First-class passengers flying Delta Air Lines can rejoice: the U.S. airline revealed the design for its new first-class seats on domestic flights, and they’re awesome.
The innovative, first-class cabin will be featured onboard Delta’s new Airbus A321neo, slated to be delivered fourth quarter later this year, so you’ll get to experience them by October 2020. The seat will offer more privacy, more comfort, larger screens and “superior storage,” according to Delta, and there will be 20 first-class seats per plane, meaning there will be 5 rows of 4 seats in a 2-2 configuration.
Take a look.
The next-generation design of the A321neo first class seats is a significant improvement from current seats and have various features of international business-class cabins. It’s as if Delta took the two classes and merged them together to produce an upgraded experience. Here’s how:
The seats include a fixed headrest that offers increased privacy. While these headrests do not exist on current first-class seats, and most business class cabins are veering toward complete privacy with doors, these seats are a good compromise.
Due to the solid surface of the headrests, passengers will be able to prop their heads for better sleep. The headrests do not compromise seat width or space.
The seats offer memory-foam cushions for added comfort. Memory foam is used in business class seats for a handful of international airlines, but not in first-class domestic cabins, so this is a huge perk for passengers flying with Delta.
The seat has a larger and sturdier tray table with up to 25 percent more workspace than current first class seats, according to Delta. Translation: it will be possible to work on your laptop, have a place for your phone and have a beverage all on your tray.
The seat offers 3X more volume for personal items and devices, including a dedicated laptop stowage and water bottle stowage for all phases of the flight. This is a great feature that addresses one of my longest concerns: there’s never anywhere to temporarily store your laptop on a flight right before take-off.
Like most business-class seats on an international flight, these new first-class seats have customer-facing power ports. You’ll no longer have to contort in your seat to find the plug underneath you.
The A321neo will offer an enhanced wireless, in-flight entertainment system as part of a multi-billion dollar investment, according to Delta.
The new A321neo (*new engine option) has a total of 194 seats. Delta expects delivery in the fourth quarter of 2020, and 100 of these planes are on order. Delta currently has 98 A321-200 planes in service.
Delta’s current first-class seats on the A321 are fine. They’re comfortable and spacious, with a USB port in the screen, but in comparison to the new A321neo, they offer less privacy, smaller screens and no place to comfortably put your laptop. While the seats are comfortable, it’s not memory foam.
And A321neo is a significant upgrade from the A320, which is common on shorter flights.
Who’s excited?
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Jimmy Im has traveled to 113 countries, stayed in over 600 hotels and has flown a million airmiles. He lives in New York City.