Delta First Class Review: Airbus A321-200 LAX to DTW

I finally had a chance to fly Delta’s A321neo first class on a cross-country flight from Los Angeles back home to Detroit in January. I’d been hearing mixed reviews about these new seats since Delta introduced them in 2022, and I wanted to experience them myself. The short version: the seats are genuinely comfortable and a real upgrade over Delta’s older first class product, but the food quality and WiFi performance left a lot to be desired.

One quick note on how I booked this seat. I bought an economy ticket and used a Regional Upgrade Certificate to get into first class. These certificates are one of the best perks of Delta Platinum Medallion status, but availability is incredibly limited—especially when you’re flying out of a Delta hub like I do in Detroit. You’re competing with tons of other elites for a small number of upgrade seats, so these certificates often clear much closer to departure than you’d like. On this flight, my upgrade cleared about 24 hours before departure, which gave me enough time to select a decent seat but not much more.

Flight Details:

Let’s start with the details of the flight:

• Destination: Los Angeles (LAX) to Detroit (DTW)
• Airline: Delta Flight # DL370
• Aircraft type: Airbus A321-200
• Distance: 2,040 miles
• Scheduled Flight time: 3 hours & 50 minutes
• Seat: 1C (Aisle)
• Class: Delta First Class

Boarding

Delta operates out of Terminal 3 at LAX, which underwent a major renovation and feels significantly more modern than it did a few years ago. The gate area was crowded but not chaotic, and boarding started right on time, about 40 minutes before departure.

First Class Seat

The A321neo has 20 first class seats in a 2-2 configuration across five rows. The cabin looks more modern than Delta’s older first class—better overhead lighting, larger bins, and an actual curtain separating first class from economy instead of the mesh dividers you see on older planes.

The overhead bins are very large and have plenty of room for your carry-on. You can place roller bags on their sides, which makes boarding a lot easier when everyone’s fighting for space.

Delta introduced these new Recaro seats in 2022, and they’re noticeably better than the older first-class seats you’ll find on Delta’s legacy A321s and 737s. The seats have a pitch of 37 inches and a width of 21 inches, with about 5 inches of recline.

The most obvious feature is the wing-style privacy dividers built into the fixed headrest. They wrap around your head on both sides, creating a semi-private feel. They look modern and futuristic—definitely different from standard domestic first class.

Here’s the thing: they look cool, but I’m not sure what problem they’re actually solving. They provide some privacy from the person next to you, and you can rest your head against them if you want to sleep on an angle. But they also make it harder to look out the window, and if you’re traveling with someone, they create a barrier that feels isolating.

The seat has multiple storage areas. There’s a narrow space along the center console, a larger oddly-shaped storage area up front (big enough for shoes, though I’m not sure who’s taking off their shoes on a domestic flight), and a small cubby under the center armrest with a cupholder.

Power options include a standard AC outlet and a USB-A port near the center armrest. No USB-C charging, which feels like an oversight on a plane this new. The power outlets worked perfectly throughout the flight—I had my laptop plugged in the entire time with no issues.

The tray table slides out from the center armrest and flips over to extend to full size. It’s large enough to work on a laptop or eat a meal. The recline button is on the side of the seat near the center console.

Entertainment System & WiFi

Each first class seat has a 10-inch HD touchscreen with Delta Studio. The screen can angle up or down to reduce glare, and the touchscreen is reasonably responsive—better than older Delta aircraft, though not quite iPad-level slick.

Here’s where things fell short. Delta advertises free WiFi on domestic flights, but the connection on my flight was frustratingly slow. I could check email and do light browsing, but anything more demanding—uploading files, video calls, streaming—was basically impossible.

Don’t count on Delta WiFi if you need to work productively. It’s better than nothing, but it’s nowhere near fast enough to replicate working on the ground. I ended up doing offline work most of the flight and syncing everything once we landed.

Food

This is where the experience really disappointed. On a 3.5-hour cross-country flight, I expected at least a decent meal. What I got was underwhelming.

The flight attendants came through shortly after takeoff with drinks, then served the meal. The food was forgettable—the quality was on par with what you’d get in a hotel conference room, not what you’d expect in first class. I honestly don’t remember what I ordered, which tells you everything.

Delta’s domestic first-class food is consistently criticized as subpar compared to what American and United serve on similar routes. I didn’t expect it to be as good as Emirates or Air France, but I definitely expected more than what we got.

Bathroom

The forward bathroom was clean and well-stocked throughout the flight. It’s a standard domestic first class bathroom—nothing special, but maintained properly. It was noticeably cleaner than what you’d find in the main cabin on a full flight.

Final Thoughts

Delta’s A321neo first class is a solid domestic product that excels in some areas and disappoints in others. The new Recaro seats are genuinely comfortable and a real upgrade over Delta’s older first class. The wing headrests look modern even if I’m not entirely sure what problem they’re solving, and the power outlets worked perfectly.

Where it falls short is food quality and WiFi performance. The meal service felt like an afterthought, and the slow WiFi makes it hard to work productively. These aren’t dealbreakers, but they’re frustrating when you’re using a valuable upgrade certificate.

Would I fly this again? Absolutely. The seats are comfortable, the cabin feels modern, and as a Platinum member, using Regional Upgrade Certificates makes it good value. But set your expectations appropriately—you’re getting a nice seat and free drinks, not a premium dining experience or fast internet.