Delta’s Innovative New First Class Seat

We haven't seen much innovation or creativity when it comes to the quality of first class seats in the United States. We have just seen airlines reduce legroom in first class.

I think it's worth mentioning the brand new first class seat which entered passenger service today. We should expect 155 of these to be delivered to the airline between now and the year 2027.

Delta’s new A321neo first class seat

Delta's narrow body fleet will eventually be made up of a good chunk of the A321neo, which is an exciting new chapter for the airline. This is a more fuel efficient and longer range version of the previous generation A321.

The all new first class seat on this plane was designed by FactoryDesign and RECARO. The A321neos will have 20 of these seats spread across five rows in a 2-2 configuration, with 37 of pitch, which is pretty standard.

Delta's A321neo first class seats are special.

• They feature “wings” along the sides of the fixed headrest for more privacy
• Each seat has a 10″ personal television with an extensive entertainment library
• Tray tables are larger and sturdier, and have 25% more workspace compared to the previous first class seats
• Seats have an in-arm water bottle storage compartment, and more storage underneath the seats in front
• Power outlets are to the side of the seat, rather than at the seat in front

There are new Delta first class seats on the A321neo.

Larger overhead bins, Viasat high-speed wi-fi, and quieter engines are included in the new first class product.

Is Delta’s new first class evolutionary or revolutionary?

We haven't seen much progress in the domestic first class experience in a long time. Until now, airlines have decided that there was no room for innovation.

There are some things I like about Delta's new first class seats.

• I appreciate that the power outlets aren’t at the seat in front, as that sometimes creates a tripping hazard, and complicates things if you’re in the aisle seat and the person in the window wants to get up
• I appreciate the larger and sturdier tray table, since some tray tables are problematic in that way
• The seats have more storage than before, which is long overdue
• The seats have improved privacy, and it’s nice to be able to rest your head on the headrest “wings”
• In general the cabin looks sleek

There are some things I don't like about Delta's new first class seats.

• Some people may not love the headrest privacy “wings” if they’re traveling with someone, or if they enjoy looking out the window (because it can partly obstruct window views)
• The seats look really thin, so I’m curious to see how the padding is, as I feel like that could be a challenge

I haven't had the chance to try these seats yet, but they definitely look like an improvement over the old seats. I get the sense that these seats are evolutionary.

Delta is the first US airline to be getting innovative in this way, but the concept is not new. Turkish Airlines has business class seats that look similar. Turkish cabin is larger than Delta's.

Delta's first plane with a domestic first class seat has just entered service, and with that, the carrier's first plane with that seat is also in service. For the first time in a long time, we are seeing some real innovation to the domestic first class seat.

The new configuration is just as efficient as the old one, but has some cool new features.

I don't think this seat will redefine domestic first class or anything, but I am excited to try it out, and I think Delta listened to customer feedback in some important ways.

What do you think about Delta's new first class seats? Please report back if you have the chance to try it.