Flying Delta's Sleek and Spacious A321NEO First Class from New York to Las Vegas
Krish Patel
First launched in 2022, the Delta Air Lines A321NEO is aimed to become the backbone of Delta’s short and medium haul domestic flights. It offers a new, fresh, and breathable First Class cabin that resembles Delta’s latest domestic offering. With a stunning signature interior, Delta’s A321NEO has become one of my favorite U.S. domestic aircraft.
The Ground Experience
Delta operates out of Terminal 4 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, where First Class passengers can enjoy Sky Priority benefits on the ground.
The Sky Priority queues for check-in and security were relatively empty and easy to pass through. I found myself airside in no time at all, and the Delta ground staff seemed pretty friendly.
Delta operates out of the B Gates at New York’s JFK. It’s an extremely long and busy concourse, so I recommend leaving some time to walk to your gate. Unfortunately, a Delta First Class ticket doesn’t provide lounge access to a Delta Sky Club, however, I was traveling with a family member who has the Platinum Card from American Express. Therefore, I was able to enter the lounge and spend some time before my flight.
Delta boards First Class passengers in Zone 1 of 8. The gate area was packed as boarding neared, and most seats were taken up. Boarding was delayed by 20 minutes and many people were standing.
Delta A321NEO First Class Cabin and Seat
On the A321NEO, Delta has 20 First Class seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration. Each seat offers five inches of recline, 21 inches of width, and a generous 37 inches of pitch. The triangular stitching pattern on the seat is stunning, as are the seat colors themselves. I love the memory foam padding Delta opted for with these First Class seats, which includes an adjustable black headrest, on which is the Delta logo.
The wing-like privacy shields really cocoon you into the seat. They offer a lot more privacy above all other First Class recliners available, making them the best U.S. domestic First Class seats. Even the cabin is very stunning on this new bird, with calming mood lighting and relaxing tones to help reduce jet lag.
Each seat features a touchscreen entertainment system that can be adjusted towards you for easier access. Built into the IFE screen is a USB port and headphone jack. When the person in front reclines their seat, it feels as if the IFE screen is in your face.
The Delta Studio IFE system offers an extensive selection of movies and new releases, TV shows, live TV, and Spotify music playlists. You can literally spend the entire flight browsing through the IFE. I love Delta’s selection of movies and Spotify music, both of which offer several genres to choose from.
Beneath the screen is the seatback pocket, which houses the inflight reading materials. There’s some room for underseat storage, but it isn’t very generous because there’s also a box that powers the entertainment system and charging outlets.
Separating each seat is a side table for drinks, which features a white geometric pattern inspired by the Delta logo. Beneath the side table is a button that reclines the seat, as well as a small cubby for storage that has room for a small water bottle. Above the side cubby is a universal outlet and second USB port.
Across from the side table is another storage cubby where you can store personal items. There’s a small table above this storage unit.
The opposite end of the seat plays home to the tray table. It can be pulled up from the side compartment and folds out for additional space to eat or work.
Above each seat is a flight attendant call button, individual reading light, and personal air vent.
The overhead bins on the A321NEO are quite spacious and can easily accommodate three small suitcases (per bin) when placed on their side, making them pretty well-sized for an overhead bin on an Airbus narrowbody.
In Delta First, there is one lavatory. It’s pretty well sized and offers a spacious amount of room to stretch out. There’s a good amount of counter space, and the toilet is adequately sized. By the sink are fragrant skincare products supplied from Delta's premium partner, Grown Alchemist.
Food and Drink in Delta First Class
On this flight from New York Kennedy to Harry Reid International, two meals were served. After takeoff, dinner service would be served and snacks would be available from the crew prior to landing in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, no pre-departure service was available while on the ground in New York.
Before dinner was served, my table was set up for the meal service with a linen tablecloth. I was also offered a beverage of choice and opted to have a cranberry juice mocktail with sparkling soda.
For dinner, there were three options. I pre-ordered the pasta after receiving an email from Delta asking me to do so. It was cooked in a tomato sauce with ricotta and parmesan cheese and served with mushrooms. Alongside the entree on the tray was a fresh, crunchy salad. There was also a creamy chocolate moose bar for dessert. As far as condiments, provided on the tray was salt and pepper and olive oil vinaigrette. Overall, it was a pretty tasty meal.
Extra bottles of water were offered by the flight attendant during the flight. Before landing, the snack basket was brought around. I grabbed a packet of pistachios and sugar-free fruit gummies.
Amenities in Delta First
Upon boarding, each Delta First seat is stocked with a pillow and blanket and a small bottle of water. Both sleeping materials are of the same quality as those given in Premium Select on international flights. The pillow is pretty comfortable for a five hour flight and the blanket is somewhat comfortable, but not super memorable.
Basic earbuds were distributed while still on the ground at JFK. Although they’re not great quality, it’s better than receiving nothing. Delta also offers passengers in First Class the option to connect their AirPods to the entertainment system and use a wireless connection, which is a much better experience for sure.
The literature pocket includes a safety card and air sickness bag. There’s no inflight magazine.
Delta offers complimentary Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members. It’s very easy to connect. Simply head to the Settings app on your device and select Wi-Fi. Then, select the link for SkyMiles Wi-Fi.
Service in Delta First Class
On this flight from New York to Las Vegas, the service was very friendly. Our crew were kind and professional. They were through the cabin on a regular basis to check on any passengers. The one good thing about flying domestic First on a U.S airline is that the service feels more personalized.
Booking Delta Air Lines First Class
Booking a one-way flight in Delta First from New York to Las Vegas starts at approximately $620. You can also book Delta First through a variety of points programs.
Prices for Delta First Class on this route start at about 70,000 SkyMiles and exceed even further. Amex points transfer to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio, however, the value of this isn’t great. Instead, look to transfer your points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. There are more points that can be transferred to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club than Delta SkyMiles. Plus, Virgin charges much less than Delta does, with prices starting at about 10,000 points.
Overall Thoughts
My flight from New York to Las Vegas was quite enjoyable. Delta’s snazzy recliners in First Class on the A321NEO are as comfortable as U.S. domestic First Class gets. They’re very private thanks to the winged headrests and plush thanks to the memory foam padding. However, the service was truly impressive, with friendly and attentive crew. I would certainly fly with Delta in First Class again after this flight, especially on the NEO.