Later this month Delta will commence its first commercial service with its brand new Airbus A350. The A350 will be replacing the airline’s 747-400’s and become the backbone of Delta’s long haul fleet for years to come. Seeing as this aircraft marks an enormous milestone for Delta, I figured it would be beneficial to recap everything we know about the aircraft.
What Will Delta’s A350 Look Like from a Passenger Perspective?
The short answer: It looks pretty damn good.
In business class, Delta has revolutionized the industry. They were the first airline in the world to announce that they intended to install doors on all of its business class seats, creating a “mini suite.” (*Note: Qatar’s “Q Suite” has doors and is already in service, but Delta announced that they would have doors before them) This is unheard of in business class besides Qatar’s “Q suite”, and was previously only available in the worlds top tier first classes on the likes of Emirates, Etihad, and Singapore Airlines.
Delta One (business class) consists of 32 fully flat seats equipped with seat-back personal entertainment, power outlets, and a door that can be closed to create a personal suite. Business class is outfitted in a 1-2-1 configuration, with all passengers receiving direct aisle access.
The cabin looks very sleek.
Meanwhile, Delta will also be unveiling their new premium economy product on the A350 which is called “Delta Premium Select.” This class consists of 48 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. Here, seats will be 18.5 inches wide with 38 inches of pitch. For a first generation premium economy, it looks pretty good.
Passengers flying in Premium Select will receive Sky Priority status that will allow them to cut both check-in and security queues. In addition, premium economy passengers will be given Tumi amenity kits (like in Delta One) that consist of eye shades, socks, earplugs and various toiletries.
Finally, Delta’s economy class will consist of 226 seats in a 3-3-3 layout. Each seat will have seat-back entertainment and access to power outlets. Seat width will clock in around 18 inches, while pitch will max out at 32 inches. Nothing fancy here, cattle class will still be a bit excruciating on some of the A350’s ultra long-haul flights.
The A350 will also offer all passengers WIFI connectivity, which will allow business and leisure travelers alike to stay up to date on work, e-mails, and priorities on the ground.
So, Where Will This Aircraft be Flying?
As of the writing of this post, Delta has unveiled the first 6 A350 routes.
As you can see, Delta is really focusing A350 operations from its hub in Detroit. While these may not be flagship routes like JFK-LHR or LAX-SYD, this sort of network planning makes sense. Delta’s 747-400’s primarily operated out of DTW, so upon retirement, the A350’s will just take over many of the existing 747 routes out of Detroit. This is magnificent news for Midwest travelers, as many of their international routes will see a significantly superior cabin product.
Here are the destinations that will be operated by the A350, in chronological order of when the aircraft will enter service on the route.
- Detroit (DTW) to Tokyo (NRT): A350 operates from October 30, 2017.
- Detroit (DTW) to Seoul (ICN): A350 operates from November 18, 2018.
- Detroit (DTW) to Beijing (PEK): A350 operates from January 17, 2018.
- Atlanta (ATL) to Seoul (ICN): A350 operates from March 24, 2018.
- Detroit (DTW) to Amsterdam (AMS): A350 operates 1 of 4 daily flights between DTW and AMS from March 31, 2018.
- Detroit (DTW) to Shanghai (PVG): A350 operates from April 19, 2018.
To the Point!
The A350 is a true game changer for Delta. Upon its introduction, it will offer the best business class product of the “big 3” U.S. legacy carriers. Throughout history, we have seen Delta lead the charge on product innovation, with American and United following behind and either mimicking DL’s moves or creating something slightly different. Most recently, we have seen this with the introduction of free in flight messaging. Delta introduced the feature, and then American promptly followed suit.
While I don’t see AA or UA installing business class suites with doors anytime soon, this is just another great example of Delta’s innovative mindset.
*Featured Image Courtesy of Delta
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