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Flight Review: Delta ONE Business Class 767-400 ATL-CDG

ByDW
The image shows a business or first-class airplane seat. The seat is upholstered in blue leather with a diamond pattern and has a red stripe near the top. On the seat, there is a large white pillow and a blanket, both wrapped in plastic. Next to the seat, on the armrest, there is a bottle of water and a black amenity kit. The seat also features a control panel and power outlets. The surrounding area includes other similar seats and passengers.

This past March I experienced roundtrip Delta long-haul business (aka Delta ONE) for the very first time. While I wish I could say I hurled through the sky in the brand spanking new Delta ONE A350 Suites… I instead was tucked in nice and tight (aka super cramped) into the Delta 767-400 seat 5B for the 9.5 hour flight from Atlanta to Paris… but hey! At least it was booked with Skymiles, and at least I was headed to Paris!

The image shows an aerial view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, during sunset. The tower is prominently centered, surrounded by the city's buildings and greenery. The sky has a gradient of warm colors, transitioning from orange near the horizon to a darker shade higher up. The cityscape extends into the distance, with a mix of modern and historic architecture.

This flight was just the beginning of my trip to Paris and Dublin, which ended with a similar (yet different) Delta ONE 767-400 experience from CDG-ATL.

A world map showing a flight path between two locations. The flight path is marked with a red line connecting ATL (Atlanta, USA) and CDG (Paris, France) across the Atlantic Ocean. The map highlights parts of North America, Europe, and Africa.

Pre-Flight –

The pre-flight process was smooth… connecting through ATL on an easy and uneventful 1.5hr flight from TPA arriving about 8:30PM. We made our way through the ATL airport from our arrival gate to the International Terminal (F) and headed straight up to the Delta Skyclub to spend the next few hours getting nice and tired for our midnight flight to Paris!

And… mission accomplished! By the time the 11:15PM boarding call came, I was dead tired with just enough energy to make it to the gate for boarding!

The Business Class Cabin –

After making a quick left at the 767 door, we made our way to a couple middle seats (5B, 5C) in the center of the of the 1-2-1 business class configuration and settled in for the flight.

A person is walking down an airport jet bridge, pulling a rolling suitcase. The jet bridge has a blue carpet with yellow and black striped edges. The person is wearing a gray coat and appears to be looking back. The walls of the jet bridge are white. The image shows a Delta Air Lines airplane parked at an airport gate at night. The aircraft is connected to a jet bridge, which passengers use to board and disembark. The nose of the plane is visible, and there is a ground service vehicle in front of it. The scene is illuminated by artificial lighting, and some airport equipment and safety cones are visible on the ground.

The image shows a business or first-class airplane seat. The seat is upholstered in dark blue leather with a diamond pattern and has a headrest with a red stripe. On the seat, there is a large white pillow and a blanket, both wrapped in plastic. The side console next to the seat has a bottle of water, a black amenity kit, and various controls and power outlets. The background shows other passengers and seats in the airplane cabin.

I originally booked seats 1A and 2A in for my wife and I in order to experience seat 1A and a bit more privacy and footwell space, but was informed a month before my flight that a seating error occurred and Delta double-booked those seats. I’m not sure 1) how this happened and 2) why we were the ones kicked out of our seats, considering I booked these tickets back in August, probably before anyone else?

The image is a screenshot of a seat selection interface for a Delta Airlines flight from Atlanta (ATL) to Paris (CDG) on a Boeing 767 aircraft. The interface shows the seating layout for the Delta One and Delta Comfort+ sections. The Delta One section has seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, with some seats marked as occupied (gray), available (white), and selected (red and yellow). The Delta Comfort+ section is shown below with a 2-3-2 configuration. The selected seat is 5B, and the name "Derek Winter" is displayed at the bottom. The top of the screen shows the current time as 8:44 AM and indicates the flight number as DL0084.

Oh well… row 5 it is! This actually ended up working out as the middle two seats in this configuration are perfect for travel companions!

The Seat – 5B –

Overall the leather seat (which I prefer to cloth) was comfortable, but I have definitely experienced a better business class seat. These Delta 767s are definitely showing signs of wear and tear, and seats felt dated and beat up.

The image shows a blue leather airplane seat in a business or first-class cabin. The seat has a quilted pattern and is equipped with a seatbelt. To the left of the seat, there is a small side table with a bottle of water and a black amenity kit. The side panel of the seat has various controls and a power outlet. The cabin floor is carpeted, and another passenger's legs are partially visible in the background.

This is an odd row seat, meaning the narrow armrest faces the aisle, whereas the even row seats have the large armrest that provides a bit more privacy from the aisle traffic.

Space was limited in all directions, but since this trip back was an overnight flight, it made for some tight sleeping quarters.

The biggest complaint on this business class is the footwell, and I cannot disagree. The footwell felt super tight, and when in fully lie-flat position, I was barely able to fit my 10.5 shoe size feet upright. I may be larger than the average passenger at 6’, but this is the most cramped I have felt in any business class seat… On a related note, my 5’ tall wife did not have any issue with the seat or footwell, so good news for all you tiny flyers out there!

A person wearing a digital wristwatch is seated in what appears to be an airplane. The watch displays the time as 11:32. The person's arm is resting on their lap, and another passenger's legs and shoes are visible in the aisle. The seating area has blue and white colors. The image shows a person's feet wearing light-colored sneakers and striped socks, resting on the floor of what appears to be an airplane. The person is seated, and the area under the seat in front of them is visible. There is a sign on the right side that reads "No stowage" and another sign in the middle that indicates "Maximum stowage 10 lbs." The floor is carpeted with a dark, speckled pattern.

Despite the small footwell and narrow seat, I was able to have one great night sleep (as far as airplane sleeps go), to the tune of 6 or so hours! Probably because the midnight departure had me in zombie mode!

The Entertainment –

IFE Monitor – Business class baby monitors – dented, tiny, and grainy screens. Not to mention a below average movie selection. I watched Murder on the Orient Express, which was just OK, but that was the extent of my interest in the movie selection. It’s weird, but I always look forward to these flights to binge watch movies, and this was a bit disappointing.

The image shows the back of an airplane seat. On the left side, there is a small screen, likely for in-flight entertainment. On the right side, there is a seat pocket containing a safety information card for a B767-400ER aircraft and other reading materials. The headrest of the seat is covered in blue material. In the background, the tops of other seats and a few passengers' heads are visible. The image shows an in-flight entertainment system remote control embedded in the armrest of an airplane seat. The remote features various buttons, including directional arrows, a numeric keypad, and colored buttons. There is a small digital display on the remote, and the armrest has a compartment that houses the remote. The compartment is partially open, revealing the remote inside.

Headphones – LSTN noise cancelling – very solid audio quality, and aesthetically pleasing with the wood grain!

A hand is holding a black drawstring bag with white text on it. The text reads "LSTN Sound Co. for Delta." Below that, there is a message stating, "Delta has ensured this bag is made of 100% recyclable materials." Additionally, it mentions that the headphones inside have been cleaned and sanitized. There are also some smaller text lines in various languages at the bottom of the bag. Alt text: A pair of LSTN Sound Co. over-ear headphones with wooden ear cups and a black headband. The headphones are placed on a black carrying case that has the LSTN Sound Co. logo and the word "DELTA" printed on it. A coiled audio cable is also visible, secured with a blue twist tie.

The Food and Drank –

Pre-departure champagne… which was followed by a warm towel and some spicy mixed nut assortment – the only thing that kept me awake for dinner!

A glass of champagne or sparkling wine is placed on a napkin with a red design, possibly depicting a pagoda or similar structure. The background appears to be an airplane tray table, suggesting the photo was taken during a flight. The image shows a small white bowl containing mixed nuts and a clear glass filled with ice and water, placed on a white tablecloth. In the foreground, there is a white napkin with the Delta logo printed on it, indicating that the setting is likely on a Delta Airlines flight.

Once airborne, the crew began the dinner service. While Delta offers a “Dine and Rest” option for your meal service to be delivered all at once, this option was not available on our flight. It seems that some of the ovens onboard were not operational, meaning the working ovens were needed just to keep the typical meal cadence going.

The image shows a section of a menu titled "MAIN COURSE." It mentions that Delta offers a 'Dine and Rest' option where the meal will be delivered all at once as a single service. Passengers are advised to inform their flight attendant if they prefer this option when making their entrée selection. Below this information, there are two entrée options listed: "Grilled Beef Filet with blistered peppers and peppercorn jus" and "Skillet Roasted Chicken Breast." The image shows a view from above of a person sitting in an airplane seat. The focus is on the tray table, which is in the closed position and spans across the person's lap. The person's legs and shoes are visible below the tray table. The tray table is light gray and has a hinge in the middle, indicating it can be folded. The surrounding area includes parts of the airplane seat and the floor.

Dinner –

To start… Butterbean and English pea hummus, served with pickled carrots, radishes, English cucumber and puffed rice chips. Caesars aviator salad with baby romaine and parmesan croutons, served with Caesar dressing. Creamy Vidalia onion soup topped with black pepper croutons. Selection of Eugene Kitchen bakery rolls.

 Alt text: A meal served on an airplane tray. The meal includes a small salad with dressing, a bread roll with butter, a bowl of soup with a crouton, a plate with crackers, sliced vegetables, and a scoop of green spread, possibly guacamole. A napkin with a metal napkin ring is placed on the side.

For the Main… I requested the skillet roasted chicken breast stuffed with artichoke and fromage blanc, served with spoonbread puree, roasted maitake mushrooms, broccolini, and herbed chicken jus.

A white plate with a meal consisting of a piece of seasoned and cooked fish, a serving of mashed potatoes, sautéed green vegetables, and a portion of mushrooms. The plate is placed on a tray with a textured surface.

Dessert… I fell asleep… so we will never know what I would have eaten, but the menu supposedly provided a selection of ice cream, strawberry bar or cheese!

Almost There aka Breakfast – 

Seasonal fruit, plus… Anson Mills grit breakfast casserole with leeks and white cheddar, served with chicken sausage links and sautéed asparagus.

The image shows a meal served on an airplane tray. The meal includes a main dish with a slice of casserole, a sausage, and a side of green vegetables (possibly asparagus). There is also a small bowl of mixed fruit, a small jar of jam, a piece of bread, a wrapped napkin with a utensil, a glass of orange juice, and a cup of tea or coffee. The tray is placed on a table, likely in an airplane seat.

The Amenities –

Amenity Kit – The Delta ONE amenity kits are TUMI branded, complete with some of the usual suspects: toothbrush/toothpaste, mouthwash, tissues, earplugs, socks, hand sanitizer… PLUS the real stars of the show – a TUMI branded eye-mask and Kiehl’s branded lip balm and hand and body lotion.

The image shows a hand holding a clear plastic-wrapped TUMI mini case. The packaging has a black label with white text that reads: "TUMI Perfecting the Journey for Delta. Monogram your TUMI mini case. Delta One." The case appears to be a promotional item for Delta One, a premium service offered by Delta Air Lines. A person is holding a small, shiny, silver-colored zippered pouch with a textured, wavy design. The pouch has a black rectangular label with the brand name "TUMI" embossed on it. The background appears to be a dark-colored surface, possibly a seat or table.

A person is holding an open black travel kit with the label "TUMI for DELTA" on the inside of the lid. The kit contains various items, including a tube of toothpaste, a pair of socks, and other small travel essentials. The items are neatly packed inside the kit. The image shows a collection of travel amenities typically provided in an airline amenity kit. The items include: - A gray TUMI-branded hard case. - A 15% discount card for TUMI products. - A small bottle of mouthwash. - A small bottle of hand sanitizer. - A pack of ultra-soft tissues. - A travel-sized tube of Kiehl's lip balm. - A travel-sized tube of Crest 3D White toothpaste. - A toothbrush with a protective cover. - A pen with the Delta logo. - A pair of black earplugs in a small round case. These items are arranged on what appears to be an airplane tray table.

Westin Heavenly Bedding – Perhaps another reason I was able to sleep so well! This stuff is fantastic and is a step above the usual business class offering. Solid move by Delta to leverage the SPG partnership to have this onboard.

The Ride & Views from the Wing –

Overall a smooth flight – no complaints. I didn’t get a look out the window but that’s ok since I am pretty familiar with what the Atlantic Ocean looks like.

Arrival –

We arrived right on schedule around 1:30PM local Paris time.

The image shows a Delta Airlines airplane parked on the tarmac at an airport. The aircraft is white with the word "DELTA" written in large blue letters on the side. The plane is connected to a mobile staircase, which is positioned next to the aircraft's door. The sky above is cloudy.

The image shows a wall with the word "BIENVENUE" prominently displayed in large, stylized letters. Below "BIENVENUE," the word "WELCOME" is written in smaller text, along with translations in other languages. Further down, the phrase "Paris n'attendait plus que vous" is written, which translates to "Paris was only waiting for you." The wall has a modern design with a metallic texture, and the floor is covered with a red carpet. The lighting is bright, illuminating the text on the wall.

Final Thought –

My Delta ONE Business Class experience on the 767-400 was good. The seat was OK, the meal was OK, the entertainment was OK, the service just OK, but that sleep experience brought the experience up a level! A good night of sleep is just what I needed to hit the ground running in Paris!

Have you ever flown Delta ONE Business on the 767-400? What did you think!?

Happy Travels!

DW

The image shows a white outline of a paper airplane on a blue circular background.

3 Comments

  1. Did Delta ONE last week ICN-SEA; was underwhelmed. Crew was great, as was the food, but the seat was old and cranky. Did sleep, so maybe it was worth the 80K miles I used for the trip. I found my trip over to ICN on AA was much better on their 787; newer aircraft.

    Reply

  2. Flew JFK-FCO in January on the old dog 767-400. I got seat 1A, my wife had 2A. Great, right? Ummm…not so fast. Her seat wouldn’t recline and they couldn’t work on it till after the meal service which meant two hours later. The cabin was super warm but I was prepared so took off my cotton quarter zip and sat there in a logo t-shirt. Trying out the IFE I could get only one movie to play. Ah, well…but then it quit and had to be rebooted which took twenty-plus minutes. Patience I told myself. A few minutes later it failed again. when it came back a half hour later, I could still get only the one movie to play and it wasn’t among my choices. In addition to the seat and IFE issues there were plenty of pieces showing wear and tear-moldings, seams, the seats-but that’s just cosmetic. The dinner meal was hurried (no wine glass refill) so I slept, albeit fitfully. Oddly, the thing that bugged me the most was the breakfast item, the casserole with leeks & cheddar. I can usually eat anything but I couldn’t eat half of this. After deplaning, a friend traveling with us said she heard an FA warn a nearby passenger about it so she had the other option which proved palatable. Returned from Europe on one of AA’s 777-200s and it was much better.

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  3. Flew ATL–>DUS on 767-400. Similar experience as written in this article. Food OK, service OK, entertainment options were very lacking, and the seats were old and cramped (for a business class.) I disagree on the noise reduction head phones offered in the seats – the audio was weak and didn’t seem to reduce any noise.
    For anyone reading this, to put into perspective what we mean by ‘old plane’….the head phone jack is the two-prong outlet, not the single prong (as is found on anything built since about 2005.)

    The flight attendants were good at their job but nearly the entire staff seemed unhappy (on both directions of my travel.) Maybe their is a pecking order of crew and the better crews get the newer planes?

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