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One of my good friends once described his financial aspirations to me this way: “I want to be able to cover all my bills and still be able to afford flying first class everywhere.”

I instantly understood what he meant.

You don’t need to fly in first class, but it’s more comfortable, more enjoyable, and if you can afford it, why not?

I RECENTLY BOOKED A FLIGHT IN DELTA ONE TO EVALUATE HOW THE EXPERIENCE COMPARED TO FLYING DELTA ECONOMY CLASS.

Now, I’ve flown both Delta One and Lufthansa Business Class in the past, but I wanted to fly with the express purpose of writing a thorough review for my readers traveling to Europe.

I’VE INCLUDED A LOT OF HELPFUL INFORMATION, AS WELL AS MY OWN SPICY OPINIONS ON HOW TO BEST ENJOY DELTA ONE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT’S WORTH THE PRICE TAG.

If you’ve ever boarded an airplane and glance wistfully at first class before heading to your seat in economy, this is the review for you.

Read on to learn what I thought about everything from the Delta One Lounge at JFK to the in-flight experience on my Delta One flight from JFK to Frankfurt, Germany.

Delta One Review: The Truth About Delta's International First Class

Delta One vs First Class: What’s the Difference?

There’s a really easy way to understand the difference between Delta One and Delta’s First Class services:

Delta uses the first class distinction for its domestic flights.

For international routes, however, it has introduced Delta One.

EVEN ITS NAME WINKINGLY REFERS TO THE CONFUSION BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS AND BUSINESS CLASS.

Delta One is a single cabin offering a unified, premium experience for discerning travelers.

Delta Sky Priority Benefits

Booking airfare in the Delta One cabin gives travelers access to Delta’s Sky Priority benefits.

Sky Priority allows travelers to utilize dedicated lanes for quicker check-in at both the Delta service and luggage counter, as well as through airport security.

Both of these benefits were a huge help to me during my flight at the end of December.

Thanks to the holidays, there were huge lines at both luggage drop and security, and Sky Priority allowed me to bypass those waits on both counts.

TRAVELERS WITH SKY PRIORITY ARE ALSO ABLE TO BOARD EARLIER THAN OTHER PASSENGERS.

Perhaps the best part, though, is the expedited baggage service.

There’s nothing I love more than seeing my checked luggage come off the carousel first, so that I can quickly grab my bags and be on my way.

Delta One Lounge at JFK

THE CHANCE TO CHECK OUT THE NEW DELTA ONE LOUNGE AT JFK WAS A BIG PART OF THE REASONS I CHOSE A CONNECTION THROUGH NEW YORK.

In 2024, Delta opened a dedicated lounge for Delta One customers as a way of combatting the overcrowding that has become the norm at a lot of their airport lounges.

This makes sense — when everyone has status, no one has status — and the popularity of frequent flier credit cards has led to serious crowding at most airport lounges.

Currently, Delta has opened Delta One Lounges at JFK, LAX, and BOS, with plans to expand to SEA in 2025.

MY LAYOVER WAS VERY SHORT, THOUGH, SO I DIDN’T REALLY COUNT ON BEING ABLE TO FULLY EXPERIENCE THE DELTA ONE LOUNGE AT JFK.

To my surprise, however, the staff was able to expedite me through a two course meal in a tight, unrushed twenty minutes.

The food was fantastic - I had the short rib agnolotti and seared diver scallops - and though I didn’t imbibe, the wine menu had some great vintages, too.

I didn’t have time to try out amenities like massage treatments or shower suites, but I was fine with that.

With its art deco interiors and impressive service, the Delta One Lounge at JFK is a swanky place to relax pre-flight.

IN FACT, THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST AMENITIES OF FLYING DELTA ONE, IN MY OPINION, ASSUMING YOU ARE FLYING OUT OF BOSTON, LOS ANGELES, OR NEW YORK JFK AIRPORTS.

If you’re flying out of Atlanta or Detroit, though, you’ll experience a standard airport lounge.

I’M A LITTLE TORN ABOUT WHETHER IT’S WORTH BOOKING DELTA ONE SOLELY FOR AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS.

On the one hand, Delta has been making it more difficult for non-status holders to enter, but on the other hand, standard airport lounges have become overcrowded with low-quality food options.

(If you’ve never stepped foot in an airport lounge, resist the hype and pay for a nice meal at a sit-down restaurant in the terminal, instead.)

Delta One Suites

Delta One’s lie flat seats are, in my opinion, the top reason to book this class for overnight flights to Europe.

During my first time flying Delta One, a couple years ago, I fell asleep right after boarding and suddenly, *poof*, we were descending into Frankfurt.

IN MY BOOK, THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO EXPERIENCE A FLIGHT TO EUROPE THAN SLEEPING SOUNDLY THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.

The flight time from New York to Frankfurt is a little less than eight hours, which isn’t very long if you’re trying to get a good night’s rest on the plane.

And getting enough sleep on an international flight is even more difficult in a tight economy class seat, resting your head on a thin pillow, and trying to get comfortable under a small, scratchy blanket.

Delta refers to their Delta One seats as suites, as they are semi-private with more of a built-out environment - with an entertainment screen, charger ports, and cubbies for storing small items - compared to a normal row seat.

THE SEATS WITHIN THESE DELTA ONE SUITES ARE WIDE AND COMFORTABLE, AND ADJUSTABLE FROM THE SEATED POSITION TO THE LIE FLAT POSITION.

Each seat includes a plush, full size pillow and a quilted duvet cover for sleeping.

If getting a fair amount of sleep on an international flight is important to you, Delta One could be a solution to help you avoid jet lag on your first couple days in Europe.

Delta One Food & Beverage Service

Because this review is about comparing Delta One to economy class — not to the best Michelin starred meal you’ve ever had in your life — I want to take a moment to talk about the food and beverage service in economy class.

The type of food served in economy class is typically carb-heavy meals, like rice or pasta, that are heated in their packaging.

THEY’RE THEN ACCOMPANIED BY THINGS THAT HAVE CLEARLY JUST COME OUT OF THE FRIDGE - A SALAD, MAYBE A DESSERT LIKE A BROWNIE, AND A ROLL WITH BUTTER.

They serve it to you on a small plastic tray with disposable cutlery, this oblong-shaped entree that’s just been heated, while everything else on the tray is cold to the touch.

(Does anybody else leave the aluminium cover on the entree and set the cold bread roll and packet of butter on top of it, hoping that this will heat them back to room temperature? Just me? Ok.)

SO MANY AIRLINE REVIEWS HAVE THIS WHIFF OF SNOBBERY ABOUT EVERYTHING - C’MON, YOU’RE FLYING THROUGH THE AIR AT THIRTY THOUSAND FEET, IT’S OK IF THE FOOD WASN’T UP TO PAR WITH NOBU.

Maybe I’m just being defensive because I actually liked the food on my flight in Delta One.

I had the chicken wellington and a dark chocolate tart, both of which were delicious.

I was also impressed with the wine list, which offered several varietals from France and Italy instead of the standard array of Californian wines.

The one I chose to order was met with enthusiasm from the flight attendant.

“Oh, that one is fantastic! Unfortunately, we’re out of it at the moment.”

LE SIGH. I WAS DISAPPOINTED, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN FIRST OR BUSINESS CLASS COME WITH THESE TINY INCONVENIENCES SOMETIMES. 🫤

It’s also important to point out that the presentation of meals in Delta One is miles away from what you get in economy class.

Stoneware plates and proper cutlery, Reidel wine glasses instead of plastic cups.

THESE ARE SMALL TOUCHES, YES, BUT I’D BE LYING IF I DIDN’T ADMIT THAT THEY’RE ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT BUSINESS CLASS.

Yes, you receive a glass of champagne upon boarding, which is such a great way to ease into a long flight.

What really wowed me, though, was the pre-arrival breakfast service.

In economy class, this is usually another carb-heavy, quick-heated snack, like a hot pocket in the skies. 😆

But on this Delta One flight, I had a cheese omelet that looked and tasted as though it had just been created from scratch.

Along with the requisite cup of coffee and an orange juice, it was the perfect way to start a day fighting jet lag.

All in all, the food and beverage service in Delta One is so much better than in economy class. 🙌

So, Is Delta One Worth It?

ONLY YOU CAN ASSESS YOUR OWN FINANCES AND DECIDE IF DELTA ONE IS WORTH THE ADDED EXPENSE.

Here are a few things to consider and think through as you make the decision:

Delta One is much more comfortable than premium economy or economy classes. If you find it painful to fly internationally due to the tight seats and lack of legroom, then you’ll greatly benefit from the semi-private Delta One Suites.
The food and beverage offerings are very superior to what is served in economy. I don’t think the majority of folks are optimizing for food and beverage, but if you are, then Delta One is going to be superior in every way.
Delta One includes Delta Sky Priority benefits like dedicated lines for service counters and security, airport lounge access, and expedited luggage service. Taken together, these benefits vastly improve the experience of navigating both departure and arrival airports. If you find things like luggage drop, security, and just general airport overcrowding to be significant stressors, then Delta Sky Priority benefits will go a long way in reducing them.

On the other hand, there are some things that are common among all airline classes on Delta.

The in-flight entertainment options are the same, though Delta One offers larger screens and over-the-ear headphones.
All classes have to wear seatbelts and receive service from the cabin crew, though in Delta One there are more flight attendants per passenger for more personalized service.
The bathrooms on a plane are the same, and even Delta One passengers have to squeeze themselves into those dressing room sized lavatories.
And the general cabin environment is the same for all classes, with the same air pressure lighting adjustments for different phases of a flight.

THERE ARE A COUPLE SCENARIOS WHERE I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND BOOKING DELTA ONE OR SIMILAR FIRST CLASS, THOUGH.

Honeymoons or other forms of celebratory travel. Traveling in Delta One or a similar international first class is a great way to augment the excitement around a major milestone, like a destination wedding or a honeymoon.
Once-in-a-lifetime trips over eight hours. The danger of premium cabins for frequent fliers is that they might become hooked — but if you’re only taking one big trip, spend for the added comfort and special memory of Delta One.
Business travelers looking to maximize their trips. Regardless of whether your company will reimburse you, Delta One is a great way to ensure you’re well rested for packed days of meetings and presentations. Jet lag is never fun, but jet lag while trying to meet colleagues and clients is a nightmare.

Conclusion

PERSONALLY, I’M ALWAYS ON THE FENCE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT BUSINESS OR FIRST CLASS IS WORTH THE EXTRA EXPENSE.

I really appreciate Delta Sky Priority benefits, even if I’m flying through an airport that doesn’t have a Delta One lounge.

But Premium Economy class comes with Sky Priority, too, so it’s not always necessary to book Delta One.

And while I love good food and wine, I don’t kid myself about the fact that airplane food is airplane food; I’m not going to book a higher fare class solely for that.

(To be honest, when I’m flying from North America to Europe, I actually prefer to skip dinner service in an attempt to maximize my sleep.)

THE BIGGEST DELTA ONE DIFFERENTIATOR, AT LEAST FOR ME, IS THE IMPROVED COMFORT.

Thanks to the lie flat seat and elevated bedding, you can actually get pretty decent sleep on an international flight to Europe.

And if you’re trying to optimize your trip, then being refreshed and ready to hit your destination as soon as you arrive is unbeatable. ❣️

Until next time,

Angela

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