Trip Report: Delta Air Lines (B767-400ER) Delta One ATL-SAN

The Details

Flight: DL918
Aircraft: B767-400ER
Class: Delta One (Business)
Seat: 9D
Route: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL)-San Diego (SAN)
Flight Time: 4hrs
Distance: 2,007miles
Departure: 8:10PM (EST)
Arrival: 9:28PM (PST)

The Preflight

After landing in Atlanta from Indy, I was alerted on my Delta app that I had been downgraded on the flight from Atlanta to San Diego. My original flight, DL702, had been swapped from a B767-400ER to a B767-300ER. That meant business class went from 34 to 26 seats and I had been downgraded to economy.

Delta was actually on top of this event and a few minutes after landing I received a proactive phone call from a Delta agent. She offered either $200 or 20,000 SkyMiles as compensation for the downgrade. Another choice was that I could take the later San Diego flight (DL918) in business class and still receive compensation for the delayed arrival. I elected for 20,000 miles and to take the later flight in business class.

What was originally a three-and-a-half-hour layover in Atlanta turned into a five-hour layover. I decided to walk all the way to the F terminal and then lounge hop the various Sky Clubs. The F Terminal Sky Club had an outdoor patio area with expansive views of the apron and taxiway which I enjoyed on this beautiful day.

There was an extensive offering of food options in the lounge as well. Cold options included a very tasty grilled chicken bahn mi sandwich.

There were also Asian-style noodles, tabouleh, carrot salad, and grilled chicken.

Hot food choices included stir-fried rice and teriyaki chicken.

Two soup options were vegetable and lentil soup and a chicken tortilla soup.

There was also a dip bar with hummus, cheese dip, cubed cheese, and tortilla chips. Dessert options included rice crispy bar, cookies, brownies, and pound cake.

I then made my way to the A concourse Sky Club. This gave me a great view of our B767-400ER pulling into the gate.

Our B767-400ER, registration N830MH, was delivered brand-new to Delta back in September 2000. She was over 20 years old and had spent her whole life flying for DL.

Boarding began at 7:32PM, about 25 minutes prior to our scheduled departure time.

All passengers boarded through the second door on the left side which meant business class passengers turned to the left after stepping on board.

The Flight

Delta Air Lines offers a total of 34 Delta One Studios onboard each B767-400ER arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration between the first and second set of doors.

The Delta One Studio seat is a modified Thompson Vantage seat. They are in a staggered configuration which meant odd-numbered seats were closer to the aisle while even-numbered seats were closer to the window.

Each seat is 20 inches wide.

While there was no door at the seat, there was a small wing panel next to the headrest which gave a semblance of privacy.

Each seat had an 18.5″ touchscreen IFE display which was high-definition and responsive to controls.

Below the IFE screen was the footwell. As with most staggered configuration seats, the footwell was small and restrictive.

Along the window was a very large console with smooth tabletop space.

The IFE remote and a small mirror were underneath the armrest.

A large and sturdy bi-fold tray table popped out from beneath the armrest.

A few seat controls were arranged along the console side.

Beneath the countertop was also a large storage bin. Seats that are flush along the window lack this storage space compared to the seats along the aisle. The seat was incredibly dirty…

Directly to the right of the seat were a literature pocket, water bottle, and headphone storage shelf.

I found the seat controls very intuitive.

Each seat also had two USB ports, a 110V outlet, and a headphone jack.

Next to the headrest was a small privacy wing. One thing that did bother me in the seat was the firmness of the seat. The cushioning was incredibly hard and by the end of the flight, I found it uncomfortable.

Awaiting each passenger at the seat was a small water bottle. At the door, flight attendants were distributing sanitizing wipes.

Each seat also came with a pair of noise cancelling headphones. The quality was not too bad but still not as good as my Bose QC35s.

The high-definition IFE screen was massive at 18.5″ and was highly responsive.

Boarding was completed at 7:58PM and we pushed back 12 minutes later.

We took off at 8:29PM after a twenty minute taxi to the runway.

Service began twenty minutes after takeoff with a beverage service. I had a Gin & Tonic which was pre-poured in a small plastic cup.

The “dinner” service was provided just two minutes later. Options included a turkey sandwich or superfood grain bowl. I went with the superfood grain bowl which came with a side of chocolate and crackers. The serving was pitifully small but tasty.

Throughout the flight, flight attendants would come through the cabin and refill drinks. I never went without an empty beverage.

Once dinner was finished, I reclined the seat and manage to nap to about two hours. I appreciated the “Do Not Disturb” button that Delta installed on the seats.

As we began our initial descent into San Diego, I used the Delta One lavatory behind my seat. It was nicely renovated with mood lighting. Malin+Goetz branded amenities were also provided.

I really did enjoy the lightening that Delta installed in their renovated B767-400ERs. The illuminated seat backs and blue hue gave a cabin a futuristic feel.