Early this year I did a one-way (on UA/EI) from Hawaii to the UK for an insanely cheap fare (under $500). That meant all my round-trips were originating from there, and so on.

This summer, I needed to go back to Hawaii, but it was more expensive to do it one-way on CO/NW than round-trip... so I booked a round-trip to EWR on CO, and a round-trip from EWR to Hawaii on NW, and all was well. I set my returns for the "distant future" - the end of October.

Wouldn't you know it - I wind up with return flights to the UK at the end of October, then find out I have to be in Japan right around then!

So after blocking off some time as "not available for work" and checking some fares, I changed my return flight ($100 fee - guess not even plats can escape that) to early October, picked up a cheap (sub-$400) one-way return on Delta (EQMs!) transcontinental and ATA to Hawaii. I'll visit a friend who's in grad school on the east coast, hopefully stop and see my folks, and visit another friend on the west coast on my way back.

And all this just so I wouldn't have half a ticket unused on NW!

(I may be a cheap-seater, but I'm loyal.)

Anyway, this is my first time flying Delta, at all, ever. I've got 3 segments lined up (PHL-ATL-LAX, LAX-OAK) and it'll be interesting to see what it's like. I'm not expecting any upgrades on it - but I'll certainly ask at the gate.

Out of curiosity, though - what should I expect on a coast-to-coast 737-800?