Difference between FC and Delta One
 

Recently bought 2 FC tix FLL-HNL for April. Paid about $2300 each, All flights were labeled FC. Chose ATL and 764 connection with the Vantage seats because it's a daytime flight and we probably won't use the bed feature. For the return, chose MSP with the A330 and better herringbone FC. Today I get a notice from Delta that there has been a change. At first I couldn't tell what was different until I noticed now the HNL-MSP flight is now a 763...OK bummer but still better than coach. Now I see that both HNL flights are no longer labeled FC but are now Delta One. And if I booked the exact same flights today they'd be about $4K instead of $2300
So my question is what really is the difference? I'm already AMEX Platinum so I was planning on using the lounge anyway. What's the inflight difference? Should I be happy or sad about this change?

ATL-HNL Delta One has better food and lie flat seats

Delta One is far superior to FC; international J seats instead of domestic F seats...today is your lucky day

I would not just be happy, I would be jumping with joy

I guess it's a tradeoff . . . .

The OP is trading a FABULOUS A330 lie-flat that's labeled "First Class" with standard F food and a blankie, for a mediocre B763 lie-flat with slightly better food and a quilted duvet.

The difference is that you should expect a small upgrade in food and soft product (actual upgrade remains to be seen, if there's an upgrade at all), but you were downgraded on the loss of the A330 seat. I would be quite unhappy, especially since you booked through MSP for the A330 seat. Now there's no difference between the two flights. I'd ask for a change on the return through ATL if you want a shorter flight time.

The increased price isn't a factor here. That's just DL charging more because it's now officially D1, even though in this case it was already "D1-lite" service, and the seat was actually downgraded.

In this case first class was already D1-lite, and now the seat was downgraded. So no, in this case D1 is not far superior to FC. For many it's inferior.

I actually like the 763 seats if they're the same as what they fly TATL. I like 'em better than the 330 if I'm traveling with someone because we can easily see and talk to each other, whereas the 330 is a bit more private from how the seats are angled.

Delta One is better than Delta first class, so that is an improvement.

But the aircraft change is an issue. I'd rank them as:
1) 767 row 1
1.5) Any row on A330
and then a distant 3rd place) Any other row on 767

If you can get row 1, you're fine. Otherwise, a bit of a bummer about the aircraft change.

I did not realize he had lie-flat one way with FC designation, but he did get upgrade the other direction.

I like all the J seats except the 777.......maybe there is another A330 seat I have not seen because the one I have flown is really no better than any other that I can tell. Of course the last time I had it AMS-DTW the seat was broken

IMO they are all good with none being great...have not been on 747

I take AF CDG-DXB frequently and that seat is much nicer than anything I have seen at DL...the food sucks but it is only 7 hours so I'll take the better seat (and IFE) any day

DL provided the D1 blankets and pillows on this F service already. For onboard service, the food upgrade is the only real difference.

I personally don't think the A330 is worthy of the word FABULOUS. It's a nice J seat, but hardly the best out there, and IMO, only a little bit better than the 767.

So, the question becomes, based on the OP's pricing, is the upgrade from First Class to Delta One worth $1700 round trip?

If you check the non-stop fares out of ATL, there isn't really any fare bump pre and post D1 designation. What's happening here is that for fares prior to the D1 change, there are single, through F fares available from many origins. Post D1 designation, you are only getting broken fare pricing with an F fare on the segment to/from ATL/MSP combined with a D1 fare on the ATL/MSP to HNL segment. The broken fare construction can be seen when you click on the fare rules. I suspect they are still working on the fares on these and at some point there will be single through D1 fares so that you don't get stuck two separate fares (an F and a D1) when connecting to the HNL flights.

It's worth what people are willing to pay for it, no more and no less. So we'll just have to see what happens.

Again, the situation is almost certainly temporary until they get through D1 fares published. When you price out a FLL-LHR D1 trip, you get a single through D1 fare. You do not get separate F fares for FLL-ATL or FLL-DTW, combined with a D1 fare on ATL-LHR and DTW-LHR. For example, ZN1XU6D6, is a through D1 fare for FLL-LHR for $3073 roundtrip. When you price FLL-HNL, there are no through D1 fares yet when connecting through ATL or MSP. So you get an F fare on FLL-ATL (say TAUUX0FB), combined with a D1 fare for ATL-HNL (say BA0IA0DQ) and are basically paying for an F trip between FLL-ATL and a D1 trip between ATL-HNL. The total of those two separate example fares is $3679.