are sufficient to block out the grating white noise of the aircraft’s engine. Not enough, however, to block out the screaming baby who was seated a few rows behind me.
I’ve always found the service on Delta to be a cut above its major competitors. The carrier has been consistently voted as the country’s most reliable (which is invariably true in my experience), which means happier customers, which generally means happier staff. So no complaints there, especially when coupled with priority meal service.
I don’t drink alcohol on flights but there’s a decent, basic selection that you’d other have to pay extra for if you were in Economy. Grab a glass of wine or two on the five-hour flight and you’ve probably already made up half of the extra cost you paid for the upgrade.
Better snacks? Gummy bears and pretzels as opposed to pretzels doesn’t make much of a difference, but the sugar helps if you’re powering through some work.
The better snacks aren’t much of a draw, but the free drinks are.
Verdict
Is Comfort+ worth the extra dosh? Yes, if you’ve got a coast-to-coast flight.
I wouldn’t bother with the upgrade if the flight was three hours or less, but the sweet spot appears to be 4-7 hours. That’s long enough to benefit from the enhanced legroom and service but not so long that you’d absolutely require the dedicated cabin and upgraded meals of Premium Economy.
Delta Comfort+ doesn’t pretend to be Premium Economy, but it doesn’t price itself that way either. For price-conscious travelers seeking tangible improvements over standard Economy, particularly on transcontinental routes, this is some good value.
As airlines continue to segment their products, this middle-ground option acknowledges that not all passengers fit neatly into either “basic” or “premium” categories. For the coast-to-coast traveller willing to spend a bit more for meaningful improvements without breaking the bank, Delta Comfort+ earns is one the industry’s most sensible enhanced Economy products.
The author flew from Los Angeles and to New York as a guest of Delta Air Lines
