Welcome to BoardingGroup.One’s review of the Delta One Suite A330neo experience. In this article, I will cover the various aspects of my recent journey, including the cabin features, seat comfort, in-flight entertainment, and overall service. As a regular long-haul traveller, I have a baseline set of expectations for premium cabin products, and the Delta One Suite promised a luxurious and comfortable journey. Join me as I fly through the details and share my views on whether Delta’s newest business class product lives up to its marketing.
In this review:
Flight Details
Flight No: DL32
From/To: Atlanta (ATL) to London (LHR)
Departure time: 21:55
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Frequent Flyer Points: 12,380
Status Points: 100
Aircraft: N427DX
Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo
Number of classes: 3
Number of seats in flying class: 29
Seat: 6G
Position: middle of the aircraft, 6 rows from the front
Airport Experience
Arriving on a connecting flight, I was incorrectly told by the onboard crew that I would need to collect my hold bags in Atlanta. I questioned this, as the check-in agent had said my bags would be checked through to my final destination. The crew were mistaken, and, as expected, my bag was checked all the way through. I wasted 20 minutes in the baggage hall and had to argue with someone to leave without a bag. Better training is needed to ensure cabin crew assist connecting passengers more effectively.
Immigration was very quick, thanks to the CBP MPC mobile app, which gave me access to the fast lane. TSA security checks to return airside were also quick and efficient.
Boarding & Welcome
Earlier in my journey, I learned that I had been bumped from my pre-booked window seat and moved to 6G. No doubt my passenger value score was lower compared to whoever wanted 5J, and it’s unlikely to improve if this is how they treat passengers with status from other SkyTeam carriers.
Boarding was from gate E12. When I arrived there 45 minutes before departure, I found that boarding was delayed, and the screens were showing a later departure time. The flight crew were still waiting to board. The staff announced that the aircraft hadn’t been cleaned or catered yet. Additionally, a member of the cabin crew arrived late, further delaying boarding. I also learned that the flight was overbooked and they were seeking to downgrade passengers.
Boarding eventually commenced 20 minutes after the scheduled departure time. Passengers were called in order of their boarding group, so I was one of the first to pass through the facial recognition boarding check. After a short wait on the jet bridge, I was welcomed at the door by a crew member and directed to my seat on the second aisle. Once seated, I was offered some Prosecco but asked for orange juice instead.
Seat
Being a new Airbus A330-900neo, the Delta One cabin was fitted with the upgraded Thompson Vantage XL Delta One lie-flat Business Class suite seats, which are enclosed and have a sliding door. All seats have direct aisle access. The seats are configured in a staggered 1-2-1 layout, meaning some seats are closer to the aisle than others. The middle two seats have a privacy divider that can be raised after takeoff, providing plenty of seclusion from the neighbouring passenger. The window seats are the most private as they only neighbour the aisle.
I was originally booked in 5J but somehow found myself ejected from that seat before reaching Atlanta. Ah well, at least I made the connection as Delta did everything they could to stop me!
The seat itself was comfortable to sleep on, being both long and wide enough to stretch out. The lower lying position might feel strange at first, but it offers more privacy. The seat controls allowed for adjustable reclining and an easy return to the landing position. While there was a three-point seat belt, the top part could be detached for the cruise portion of the flight, allowing it to be worn as a simple lap belt. Privacy doors were closed after the meal service and remained so until 20 minutes before landing at Heathrow.
Storage was plentiful in and around the seat. The large ledge/side table and storage around the seat were very useful, with extra room even with my amenity kit, headphones, and water bottle. While there was a shoe cubby, it was blocked when the seat was reclined, making it impossible to reach your shoes to use the washroom without first putting the seat upright. I instead opted to leave my shoes in the space next to the suite door. There was ample room in the overhead bins for bags and unused bedding.
The seat also featured a USB-A and international power socket that were active from boarding to arrival.
Overall, I was impressed with the Delta One Suite aboard the A330neo aircraft and would consider Delta again if this aircraft and seat configuration could be guaranteed (which it rarely can across such large fleets).
What is the best seat on Delta One Suite A330neo?
Avoid the front and back rows of the cabin, as these are by the toilets and galleys. If you get motion sickness, get a window seat because you will not see any window from the middle seats. The sensation of landing without seeing where we’re going felt a bit weird to me. Seats on even rows are situated further from the aisle and have a ledge/side table by the aisle that crew can serve onto.
See the seating plan on SeatGuru.
Onboard Experience
Being a new aircraft, the cabin felt fresh and was very quiet during the cruise. Enhanced LED mood lighting adjusted throughout the flight, creating comfortable light levels and pleasant transitions. Those lucky enough to be beside a window benefited from larger windows—although no such luck for me!
The business class cabin was served by two washrooms: one at the front behind the flight deck and the other at the back of the cabin between the business class and premium economy sections. I didn’t encounter any lines to use them.
The amenity kit was intriguing: a Mexican handicraft pouch that contained little of use, with no cosmetic products included.
Food & Drink
A drink service, accompanied by nuts, began the cabin service. The meal service included an evening dinner after take-off and breakfast before landing in London.
Dinner was served on a tray directly from the galley. The tomato and basil soup was thick and tasty, served with a focaccia muffin. The burrata was served on fresh rocket with a strange sweet jam on the side, which I didn’t eat. The side salad contained mixed leaves, cucumber, and tomato. The dressing described itself as blood orange, so I decided against pouring it.
While my wine was topped up, water was noticeably absent from the meal service. Being late, I decided against the rich BBQ beef main course and opted for the chicken instead. It was a bit too soft with generally bland flavours, but it was balanced with vegetables and didn’t leave me feeling too full for bed. The dessert didn’t look interesting enough to lose sleep over.
Service largely stopped at that point, and the cabin lights were dimmed for sleep.
Breakfast was served one hour before arriving at Heathrow. The options were granola or a frittata. Still being full from dinner, I opted for a cup of tea to celebrate entering British airspace.
Cabin service from the crew was generally swift, efficient and functional. It wasn’t overly attentive, which is why my half finished glass of wine that was served at dinner was only cleared during breakfast service. I know other carriers who have a clever trick of making these things magically disappear in the night!
In-flight Entertainment
The large 18” touchscreen was highly responsive and had a noticeably sharp picture compared to the A330-300 screen I’d used earlier in the day. The software was intuitive and quick to use. Content was plentiful, and the interactive flight map was fun to explore on the large screen. Noise-cancelling headphones were provided, which were effective and comfortable to wear. Wi-Fi was available on the flight, although I didn’t use it due to the overnight itinerary.
BG1 Verdict
The Delta One Suite hard product on their A330neo aircraft is very good and comparable to the leading business suite products. However, the food and wine quality was mediocre. Once again, punctuality doesn’t appear to be a priority for Delta. I honestly think the Delta CEO should spend some time flying with carriers from other continents to understand what the experience should be like. Having everyone standing or sitting on the floor around the gate for a delayed flight because the company can’t turn the aircraft around on time is not what premium passengers are paying for. This might fly for short-haul, but long-haul brings different expectations. If they could fix the food, the punctuality and the frustrating international connections, then Delta One Suite on the A330neo could achieve 5 stars.
BG1 Tip
The Delta One Suite is still relatively new and is yet to be rolled-out across much of their fleet – currently only on the new A350 and A330neo planes. Take a look at the other Delta One seat reviews here on BoardingGroup.One to see the variation of seats you might get before committing to a booking.
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