Delta Air Lines Economy from Sydney to Los Angeles review
Delta Air Lineshas long been a favourite carrier for Australians heading to the US, operating its daily non-stop DL 40 service from Sydney to Los Angeles on the Airbus A350-900. Aleney de Winter settles into. . .
Delta Air Lineshas long been a favourite carrier for Australians heading to the US, operating its daily non-stop DL 40 service from Sydney to Los Angeles on the Airbus A350-900. Aleney de Winter settles into seat 42G to put Main Cabin economy to the test. Flight number: DL 40Aircraft: Airbus A350-900Seat: 42GDuration: 13 hrs 45 minutesCheck-inCheck-in at Sydney Airport is a delight, with the friendly and efficient Delta crew processing passengers with a warmth and professionalism that sets the tone beautifully for what lies ahead. The booking process is refreshingly straightforward too. Baggage allowance, a generous 23kg per checked bag for international economy passengers, and seat selection are all handled upfront. Boarding for our flight is orderly and well managed and we depart on time. The CabinDelta has made excellent use of the A350-900 on this transpacific route. With its whisper-quiet engines, wider fuselage and fresher cabin air, the aircraft is widely regarded as one of the most passenger-friendly in the sky and after nearly 14 hours over the Pacific, I concur. Main Cabin economy is configured in a 3-3-3 layout with a relatively generous seat width of 17. 4 inches and a pitch of 31 to 32 inches. I’m in seat 42G, an aisle seat. The legroom, for someone who errs on the side of tall, is surprisingly good. Seats are well padded and comfortable with a decent recline, a highly adjustable headrest to prevent that mid-sleep head slump, a fold-in-half tray table that doesn’t swallow your entire personal space and a handy flip-down device holder that keeps your phone or tablet at the perfect viewing angle. Both USB and AC power outlets are within easy reach, a small but important detail on a flight of this length. Each seat comes with a plastic-wrapped pillow, blanket and in-ear earphones, while the A350’s larger windows, reduced cabin altitude and superior humidity levels mean you arrive far less depleted than on older aircraft. It’s also worth noting that the cabin crew are, without exception, warm, efficient and genuinely attentive throughout. Image by Aleney de WinterIn-Flight BitesShortly after take-off, the crew begins circulating with a drinks service that includes tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. It’s a little early in the morning for anything strong, so I opt for a tea served with a smile. A meal service follows with a choice of pasta or curry chicken, the chicken proving surprisingly juicy, perfectly seasoned and enjoyable, with crisp vegetables, fluffy rice and a fresh bean salad rounding things out beautifully. It’s so good that it leaves me genuinely wondering why airline food carries such an undeserved bad reputation. Mid-flight, a Mediterranean pizza pocket is far tastier than it has any right to be and keeps bellies full without sitting heavily. Drinks, including beer, wine and soft drinks, are served throughout, with the crew generous and attentive at every turn. Breakfast ahead of arrival into LAX offers a choice of eggs or French toast, the perfect way to arrive in Los Angeles feeling properly fed rather than famished and ready for whatever adventure awaits on the other side of customs. EntertainmentDelta Studio, the airline’s inflight entertainment system, is one of the best in the sky in any cabin class. The personal seatback screens are generously sized and loaded with an extensive library of recent Hollywood releases, TV series, documentaries, music, podcasts and games. The interface is intuitive, the picture quality excellent and with nearly 14 hours to fill, there is more than enough to keep even the most demanding screen aficionados thoroughly entertained. Delta’s SkyMiles frequent flyer program is worth joining, not just for points lovers. Membership allows guests to access free inflight messaging via iMessage and WhatsApp throughout the flight, a thoughtful touch that keeps you connected without reaching for your wallet. Image by Aleney de WinterLAX with DeltaDL 40 arrives into Terminal B, where immigration is swift, friendly and efficiently managed, with short queues and processing that is about as painless as international arrivals get. Bags collected, it’s a short walk to Delta’s gleaming new Terminal 3, bright, modern and remarkably easy to navigate and stocked with excellent dining and shopping, to recheck luggage for my onward flight. The entire process from disembarking my Sydney flight to the next departure gate takes less than 30 minutes. Less than 30 minutes. At LAX. That really does deserve repeating. For those connecting onwards, Delta’s extensive US network makes America extraordinarily accessible from LAX. The experience is easy, particularly for anyone who has wrestled with LAX’s notoriously labyrinthine connections in the past. On this occasion, a connecting flight to Atlanta makes for a seamless onward journey and is proof of just how well Delta manages its end-to-end passenger experience. Final VerdictEfficient check-in, a beautifully appointed A350-900 cabin, genuinely exceptional crew service that is a cut above what many travellers might expect from economy, excellent meals and a great inflight entertainment system make Delta’s DL 40 Sydney to Los Angeles service a seriously impressive long-haul option. Add swift, stress-free LAX connections through a terminal that is an absolute joy to navigate and Delta doesn’t just get you to America, it makes the entire journey from Sydney kerb to final destination gate a pleasure. Read more:How to get to Europe without connecting in the Middle EastWhat the Middle East conflict means for travellers right nowEmirates and Etihad resume full flight schedulesThailand changes visa rules for AustraliansRead more inspiring stories byVacations & Travel…