by Krish Patel / aviationwithkrish.com

Delta Airlines is known for being ranked as the top U.S. airline. The Delta One Suites on the Boeing 767-400, unlike other Delta Business Class products, does not feature doors, but that doesn’t stop this from being a great product. Delta’s 767-400s feature a crisp and modern interior with mood lighting. The cubicle-style suites offer plenty of privacy, comfort, and storage space for a 10 to 11 hour flight.

Ground Experience at JFK

Delta Airlines flies out of Terminal 4 at JFK, which is also used by a variety of international carriers, some of which are Delta’s SkyTeam partner airlines, such as KLM, Aeromexico, and Virgin Atlantic.

The first entrance into the terminal is for Sky Priority passengers, including those in Delta One. Passengers can also use the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class check-in area to check-in for your flight if you are flying in Delta One. The Delta One check-in area at JFK is quite secluded from the vast part of the check-in hall, where the check-in areas for airlines such as Air India and El Al are located. My experience at check-in was fast and the lines for Business Class were short. The staff was also friendly and professional. SkyTeam premium cabin passengers flying out of Terminal four are entitled to use the Sky Priority security lane, which wasn’t that packed. I found myself air-side in less than three minutes.

A Delta One ticket grants passengers complimentary access to a Delta Sky Club or a SkyTeam airline lounge (such as the Air France Lounge if flying Delta One out of Paris CDG). The Delta Sky Clubs are an amazing lounge network accessible through a number of Delta and American Express cards. However, I didn’t find the Delta lounges to be as impressive as the American Flagship Lounges or the United Polaris Lounges I’ve visited in the past.  I believe that this will change in the near future as Delta has announced that they will add Delta One Lounges to their lounge network, which will be a step-up from the Sky Clubs, offering similar luxurious amenities as what you will find at either a Polaris or Flagship Lounge.

Sky Club Lounge at JFK - Concourse A

JFK has two Sky Club Lounges in Terminal four, the newer of which is in Concourse A and the larger club is in the B Gates. Of these two lounges, I prefer the one in Concourse A because it’s newer, less packed, and offers modern and comfortable seating. As far as amenities, the lounge fares well, except for the fact that there are no shower suites, which can be found in the B Gates lounge. At the A Gates Sky Club, the customer service wasn’t the most friendly that I’ve come across at an airport lounge. The customer service at the other Sky Club was better than my experience at the A Gates lounge, but still wasn’t the best. 

Delta Airlines has an impressive network of brand new Sky Clubs at various airports located in the United States. The SkyTeam airline has put a lot of effort into these brand new clubs. Upon entering the lounge, you will notice an intricate light fixture, as well as the front desk. To get to the main level of the Sky Club, you will need to take the set of escalators located past the entrance. Throughout the club, you will find a variety of striking colors, appealing textures, and brassy, gold accents.

What really impressed me about both Sky Clubs Delta has at JFK is that they offer incredible views of the action going on in New York. Considering that JFK is one of the top 10 busiest airports in the United States, there was a lot to see.

Past the spacious seating area is the modern and stylish bar, which truly makes for an amazing centerpiece. It has beautifully tiled flooring, plush high-top chairs, and a beautiful light fixture. At the bar, there are several cocktails, wines, and premium alcoholic beverages available. You will also find charging ports to charge your device. The bar has its own mood that sets it apart from the rest of the lounge.

At the same area of the bar is some high-top bar-like seating in a nice ambiance, as well as the buffet and the customer service area. While the buffet options in Sky Clubs usually don’t disappoint, it was underwhelming to see that Delta hasn’t added á la carte dining facilities to their Sky Clubs, as these are currently Delta’s only lounges that don’t compete in all areas with the United Polaris Lounges and American Flagship Lounges. In addition to the buffet selection, there are also a few tables at certain areas of the club with self-serve beverages and a variety of sweet desserts, such as brownie bites and cookies. 

The buffet items consist of options such as salad fixings, hummus, sandwiches, breads, charcuterie options, and soups. As far as hot options, there is fried rice, noodles, pasta, and cooked vegetables. Everything from the buffet is complementary and self-serve. There is a self service beverage station in the lounge with coffee, tea, juice, and soft drinks. Delta Airlines partners with Starbucks to offer coffee both onboard and in Sky Clubs. To the right of the food and beverage area are the customer service desks, as well as a quiet seating area with plush chairs. There is also a table with some sweets and water. 

On the other side of the Sky Club are the bathrooms, as well as some more seating and some phone booths that work as cubicles to get some work done. It's a pretty cool area that I recommend checking out. The phone booths have modern, glass doors and are quite spacious, unlike some other work booths in U.S. airport lounges.  The colorful walls compliment the modern phone booths.

The best part of this lounge is the indoor Sky Deck, which can be used during the winter months. It is air-conditioned, and you are allowed to eat out here. There is plenty of seating that's good for lounging and planespotting. I had a great view of the Etihad 787-9 headed out to Abu Dhabi, as well as the Singapore Airlines 777-300ER bound for Frankfurt.

Sky Club Lounge at JFK - Concourse B

After a nice visit to JFK’s A Gates Sky Club, I made my way to the other lounge located in Concourse B. For a long time, JFK’s B Gates Sky Club was the only lounge Delta had in Terminal four, and it was almost always packed with SkyTeam premium cabin passengers, Delta One passengers, and status holders with a membership or credit cards (such as the Amex Platinum, Delta SkyMiles Reserve, etc.). Delta’s second Sky Club in the A Gates helped spread customers amongst both clubs, however, the B Gates lounge continues to remain packed. The golden ticket to access a Sky Club is a Delta One ticket or a Business Class ticket on a SkyTeam airline because status holders and credit card holders will have to wait outside for space to open up if the lounge is mostly or fully packed.

The B Gates Sky Club isn’t as modern compared to the other lounge, but that doesn’t stop the space from being a decent lounge. It is a lot larger than the club and even features shower suites, which I unfortunately didn’t get a shot of. There are plenty of seating areas with table space and charging ports.

To get to the main level of the lounge, you will need to take the set of escalators located near the entrance. I love the feel of the entrance, which features a variety of colors. Past the escalators on the main level are some customer service desks, as well as a nice seating area.

The seating areas in this lounge are plush, with many variants of seating from chairs used for eating and working to plush couches where you can relax. Of course, the seating in this lounge isn’t as modern and well-finished compared to the seating in the other JFK Sky Club.

In terms of food options, the B Gates Sky Club is quite similar to the club in Concourse A, with plenty of hot and cold buffet options. The buffet selection is quite similar as to what is found in the other Sky Club. There are some sweets in addition to there being an assortment of beverages. The B Gates Sky Club also features a full-size bar with alcoholic beverages, which is located at the food area. The wooden flooring gives the food area a cozy, but less modern feel. In addition to the bar and buffet, there is also some restaurant-style seating, which was mostly taken up during my visit.

As far as amenities, the B Gates lounge fares pretty well, with shower suites, an outdoor SkyDeck (that is closed during the winter months), and clean bathrooms stocked with Grown Alchemist amenities. I love the tiled walls, which gives the lighting a nice accent.

Most Delta flights from JFK depart out of the B Gates, including ours to EZE. Delta One passengers get priority boarding in Zone one out of eight. I had spent a lot of time at both lounges, so I was the last passenger in Zone one to board. When I was there, the Gate area was not crowded, even as boarding piled up. Boarding commenced through one jet bridge, which I found to be surprising because on many widebody aircraft, boarding is usually done through two jet bridges.

Onboard Cabin and Delta One Seat

On the Boeing 767-400, the Delta One Suites are in a single cabin with 34 suites and are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Unlike some other Business Class products (such as United Polaris), the Delta One Business Class seats in the center section aren’t great business class seats for couples because the seat consoles separate the seats, allowing for either more or less privacy. The window seats A and D in rows divisible by two offer slightly more privacy than the suites in the odd numbered rows because they have the suite consoles closer to the aisle, which makes them ideal for solo travelers. The middle suites B and C alternate between offering more or less privacy. 

Everything you need is conveniently located within the suite. The seat controls, in-flight entertainment (IFE) remote, charging ports, and the storage area are easy to use and are easily accessible. While the suite features a fixed partition for extra privacy, there is no actual privacy door. The suite’s lamp adds a lot of coziness and contributes to the sense of luxuriousness one would appreciate in Business Class. In addition to the main universal outlet, there is also USB charging and a headphone jack. Beneath the IFE remote located in a small, enclosed area are some more seat controls within easy access, and beneath that is the tray table, which folds out. It's relatively a sturdy surface for either eating or working. The odd numbered window seats have extra storage space in the seat console.

As far as storage, there is a storage space to the side of the suite, which also houses the safety card, air sickness bag, Delta Studio headphones, and a water bottle upon boarding. In front of you, the space for your legs is restricted compared to many other Business Class seats, but that has to do with the fact that the 767 has a narrow fuselage compared to other widebody aircraft. It is possible to store either shows or bags in the suite’s footwell.

My suite for today’s flight was 2D. These seats are plush and comfortable to sit in, but they look more comfortable than what they actually are. The red, blue, and black padding gives the seat stitching a nice accent. The modern black and white pattern seat finishes feel modern on an  aircraft that is more than 20 years old. Not only are the seats modern, but the Delta One cabin as a whole is spacious, with mood lighting and individual air vents. During the dinner service, the mood lighting was a bright, sunset color. I love how flight attendants dim the cabin for when it is time to sleep.

In-flight entertainment (IFE)

Including Delta, a lot of U.S. airlines have a great IFE selection of movies, TV, and podcasts. The Delta Studio IFE system works by using the large touchscreen or  the small IFE remote located at the side of the seat that is equipped with a wire.

As far as movies, you can view new releases, as well as a series of movie genres that appeal to your taste, such as comedy or action. There are a total of 617 movies and 131 audio options.

Delta partners with Spotify to offer music and podcasts of excellent quality that can be viewed through the IFE system. There are plenty of music genres to choose from, such as classical, jazz, and rock. The inflight moving map is easily adjustable, however, it’s disappointing that the map cannot be viewed on the IFE remote, which is the case on some other airlines.

One of the coolest features of the IFE system is that it's possible to view information about specific Delta aircraft types. In addition to the great selection, it is possible to adjust the volume of your content and the brightness of your screen.

Lavatory

Despite the age of the  767, the lavatory on this aircraft was modern and clean, with blue mood lighting and a large countertop. There is a foot pedal you can use to open the trash bin, which is something found on more modern aircraft, such as the 787 Dreamliner. Of course, the lavatory is stocked with premium Grown Alchemist skincare items (United uses Sunday Riley and American uses D.S. & Durga), which can be found in Sky Clubs and in the Someone Somewhere amenity kit.

The overall floor space of the lavatory is generous, with a brick design. Two bathrooms can be found in the Delta One cabin, the second of which is located between Premium Select, which is Delta’s international Premium Economy.

Seat modes and lie-flat bed

The Delta One seat features plenty of seat modes to enjoy during the flight, including lie-flat bed mode. There are dedicated seat modes for both relaxing and lounging. When in relax mode, the seat looks similar to when it's in the upright position, but it’s slightly angled. In lounge mode, the seat allows you to lay back, making it a great position to watch movies.

After the first meal service, I decided to catch some sleep. The seat is comfortable in bed mode, but it isn’t as spacious as some other Business Class beds out there. In front of you, the space for your legs is somewhat restricted because of the narrow footwell. However, it’s definitely wider than the Zodiac business class bed on the American 777-200ER, which is quite narrow.

Food and Beverage Offerings in Delta One

Before departure, pre-departure beverages were offered, with champagne or orange juice. I opted for the latter, which was served in a petite glass with the Delta logo engraved at the bottom. It was quite unusual that water wasn’t offered in addition to the other beverages, which is usually the case on U.S. airlines.

Once airborne, the service commenced as flight attendants distributed hot towels. Our assent after takeoff was turbulent, so the first meal service wasn’t done off a trolley. My table was set up, and I was offered some warm nuts and a beverage of choice. For my beverage choice, I opted for still water.

Unfortunately, Delta only offers one single appetizer, which, on this flight, was poached shrimp. I wish that Delta offered either a vegan or vegetarian appetizer, rather than just meat or fish. However, the side dishes that were served on the main tray were delicious, consisting of cauliflower soup, a bread roll with butter, and mixed greens. Everything except for the dessert was served on a single tray, which isn’t a premium touch expected from a good Business Class airline. Delta has a great selection of entrees in Business Class, 1 of which is vegetarian. For my entree, I went for the spinach ravioli, which was cooked in a white wine butter and topped with roasted butternut squash and pumpkin seeds. This was easily one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had on a plane before, with plenty of flavor and freshness. I really liked the salt and pepper shaker that was provided with the meal. You can twist it for either condiment, and on one side of the salt and pepper shaker is the fan blade of an aircraft engine, while on the other, it's the Delta logo.

One of the most unique parts of the meal service offered by U.S. airlines in Business Class is the large portion of ice cream for dessert. Delta’s signature dessert in Delta One is the ice cream sundae, which was delicious. I found it to be a nice touch that the Delta logo was carved on to the small end of the spoon, unlike the spoon I used to savor the soup. As it was a large portion of dessert, I didn’t finish the entire thing. This paired nicely with a fruit and cheese plate, as well as a cup of green tea. The fruit and cheese plate consists of crackers, grapes, quince, aged gouda, and gruyere.

After the meal service, the flight attendants set up both mid-flight snack bars, which were located at both the forward and rear Business Class galley. At the forward mid-flight snack bar were some cheese plates, desserts, fruits, crackers, bottles of water, and packaged snacks. The mid-flight snack bar between Delta One and Premium Select was stocked with packaged snacks and bottles of water. I prefer the second mid-flight snack bar because it has blue mood lighting and the Delta logo beautifully engraved onto the galley’s wall. 

Shortly before arrival, the pre-arrival service commenced, as flight attendants went through the cabin to take breakfast orders. I was presented with two choices between a quiche or French toast bread pudding, and I opted for the latter which was sweet, but pretty good. For my beverage choice, I opted for a decaffeinated coffee that was provided by Starbucks and served with milk and sugar. In addition to the main dish, to the side was a bowl of fresh fruit and a croissant with jam and butter.

Amenities

Upon boarding, each Business Class seat is stocked with the Delta Studio headphones, a water bottle, a pair of slippers, a Someone Somewhere amenity kit, and the bedding, which is made of recycled materials. Unlike United and American, who use large brands for their bedding (United uses Saks Fifth Avenue and American uses Casper), Delta opted for a plush bedding product that is also eco-friendly. It’s not as impressive as the bedding on United, but the bedding material itself is easy to store because of the bag it’s in. 

In the seat storage area, you will notice the water bottle and the headphones, as well as the safety card, which is the only inflight literature provided. The Delta Studio headphones are noise canceling and pair nicely with the IFE. Delta also provides comfortable slippers that are branded with the Delta logo. These slippers are comfortable to wear in general, even when you're not inflight.

The Business Class amenity kit is well stocked for a ten to eleven hour flight, with all of the essentials you would expect. While the contents of the kit are impressive, the exterior is just as awesome, with a beautiful blue pattern. The eye mask also has a nice pattern to it, similar to that of the amenity kit’s exterior. In addition, there is a pair of earplugs, a dental kit with mint flavored toothpaste, a Delta branded pen, and Grown Alchemist skincare items, such as facial cream, hand cream, and lip balm.

Service

The crew on this flight were friendly and engaging, constantly making conversation with passengers. Of course, some flight attendants were more friendly than others, but that’s always to be expected. Even though we had a turbulent assent out of JFK, the meal service was well-timed, and not overly delayed into the flight. Before landing, flight attendants were through the aisles again to offer Valrhona Caraibe chocolates and thank us customers for flying with Delta.

Overall Experience

I had a great flight with Delta in Business Class. While the Delta One Suites on the 767-400 aren’t Delta’s newest Business seat, the seats and the cabin are both pretty nice and comfortable. The Sky Clubs at JFK are great lounges, and the seat was comfortable and private enough, even without a door. Delta provides luxurious amenities in Delta One from premium brands, such as the Grown Alchemist. Overall, the food was delicious, especially the ravioli and the soup I had for dinner. Delta’s IFE offers an extensive selection, with plenty of movies and audio options. The service, however, was impressive, as it made up for the small mishaps I encountered during this experience. I would recommend Delta One when flying from the U.S. to South America.