Trip Report: Delta Seattle to Minneapolis First Class
Wanting to maximise my Virgin Australia miles, and get a comfier seat, I was surprised to find that booking just two weeks from departure, First Class was cheaper than basic economy on Delta, at a mere $330, compared to nearly $360 for economy. Paying less for a first class seat on a roughly three hour flight seemed like good value for money to me, but did make me wonder if many people actually pony up the cash to sit up front, as opposed to trying to score a free upgrade.
In Seattle I walked down to Pike Place, and nipped into the Starbucks for a cup of coffee. For once there was almost no queue! It's the first time I've seen the original Starbucks where you just walk in and order.
Then it was a quick train ride from Pioneer Square down to the airport.
This took 40 minutes and the cost was about 3 dollars.
Then a short walk from the station and over the bridge.
From where I could check in using the machine. I've tried to check in online for this flight, but it always misses those magic words Sky Priority. Using the machine, and swiping my gold DJ card, they are added to the boarding card.
Seattle airport is large, grey, and utterly unimpressive. Thankfully I could avoid checking in in person.
However it does have some nice objet d'art strategically plonked around the terminal.
I quite like the silvery knot, outside the Mountain bar.
There are also a couple of decent cafes in the terminal.
Delta Seattle Skyclub
I visited the SkyClub before my flight, and had the usual debate at the desk as to whether Virgin Australia gold card holders are permitted entry. Initially, I was told no, then after the desk clerk looked in a folder I was told only with an international flight, and finally when I stood my ground and the clerk made a phone call to some superior body was I told that I would be allowed in. This is despite it being an advertised benefit. The number of times I've been refused entry with a gold card is beyond belief.
The Seattle Delta Airlines Sky Club is a lounge you must visit if you get a chance. It is one of the most impressive domestic lounges in the country, which isn't saying much, but it is worth it for the views.
At 21,000 sq feet and seating 400 passengers, the lounge is one of Delta's largest in the United States, and the Delta Sky Club Seattle can get a lot of traffic, and yet it doesn't feel cramped thanks to the large balcony upstairs.
with great views towards the south, with plenty of natural light throughout the lounge. Mount Rainier is even visible in the distance, and you can watch aeroplanes as they arrive
The lounge plays host to locally inspired art, because within the Delta Sky Club Seattle there is the lounge's own art gallery.
Right next to the bar is a refectory area, with a self-service buffet including both cold and hot food options. The quality and presentation are a clear step up from most Sky Clubs, reflecting the showcase nature of the lounge.
Cold dishes include the usual chopped vegetables, hummus, chips and crackers, power salads, marinated vegetables and edamame.
However, you'll also more creative hot food, such as some decent burgers and hot pies.
The bar sits right in the middle of the new Delta Airlines Sky Club Seattle Lounge, underneath the balcony.
The bar is totally full-service with bartenders who do actually seem to know their wines: there is no self service here. However, the wine list, curated by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, is rather dull.
However the bar taps are good, and there are lots of craft ales in bottles, including some local brews, such as Georgetown Lucille IPA craft beer, and Delta Skyclub's own IPA.
Really unusually for a Delta Sky Club, there is a small spa in the lounge. I popped in, but there was a waiting list and it was clear I just wouldn't have time to be treated. So I went back to the bar.
Soon it was time to board - from the gate right next to the Sky Club.
There was some chaos as an oversold flight to Las Vegas was departing right next door.
I was surprised to see an Emirates 777 up close as we pushed back.
However my Virgin Australia Gold Card, and First Class boarding pass got me straight on board.
As usual there were pillows, blankets, and bottles of water at each seat. I was amused to see Delta still serve Dasani tap water; decades ago I covered the fiasco and catastrophic PR launch of the brand, and it's subsequent removal a month later, from the UK, after the Peckham Springs debacle.
Delta are careful not to serve it on flights to London, where the sight of the bottle over Peckham might not the image the airline wants. Still, there it is, in all it's 'glory'.
Delta Boeing 737 First Class seats
Delta's Boeing 737 first class cabin consists of a total of 16 seats, spread across four rows in a 2-2 configuration. It feels a little like going back in time, to a time when the best seat in the sky was a simple recliner. And so it still is today on Delta. Such a shame that DeltaOne, with it's flat beds and all the trimmings are not available on this route.
Legroom isn't that good, and indeed the aircraft is 20 years old, even though it doesn't really feel it.
Each seat comes with a seatback TV, and US voltage 120 volts power sockets; sadly, my laptop needed the full 240 volts to power up, so I couldn't use it. There was also a USB power socket next to the video screen.
Delta first class also gives you a pillow & blanket at your seat.
The aeroplane had large overhead bins, and it was impressive to see that these were watched by the crew, who wouldn't let passengers in economy place bags in them until everyone was seated in First Class.
Delta Boeing 737 First Class entertainment
There is Wifi via Gogo, which is quite slow and expensive, at $10 for a one hour pass, or $25 for a pass for the whole flight. The not ultra speedy wifi managed just about OK browsing, but would be useless for watching video.
However, the wifi does allow to watch Delta's Inflight Entertainment. It was available on my tablet via the inflight wifi for free, or indeed via the older seatback screens.
Both had a reasonable selection of rather forgettable films, and some truly terrible TV series.
Thankfully there was also the traditional printed inflight magazine. Judging how well thumbed it was, it is still widely read.
Delta also provide some sit-in-the-ear headphones for free in First Class. They are some of the worst quality headphones I have encountered on an aircraft, short of American Airlines woeful effort, in my opinion. However, they are free.
I was pleased to see that Delta still offer pre-flight drinks. Indeed, most of the cabin ordered a pre flight gin or wine.
Quickly aloft out of the murk of Seattle, and over Boeing field, where the number of 737s lined up and awaiting a buyer was impressive.
Then we took a trip over the mountains, on a rather circular trip to Minneapolis, avoiding the storms. There was a lovely view of Mount Rainier, also known as Tahoma or Tacoma, a large active stratovolcano.
Even though the online listing offered a hot meal on this flight, I was unsure as to whether it would actually appear, as Delta can sometimes be a little random on meals for flights around the 3 hour mark. However, a second then a third round of drinks was offered. Curiously, the wine on offer was just 'red or white' and I was thought a little odd for asking which type of red it was, let along which vineyard.
However, this flight was definitely listed as being over the 3 hour limit, which is where the difference is: below 3 hours, no food at all other than a quick basket full of biscuits or bags of crisps coming around. Above 3 hours, and it's hot lunch or dinner. SEA to MSP is 3 hours and 9 minutes, so just pops into the hot lunch category. Indeed, with a midday takeoff and a 5pm landing, lunch turned into dinner.
Delta Boeing 737 First Class meals
Service was slow to get started after takeoff - I was offered a warm towel about 30 minutes, and then the one choice of a meal came around about an hour into the flight.
Delta's domestic first class catering is notoriously weak, in my opinion, particularly on short domestic hops. It made me long for the quality of British Airways or Qantas. Still, at least there was food, and it wasn't the ubiquitous club sandwich.
Instead, it was roast chicken with mash and veggies, plus a dollop of some kind of tomato and aubergine mix, and a sprig of broccoli. Presentation is clearly not a strong point at Delta.
There was also a small side Caesar salad.
It looked rather like a prep school dinner from the 1970s. It was 'there'. But, it the flavour had been pretty much boiled out of it.
Alas, Delta no longer offers to warm your nuts before lunch, bread, or indeed anything much. There was a biscuit after the main service, but that was about it.
Pretty quickly as dusk was looming, we swooped in over the snowfields of the mid-west, and then Minneapolis appeared in the distance.
Despite some pretty atrocious weather, we landed on time.
Delta First Class Review
Domestic Delta flights offer a very consistent product, which is a rare thing in the aviation industry right now. Alas, it's not an overly great consistent product.
While Delta's first class seats aren't the best spacious out there, they're consistent, with power, entertainment, and Wi-Fi
Service, drinks, and indeed the meal itself is just plain dull. It does the job, but clearly not a lot of effort goes into it.
Still, Delta's prices for first class are only a tad about economy, and in some cases below it, so it does make sense to cut the product to fit the price.
See the full Trip Report: Delta Seattle to Minneapolis First Class video:
Lux-traveller paid its own way for this Trip Report: Delta Seattle to Minneapolis First Class , and travelled incognito.
| Trip Report: Delta Seattle to Minneapolis First Class | |
|---|---|
Lux-traveller.com rating:6 out of10  | |
| Seats: | 6 - Wide recliners |
| Food: | 4 - OK, ish |
| Service: | 7 - Decent, not exceptional |
| IFE: | 5 - Good wifi and seatback |
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