This fall, I bought a super-saver overseas flight from JFK to CDG so that I could meet up with a friend in Amsterdam. I wasn’t sure what to expect out of a long-haul Delta flight, because I’d only flown short-haul with this carrier.
Here is my review of each stage of the flight, and a total rating of my experience!
Pre-Boarding: ⭐⭐
Pre-boarding in JFK was a hot mess. People were everywhere in the hallway for this flight, the gate agents were scrambling to get everyone organized to board, and it was a nightmare.
I’m glad I sat down and just waited until they began scanning boarding passes, because others stood in line for at least 45 minutes after the pre-boarding announcement.
Boarding: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The boarding process itself, however, was worthy of 5 stars. The gate agents were friendly, and the line went quickly once the aircraft was cleaned and ready.
Once on the plane, the flight attendants were kind and helpful as passengers stored their luggage in overhead bins. I’ve definitely been on flights with other airlines where that was not the case!
To be fair, though, flight attendants don’t get paid until the door is closed (which I think is stupid). So, they’re not being paid for the time they take to help passengers as they board.
Service Before Takeoff: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Again, Delta flight attendants blew my expectations out of the water. This is probably the best customer service I’ve ever experienced on a flight.
They offered menus and hot towels to economy passengers, which surprised me. This was the first overseas flight where I received a menu for such a cheap ticket!
Vegan Meal Service: ⭐⭐⭐
Before I say anything else, I’m grateful that I even get vegan food on flights. Because of my allergies and other dietary restrictions, eating on planes can be a hassle.
I made sure to book my meal in advance when I bought my ticket through Air France, Delta’s partner airline. However, my special meal wasn’t showing in my Delta app for this flight. I was in a panic before pre-boarding began, but the gate agents quelled my fears by ensuring me that it was in their system. Whew!
I was served a vegan chili with rice as my hot entree, a bottle of water, a salad with a delicious berry vinaigrette dressing, and fruit for dessert.
The chili was okay, but did the trick to keep me full. The salad was the best part, and the fruit was fresh.
For drink service, select alcohol was free for economy passengers! I chose not to have alcohol on this flight, but the option was nice.
When we were offered coffee or tea after meal service, I asked about non-dairy milk or creamer and the flight attendant apologized, explaining they didn’t have any.
I wasn’t worried about it, but it would be nice if Delta could offer this for dairy allergic passengers in the future! There are more of us than you’d think…
In-Flight Entertainment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Every recent blockbuster movie that was still in theaters was offered for free on this Delta flight. At this point, I see new movies by watching them on long-haul flights.
In addition, the in-seat entertainment offered games, a view of the plane, and a plethora of other activities I never even got to check out. You won’t be bored on a Delta red-eye!
Seat Comfort: ⭐⭐⭐
As I tried to sleep on this overnight flight, the seats were pretty comfortable for economy. I’ve certainly had less legroom and chair comfort on other overseas flights!
In addition, Delta offers an amenity kit in economy with an eye mask, earplugs, and a wet towelette. This was awesome! I got to use my earplugs when I was in Amsterdam to block out the noises of hostel life. That was bliss!
However, the plane was frigid. Several passengers around me requested for the air to be turned off, but it stayed cold for the entire flight. I was freezing. That made it really difficult to sleep.
Landing and De-Planing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The pre-boarding delays were more than made up for in the air. We even landed early to CDG.
De-planing was relatively seamless, and passengers were on our way to immigration in France without any hiccups. I’ve been on many other overseas flights where that was not the case.
Total Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’d say this Delta Economy red-eye experience was wonderful! The food was pretty good, the seats were comfortable with more legroom than I expected, and the entertainment options were plentiful.
The only aspects that brought this flight down a star were the cold air and messy pre-boarding experience in JFK.
In total, I would recommend purchasing a ticket in Delta Economy when you fly to Europe!
. . .
If you’re flying JFK to CDG for a trip to Europe, the Delta Economy experience is hard to beat! If you have dietary restrictions, be sure to request a special meal (vegan, gluten-free, kosher, dairy-free, etc.) at least 24 hours prior to departure.
Where will you fly on Delta?
*Cover photo by Miguel Ángel Sanz. Thanks, Miguel!
Pin this post and save it for later!
I’ve never flown out of JFK internationally! I’m glad that this flight worked out though. If I’m ever flying out of JFK to Europe I’ll be sure to check out Delta.
Krystianna @ Volumes and Voyages