Today I’m on my way from London to New York. I spent the night in London at the Sofitel Heathrow at Terminal 5. Delta Airlines operates out of Terminal 3. The transfer by train between the two terminals is complimentary. However, you still need to get a ticket to be able to access the platform. There are two vendings machines that have been set up specifically for that purpose in the T5 arrivals hall.

You can use either the Elisabeth Line or the Heathrow Express for the terminal transfer, but not the tube.

Check-In

Check-in sector A is dedicated to Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines only. Although I’ve already checked in online, I still need to have my passport verified at the desk before the check- in counters. Once that’s out of the way, I head one floor up for the security check.

And this is where Virgin/Delta really shine. There is a whole area for security that is dedicated to Delta One and Virgin Club travellers. What’s more, the security lane is very well designed, with lots of space for passengers to take all their liquids and electronics out of their hand luggage.

The Virgin Clubhouse

From security it’s only a short walk to the entrance of the Virgin Clubhouse lounge, which is accessed via stairs.

The Virgin Clubhouse lounge is interesting. Mainly, because I think Virgin has succeeded in designing a lounge that is both nicely designed and very comfortable.

As I haven’t had lunch yet and it’s already gone 14h, my first concern is lunch. There is a nice buffet with a good selection of dishes to choose from. It’s not self-service, but the staff work efficiently and will put together a plate of what your heart desires for you.

There is also à la carte dining available. Eventually, I get my self some salad from the buffet and also order the channa Masala from the menu.

For dessert I try the chocolate chip cookie.

And the Tiramisù.

Boarding

Fifty minutes before departure, boarding for the flight to JFK is called in the lounge, so I make my way to the departure gate, which is a ten minutes walk from the lounge.

There is a separate call for passengers travelling in Delta One, which are invited to board through a dedicated lane.

The Cabin & Seat

In the new Delta One cabin, seating is in a 1+2+1 layout. There are seven rows in the Delta One cabin. On the unevenly numbered rows, the window seats are closer to the aisle, whereas on the evenly numbered rows, they are closer to the window. However, given that there is a sliding door to each seat, it probably makes little difference which seat you have.

There is enough storage space in the seat to be able to place a laptop there. However, the location of the storage area behind your shoulder is a bit awkward.

A USB port and standard electricity plug are available in each seat.

Amenities

Already at my seat I find the vanity kit, slippers, menu, and bedding. The slippers are a surprise, and the bedding is nice and soft. Instead of a blanket you actually get a proper duvet.

Service

The service starts on the ground when the crew pass through the cabin offering a choice of orange juice, sparkling water or sparkling wine.

The crew is friendly and comes across as being very professional. The service is quick and efficient.

The Meal – First Service

Once we’re airborne, the meal service starts with the distribution of cold towels, followed by a drinks service accompanied by a small ramekin of warm nuts.

The first course is a corn soup with croutons, which is served on a tray with a small salad and some bread.

Both the soup and the salad are good.

For the main course I’ve pre-ordered the vegetarian option, which in this case is a mushroom pie in a short crust pastry, served with gravy, mash, and broccoli. This dish is also very nice and the portion is generous.

For dessert, I have the sundae, which is assembled at my seat. For toppings I go with the chocolate sauce, cookie crumble and cream.

And to conclude, I have a mint tea.

Once the meal service is over, I close the door to my seat, and kick back to read my Kindle.

The Meal – Second Service

The second service starts about one hour out of JFK and is surprisingly extensive. There are two choices. I have the afternoon tea. It is served with a cucumber and coronation chicken finger sandwich, two small pastries, and two scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Arrival

Not long after the trays are cleared away, we start our descent into JFK.

Eventually, we touch down on American soil just under an hour early, which sounds impressive. But because we’re running so early, there is no stand allocated to us. So we spend over an hour parked on a taxiway before we are finally allowed to taxi to our stand. By the time the engines switch off, we’re running over twenty minutes late. Still, it’s not bad. Arriving in JFK in the evening means that there’s hardly any other traffic at the international arrivals concourse. So immigration is a breeze.

Conclusion

Much to my surprise, I greatly enjoyed this flight with Delta. From the really great customer experience at security and in the lounge at Heathrow, to the comfortable and private seat in the Delta One cabin, and the quality and quantity of the food, this was a really pleasant, enjoyable, and comfortable experience. And the fairly late arrival into JFK is very convenient.