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The best American airline for British travellers? I’ve found the answer

Memories of threadbare seats and unidentifiable food mean many British travellers avoid American carriers – but Delta is determined to change that.

Chief executive Ed Bastian has spent billions on jets, cabins and lounges. Based on my recent flights from London to New York and Denver, on different aircraft in all classes, the investment is paying dividends.

The UK hub airport: London Heathrow (T3)

Score: 5/10

T3 is Heathrow’s oldest terminal and suffers from low ceilings, bad light and long walks to the gates. But check-in is fast for Delta passengers in all classes because it shares partner airline Virgin Atlantic’s large, dedicated check-in wing.

Security can be slow, however, because there are too few scanners. More are being installed, with new technology so electronics and liquids can stay in our hand luggage.

In departures there’s the usual Pret A Manger, Caffe Nero and Yo Sushi, plus a Paul Smith. But that’s as good as it gets. Those flying business class can use Virgin’s private drive-in check in and security.

The route network

Score: 8/10

Delta has non-stop services from Heathrow to Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St Paul, New York JFK, Salt Lake City and Seattle.

It also offers non-stop services from Gatwick to New York and from Edinburgh to New York, Boston and Atlanta (BA only flies to the US from London). Delta has a vast domestic network, with flights to more than 200 airports.

My tip: Consult a high-street travel agency because US carriers sometimes offer special fares via the travel trade.

The fleet

Score: 6/10

Delta has the Airbus A330 and the spacious A350, which will be familiar to many UK travellers used to flying BA and Virgin Atlantic.

A Delta Airbus A330

A Delta Airbus A330 - Getty

It also flies narrower Boeing 767s, which offer smaller cabins but are very long in the tooth, with dated interiors and tiny video screens by modern standards. Try to travel on the newer A330neo or the A350. The aircraft type will be listed on the booking website.

The cabins

Delta offers three classes on long-haul routes. Unlike BA, it has no first class.

Delta opted for faux-leather over fabric for the seats in all cabins on its newer jets which in its trademark shade of blue looks cheap to my eye. Virgin’s dark burgundy feels more refined. Wi-Fi is free for Delta SkyMiles account holders in all cabins. You can sign up after take-off if you did not join when booking.

Delta Main and Delta Comfort (Economy)

Score: 7/10

Delta offers several rows of Delta Comfort extra legroom seats in its economy cabin, with a 34-36in pitch, compared to around 31in in Delta Main. They cost around £75 more – a worthwhile investment.

Delta Main is like most long-haul economy cabins, but at least the 18in-wide seats are arranged 2-3-2 and 2-4-2 on the A330s and the 767s (but not on most of its A350s), so couples can snag a window and aisle without having to share with a stranger.

United and AA economy seats are usually arranged 3-3-3 or 3-4-3. The wrap-around headrest means no neck pillow is needed. There are USB ports on all planes and full plug chargers on many A330s and 767s. Delta has ditched amenity kits in economy and, irritatingly, you have to ask for blankets and a pillow. Food is your typical economy gruel, but alcoholic drinks are free.

Delta Premium Select (Premium Economy)

Score: 7/10

US carriers were late to the premium-economy party and began by offering little more than a slightly bigger seat with economy food. Delta’s new Premium Select is a big improvement. Space – a 19in-wide seat with a 38in pitch – is in line with its competitors, and each seat benefits from a reading light, sturdy over-ear noise-cancelling headphones, and a plug socket to charge devices.

The premium-economy cabins on the 767 and A330 feel exclusive. On the 767-400 there are only 20 seats, arranged 2-2-2, rather than the usual 30-plus seats arranged 2-3-2 or 2-4-2. The seats are arranged 2-3-2 on the A330 but there are still only 21.

The menus are more limited than on Virgin and BA. I was offered chicken tikka masala or artichoke ravioli for dinner flying London-JFK, and Greek yoghurt with fruit and granola when I woke up on the return red-eye. The amenity kit contains a toothbrush but – oddly – no toothpaste.

My tip: If you like looking out of the window, choose your seat wisely on the 767. Not every Premium Select “window” seat on that jet has one. Delta is being sued in US court for selling “window” seats that don’t have windows.

Delta One (Business Class)

Score: 8/10

Delta One mini-suites on the airline’s flagship A330neo and A350 jets are arranged 1-2-1. Each has aisle access and a door that closes fully. The 22.5in-wide chair converts into a 6ft 7in-long bed. There’s a side table, adjustable lighting, and two windows on my preferred window seat. The table is side-hinged but sturdy. The Missoni-branded amenity kit looks great but oddly has non-Missoni-branded toiletries. There’s a mattress, duvet, pillow and slippers.

Delta's food

Delta’s food has improved beyond recognition in recent years

Some like the middle seats on the front row, which have a wider footwell since there is no seat in front, but they are close to the galley so can be noisy. Couples can travel side by side in the centre pairs.

Delta’s food is transformed. I enjoyed smoked salmon with horseradish cream, with Taittinger champagne, and braised beef short rib, served with a chunky Malbec. It would be better if Delta One meals were served in courses, rather than in one go on the same tray. There are fast dedicated check-in areas and private security lines for Delta One passengers at JFK and Los Angeles Airport.

My tip: For a quiet flight, I recommend the window seats in the middle of the cabin; you have the side table between you and the aisle, so are less likely to be disturbed when flight attendants walk past.

The service

Score: 7/10

To European ears, American service lacks the humour you can find on Virgin. But Delta is better than most US carriers, many of which still seem to regard passengers as self-loading freight. If only they could ditch those drab grey uniforms.

In terms of reliability, Delta performs well, with an on-time departure and arrival percentage on UK routes of 77.5 per cent (compared to BA’s 66.8 per cent) in 2024.

The loyalty programme

Score: 8/10

Delta’s tie-in with Virgin makes it the best US carrier for Britons who want to earn status and air miles. You earn Virgin Flying Club tier points and miles when you fly Delta. American Airlines and BA share a loyalty programme but AA offers an inferior international product to Delta on the ground and in the air and recent changes to the BA Club, which make it more expensive to earn status, makes it less attractive. United has some snazzy new cabins but does not code-share with a major British carrier, which makes it unattractive.

The lounges

Score: 9/10

At Heathrow, business-class travellers and Delta Diamond Medallion members travelling premium economy can use the Virgin Clubhouse, the best lounge at Heathrow by miles. The new Delta One lounges at JFK, Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle are the best in the US.

The Sky Club and Delta One Lounge in Seattle

The Sky Club and Delta One Lounge in Seattle - Chiris Rank/Rank Studios

At the 40,000 sq ft flagship JFK lounge there’s Missoni furniture and a restaurant with a drinks trolley; the waiter mixed my Martini next to my table. I enjoyed salmon sashimi, black cod in miso, and passion fruit soufflé for dinner. If you don’t have much time, there’s a buffet with pizza from the pizza oven.

The spa offers complimentary massages and there are vast showers – although there can be long waits for both. If you have a few hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket, staff will drive you across the tarmac to your aircraft, minutes before departure, in a Delta red Porsche SUV. Ask for Champagne. Not the drink. That’s the name of one of the chauffeurs.

Overall rating: 7/10

Delta is the best overall US carrier for UK-based travellers.

About our expert

John Arlidge

From British Airways Concorde to the 21-hour non-stop Qantas flight from London to Sydney, John Arlidge has flown more miles, on more airlines, on more routes than any other UK aviation writer.

He has been highly commended six times as Feature Writer of the Year and Business Journalist of the Year in the British Press Awards.

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