Originally Posted by
AADFW
Is AA holding its own when it comes to first class domestic service, or has DL clearly taken the lead?
Until recently, I've been a long-standing AA loyalist. Recently, I've been dabbling in DL paid domestic F offerings. Although my experience is indeed my own, the difference in quality across the board has nonetheless been nothing short of astonishing. I have found this to be true across service, hard product, and catering.
For example (among many other points of comparison), consider the food. DL seems to have kicked things up a notch with an array of delectable options that very clearly outshine anything on offer at AA. Whether you're in the domestic FC cabin or lounging it up, Delta's offerings consistently wow with their quality and variety. Even the Flagship Lounge falls way short in comparison. Delta's freshness, flavors and presentation are all on another level in general.
The DL FAs have been, almost without exception, absolute stars on my past ~10 DL domestic flights. They exude a genuine desire to make my flight a memorable one, going above and beyond to ensure I'm a happy camper from before takeoff (never not had a PDB so far) until landing. On American's A321 routes between major markets, the FC service usually comes off as mostly absent... and when it is present it seems indifferent at best.
Since I spend my own money for domestic F for both personal and business, I honestly couldn't care less about free upgrades or the FF programs. So, I'm seriously contemplating making DL my top choice for domestic travel on the segments where it makes sense. Fortunately, there is ample AA/DL overlap on all of those routes. But I suppose this puts me in a considerable minority on multiple fronts.
What are your thoughts and experiences with AA vs. DL domestic F? Have you noticed a big difference in quality, too?
My experience has been pretty different than that tbh. I regularly fly both carriers and have status with both. IMHO:
- Both carriers' domestic F meals are awful. If I have to pick, based on recent flights I'd go with AA, but it's a close call.
- DL inarguably has the edge on domestic lounge food; ACs are not even in the same league; but internationally I strongly prefer the flagship lounge food vs the SkyPub food.
- AA FAs are better (less bad) than DL in my experience, e.g., with PDB consistency at say 20-30% on AA and 10-15% on DL, anecdotally.
- Complain about AA elite desk agents all you want (lord knows I do it plenty), but DL call center is clown show beyond comprehension; they make the AA call center look like a league of philosopher-kings.
- Their upgrade certs are glitchy as all hell. There is no rhyme or reason to using these things. At least with AA, the rules are clear and things basically work the same way every time. This is not a complaint about on-paper availability of instrument upgrades, though I think AA wins there too. But here, I'm just talking about the basic technology and agent training to get the certs to do what the published rules say they should do. And that's before we get into gray areas like IROPs where AA will protect you in the same class of service and DL has recently decided that their own IROPs are an excellent reason to f you over, throw you back in coach, and force you to find more upgrade space (which, lol).
- Beyond all of these particulars, there's just a general sense that you're expected to feel in awe and lucky for flying Delta, rather than Delta being grateful to have you as a customer, from *every DL employee you interact with,* whether call center or gate agent or FA, or check in agent, or lounge, etc. etc.
IMHO DL clearly had a superior operation for a time pre-pandemic, but that differential has mostly leveled out between the US3 now; but the arrogance that came with being number 1 has still lingered; percolated, even...