Delta Air Lines is returning to a transcontinental route that will put it in direct competition with American Airlines’ premium offering between New York and Southern California.
This route pits Delta head-to-head with American, which has long served JFK-SNA with its Airbus A321T aircraft. In sheer product terms, American’s Collins Diamond seats and Delta’s Delta One lie-flat seats in business class are largely identical, but what sets American apart on this particular route is the first class section and the free meal service in coach on these flights.
For years, American has enjoyed a relatively uncontested position on the premium New York-Orange County corridor (United also serves Newark, but with a Boeing 737-700 with a standard onboard product). Delta’s return to the market signals continued confidence in demand for premium coast-to-coast traffic and offers an alternative for flyers south of Los Angeles who prefer nonstop service without routing through LAX.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
