Originally Posted by
Alohashirt
I did. My mistake.
Correct... and Delta One is $1000 more than regular Delta First on the days/times I need it. I'm also baffled about why the one D1 flight a day from LAX-DCA is a daytime flight when I would think people would pay a premium for a lie-flat overnight. But that's for another day.
1. Hard product: That includes a comfortable seat with maximum pitch
2. Convenience
3. Cost: On the days/times I want, Delta and Alaska are surprisingly close
4. Soft Product: Thank you, BenA! Your post addressed every concern I had. Delta it is.
1. Alaska has substantially more leg room compared to the DL 737 or A321
2. Delta has more connecting options and generally handles IROPS better
3. Cost is a wash
4. I actually find the soft product marginally better on Alaska, or at least a tossup. The lack of PDB is a huge annoyance, but I find the meal catering and FA service better on Alaska (and fewer bad apple crews), with more meal and snack options than Delta on shorter flights.
Overall, I think Delta is a narrow winner for your needs, with convenience and flexibility trumping comfort. If miles/FFP are a consideration, Alaska may be best. Four or five transcon 1-ways in paid first would easily get you to MVP, and if you’re paying anything less than $1,600 per round trip you will typically accrue more redeemable miles on Alaska.