Hello everyone, welcome back to another flight review! Today I'll be continuing with part 2 of short my Delta One showcases, on a domestic hop from JFK to LAX. As it always is with these older flights, my apologies for not being as detailed as my newer journeys. I specifically tried to fly out of JFK this time around to try out Delta One's new D1 lounge. Unfortunately this was a morning flight so only breakfast was on the menu, but I found it to be a wonderful experience!
Believe it or not, this was my first visit to JFK (other than one when I was three), so some extra excitement around one of the most famous airports.
TSA and screening moved quick, and I found myself staring at some wonderful tarmac views.
Also my first time spotting an AI bird in person, not with those famous exterior Indian window designs today. Boarding was imminent for this flight and that meant a very busy terminal.
After looking around, I found what my target, Deltas (then) new D1 lounge at JFK.
After double checking my documents, the agent welcomed me in and up the elevator. My goodness this lounge was beautiful!
More beverage options than you could imagine, and keep in mind all the beers and alcoholic options weren't even open.
Breakfast features hot buffet options and a made-to-order omelette station. Unlike regular buffets, the food here were behind a glass and needed a staff member to help provide. The omelette station wasn't too busy, and I received mine in a few minutes. I also grabbed a coffee with the cup featuring the D1 lounge.
I found the lounge staff at reception extremely friendly and helpful. However, the guys serving food were somewhat impatient. Moving on…
After breakfast, my visit to the lounge concluded. I found it to be a top lounge and significantly enhances the prestige and glamor with flying D1. I'm curious how lunch/dinner is like here, judging from what I've seen online the food looks great. The lounge design is very elegant with lots of seating and whatever you're in the mood to eat. I do wish the breakfast staff had more patience given the prices of these flights, but otherwise it was a solid lounge experience.
Making my downstairs, I headed past some more tarmac views on the way to my gate.
Stepping onboard today's 24 year Boeing 767-300, I was delighted to see all the amenities on offer. A full amenity kit and bedding were provided, the same that DL offers on transatlantic Asian flights. A bottle of water and some headphones were also provided. Charging ports available under the headphones. A menu card was also offered (sorry again, for no picture!)
I wasn't able to snatch a seat that's closer to the window with more privacy, but a window seat is always a win.
Sorry for not getting a forward shot, but here you can sort of see the tiny IFE screen.
We departed JFK at 9:52, 3 minutes early on our 7 hour and 8 minute flight to LAX.
Immediately after takeoff, the crew began service. Luckily for us, despite it being an early departure, lunch (and not breakfast) was on the menu. i began with some ginger ale, iced coffee, and warm mixed nuts.
The meal, as with all Delta flights (domestic or international) all arrived on one plate. I went for the chicken entree today. The meal also featured a warm hawaiian bread roll, salad, and a cold beef appetizer. Out of the three side dishes, the bread was probably my favorite. It was warm, buttery, and very fluffy. The salad and beef were quite bland and not too exciting. The chicken was great, I loved the sauce and the meat was quite tender.
A quick note on the crew today, they weren't too invested in us passengers. I agree Delta has the best hard product in J out of the big three, but crew-wise they're lacking behind UA (of course, judging solely from my personal experience). AA's crew aren't even in the conversation given my experiences with them, feel free to check out the Chicago-Madrid journey:(. Delta's crew today, as with all their flights, are never below par but haven't shown real passion or enthusiasm of the sort I experienced with United.
After the main meal, desserts were offered and I ordered my go-to cheese platter. The lights were also dimmed as meal service concluded, which was strange since this was a day flight and it got really quite dark. The cheese was just fine, nothing too exciting. Overall, the chicken and bread shined.
With the lights off, I decided to get some sleep. WiFi worked well and is free to SkyMiles members.
Nothing too notable happened after lunch, and again the crew never came around the cabin to check on us or offer any drinks/snacks. They just disappeared into the galley and chitchatted until we arrived.
On the bright side, LAX's lineup of jumbo jets never disappoints. I plan to just sit at In-N-Out burger from dusk to dawn one of these days, sounds like the perfect aviation getaway!
