NW 1st SO Much better than DL
 

I flew at 6:15AM ABQ-ATL on DL and got a last minute surprise upgrade because I was NW Plat. (SkyTeam Elite Plus). This is a scheduled 2H 35M flight. DL 1st served nothing for breakfast. NW always serves something. The DL seat was far less confortable with less leg room than NW.

I love my NW. :D

The real revalation here is that you got upgraded on DL! That's a freakin miracle. There must have been no one on that flight. They suck.

Actually not
 

I got the last seat in 1st and it was full in back also. Hence why I think I got it.

My last 2 First Class experience on NW did not serve anything.
DTW-MSP
DTW-BWI

Nothing, nadda!

Mileage Check
 

DTW-MSP 528 miles
DTW-BWI 408 miles

ABQ-ATL 1267 miles

You always get breakfast MSP-DCA 931 and I agree not much MSP-MEM at 700, but expecting something at under 600 miles is not reasonable in this day and age.

"Which is better" depends on the route, aircraft used, crew attitudes, and service (i.e. food) provided. However, I am flying both DL and NW this year as an elite on each and I like them both in F. I have noticed that on some comparable routes that DL will serve a small meal they call a snack and NW will serve a snack basket. DL also has IFE (TV shorts) even on shorter flights. However, the legroom on the DL MD-88 leaves a lot to be desired, while the legroom on the NW Airbus flights is very good. So I think it is relative. However, both are better than coach on either! :)

You didn't bother to mention if this was pre- or post-
snack basket. Even pre-snack basket, they at least
had nuts and pretzels.

I am still in shock that the 7:38p departure from DTW-PHX I flew on Friday had just a snack basket...flight time is supposed to be 4h 31m or so...

Perhaps they had an issue with the catering service. Regardless, the pax should be notified.

That's really odd. The 738p departure DTW-SEA serves a full meal and it's scheduled for 4hr50mins.

I don't believe it's a catering issue as asianrick pointed out because they don't even load a snack basket on the DTW-SEA flight because it's catered for dinner. So I think the only way a snack basket showed up is because dinner isn't supposed to be served?

BTW...doing a first class search on nwa.com shows the following:
DTW-PHX (738p) has "Meal: Food For Purchase" (it's a website bug)
DTW-SEA (738p) has "Meal: Dinner"

Doesn't explain why DTW-west coast (LAX/SFO/SEA/PDX) evening flights get a meal but they don't to PHX.

-RM

IFE on shorter flights? I was on a 738 sunday...I dont consider our current position, routing etc to be IFE...I much prefer BYOIFE

I can't remember a flight in F last year that didn't at least have the snack basket, including:
MEM-MCI 393
MSP-MCI 393
DTW-RDU 501
DTW-MCI 629

I also prefer BYOIFE, and I resent having to close my window shade to block what I consider the best provided IFE -the window. That said, I do prefer DL's GPS rather than BYOGPS, which can be a pain getting enough satellite signals and having to shut it down before 10,000'. DL's 738s also have power, which is great for long flights, especially when combined with a tight connection making recharging impossible.

I did BWI-MEM over the summer, which is 2.5 hours leaving at 5PM and it didn't have a meal or snack basket. The snack basket was a catering issue...never got loaded. But 2.5 hours leaving exactly at dinner time seems like enough for a meal to me.

I agree with the OP, however that DL first just doesn't look as nice, especially comparing MDs to DCs. Don't forget that NW still has 16 F on all mainline...DL has 14 on MD80s and 12 on MD90s (basically the same capacity as a 738). Although according to seat guru, DL F has better ..... on MDs than NW has on both DCs and A320s (37 v. 34-36).

IFE or no IFE is a matter of personal preference. However, I see an airline offering of some sort of way to pass the time as a positive. I usually read and I do not haul many portable electronic devices with me (except a Blackberry, phone, sometimes a laptop), so I like the option of watching or listening to something without necessarily having to bring it all with me.

By short flight, I meant a mainline flight of approximately 700 miles (one hour 45 mins. to two hours), for example ATL to the NYC area.