As one of the major domestic airlines in the U.S. — and with more than 20 worldwide partner airlines via its SkyTeam Alliance — Delta Air Lines has plenty to offer frequent flyers and occasional travelers alike.

But for its most premium customers, Delta offers a few different types of tickets to maximize comfort and efficiency throughout the travel process.

Whether you’re a globetrotter with pent-up wanderlust or a business traveler itching to get back to the skies, read up on Delta’s premium cabin offerings — Delta One and First Class — before you book your next flight.

Delta One vs. Delta First Class: What’s the difference?

Delta One and Delta First Class are the most premium cabin options on Delta flights. Although “first class” usually denotes the best an airline has to offer, that isn’t so with Delta Air Lines, which dubbed its top-of-the-line fare class “Delta One.”

Not only do these cabins provide more comfortable seats and upgraded in-flight amenities, but you’ll get other perks too, like flexibility to make changes to your ticket and priority boarding. But there are key differences to keep in mind before you book, including the types of flights that offer each cabin option.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect from Delta One and how it differs from Delta First Class:

Delta One details

Originally unveiled as a rebranding of Delta’s BusinessElite class, Delta One cabin debuted in 2015. The cabin features lie-flat seats (a first among U.S.-based airlines), a refined “culinary experience” with seasonal and regionally inspired meal options, complimentary wine pairings, handcrafted amenities kits and various other enhancements.

But the airline didn’t stop there.

Delta One suites further refined the experience with full-height doors that close (plus Do Not Disturb signs for travelers who really want to be left alone), memory foam-enhanced seat cushions, in-suite storage compartments for your shoes, carry-on and laptop, customizable ambient lighting, upgraded entertainment systems and a dedicated flight attendant. Delta One seats have direct aisle access and center-cabin suites also include sliding privacy dividers (though seat configuration can vary depending on the aircraft).

Delta One suites, which can be found on board the airline’s Airbus A350 and A330-900neo planes (with modified doorless versions in some of its older, refurbished aircraft), are available on select long-haul international flights (for example, Atlanta to Seoul and Los Angeles to Sydney) and domestic routes (like Minneapolis to Honolulu and New York to San Diego).

Delta One airport amenities

The perks of being a Delta One passenger kick in at the airport, beginning with access to Delta’s airport lounges (aka Delta Sky Clubs), where you can enjoy free food, drinks, Wi-Fi, TV and even a shower in some locations prior to boarding.

Delta One ticket holders also benefit from the full lineup of SkyPriority benefits, including dedicated check-in areas, priority security lines (at some airports) and early boarding.

You can check up to two bags at no extra charge, too, and SkyPriority’s expedited baggage handling means your bags will be first on the carousel when you arrive at your destination.

Delta One flight amenities

Once you’ve boarded and found your suite, you’re greeted with an assortment of swag to help you travel in style, including a duvet and pillow, plus a handcrafted amenities kit with a toothbrush, toothpaste, eye mask, lip balm and lotion.

Your suite also includes an 18-inch, high-resolution touchscreen monitor (and access to hundreds of TV shows, movies, podcasts and music through Delta Studio), Wi-Fi, universal outlets and high-powered USB ports to keep your devices fully charged during the flight.

Delta also offers free messaging through iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp on all Wi-Fi enabled flights.

Food and drink offerings

Delta has spent the last few years upgrading its onboard product offerings, including its food and beverage program.

Delta One passengers can enjoy a dining experience with seasonal, chef-curated meals (your choice of entrée, bread and dessert) made with locally sourced ingredients and paired with wines, top-shelf spirits or assorted beers.

Delta First Class details

Delta’s First Class fare option offers many of the same amenities as Delta One, though it’s missing some of the special touches that set Delta One suites apart.

Delta First Class airport amenities

Customers flying First Class on Delta Air Lines enjoy many of the same airport amenities as Delta One passengers, including SkyPriority services (accelerated check-in, security and baggage handling), priority boarding and two free checked bags weighing up to 70 pounds each. What First Class doesn’t come with, though, is day-of-departure Sky Club access.

Delta First Class flight amenities

Delta’s First Class cabin provides Delta business-travel perks similar to that of Delta One, with a dedicated flight attendant and chef-prepared meals which can vary depending on your route.

While there are differences depending on the aircraft, seats in First Class offer an extra eight inches of legroom and can recline an additional 50 percent compared to seats in the Main Cabin.

Many First-Class seats also feature seatback screens of up to 11 inches, albeit with fewer entertainment options than those in Delta One suites, and flyers who forget their headphones can get a free pair of earbuds.

Other Delta First Class benefits include plenty of built-in outlets and fast Wi-Fi to help you stay productive in the air but the pillow and blanket waiting at your seat — while flimsier compared with Delta One’s bedding — may entice you to have a snooze so you can arrive at your destination rested and refreshed.

Food and drink offerings

Delta Air Lines’ First Class food and drink offerings vary by mileage. Here’s what you can expect based on the length of your flight:

  • Less than 900 miles: Prepackaged snacks (one sweet and one savory, these may include the airline’s now-ubiquitous Biscoff cookies, Goldfish, potato chips and Clif bars); bottled water, tea and Starbucks coffee; complimentary beer and wine service as well as mini cans of Coke, juices and mixers
  • 900 to 2,299 miles: All of the above, and may include meal service depending on the time of day (breakfast for flights between 5 AM and 9:45 AM, lunch on 9:46 AM to 3:59 PM flights, dinner on 4 PM to 8:59 PM flights)
  • 2,300+ miles: All of the above, plus full meal service 24 hours per day

Best credit cards for scoring a seat on Delta Air Lines

An airline credit card could help you earn miles on everyday purchases and make your next Delta flight more affordable — or even free.

Some travel credit cards will even give you Delta travel benefits like free checked bags, savings on in-flight purchases, free Sky Club access and more. But choosing the travel card you should apply for, Delta-branded or otherwise, depends on how often you fly and the specific perks you’re after.

Here are the best travel rewards credit cards for snagging a seat on Delta Air Lines:

American Express® Gold Card: Best for travel rewards on dining

The American Express Gold Card has a $250 annual fee, and a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 in your first six months.

You’ll get 4X Membership Rewards points on restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4X points for Uber Eats purchases and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year, then 1X points), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or via American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases

  • More perks: Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash, up to $120 in annual dining credits, up to $100 in hotel credits, no foreign transaction fees, free ShopRunner membership, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty coverage, purchase protection, Global Assist Hotline, Pay with Points, Pay It, Plan It® and optional Rose Gold design

Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Best for no annual fee

The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card offers 10,000 bonus Delta SkyMiles after spending $1,000 in your first six months. Long-term, you’ll earn 2X miles at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta and 1X miles on all other eligible purchases

  • More perks: 20 percent back on in-flight purchases, car rental loss and damage insurance, Global Assist Hotline, Pay with Miles and no foreign transaction fees

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best for budget-minded travelers

One tier above Delta’s Blue SkyMiles card is the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card, which carries a $99 annual fee that’s waived the first year. You’ll earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months, and get 2X miles at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 2X miles on purchases made directly with Delta and 1X miles on everything else

  • More perks: $100 annual Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year, first checked bag free, early boarding, 20 percent back on in-flight purchases, car rental loss and damage insurance, Global Assist Hotline, Pay with Miles and no foreign transaction fees

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Best for frequent-flyer perks

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card costs $250 annually and comes with a welcome offer of 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months. You’ll earn 3X miles on Delta purchases and on transactions made directly with hotels; 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants and 1X miles on all other purchases.

  • More perks: Annual companion certificate, up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, 10,000 MQMs after spending $25,000 in a calendar year (up to two times), Delta Sky Club access for $39 per person when traveling on a Delta flight, first checked bag free, early boarding, 20 percent back on in-flight purchases, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, Global Assist Hotline and no foreign transaction fees

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Best for airport lounge access, elite status and Delta Medallion members

The $550 Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months. Plus, earn 3X miles on eligible Delta purchases and 1X miles on all other purchases.

  • More perks: Annual companion certificate, up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, 15,000 MQMs after spending $30,000 in a calendar year (up to four times), Medallion Qualification Dollar waiver, free Amex Centurion Lounge access and free Delta Sky Club access when traveling on a Delta flight, two one-time guest passes to Delta Sky Club every year, first checked bag free, early boarding, priority upgrades, 20 percent back on in-flight purchases, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, Global Assist Hotline and no foreign transaction fees

The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for international travel

It costs a whopping $695, but The Platinum Card from American Express has a lot to offer. To start, earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 in your first six months. After that, you’ll get 5X Membership Rewards points on up to $500,000 spent on directly-booked airfare and flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel (per calendar year); 2X points on prepaid car rentals through American Express Travel; and 1X points on all other purchases

  • More perks: Up to $200 in Uber Cash annually and Uber VIP status, up to $200 in annual airline fee credits, up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck*, up to $189 in CLEAR® Plus credits, up to $100 in statement credits for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases annually, up to $200 in hotel credits (which requires a minimum two-night stay), Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors Gold status, free Centurion Lounge access and Delta Sky Club access when traveling on a Delta flight, free Priority Pass Select membership, Amex Global Lounge Collection access, free ShopRunner membership, cellphone protection, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty coverage, purchase protection, return protection, concierge services, Global Dining Access by Resy, Global Assist Hotline, Upgrade with Points, Pay with Points, Pay It Plan It and no foreign transaction fees

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Best for cost-effective perks

If you’re a business traveler, you can get 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership with the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business American Express Card. For an ongoing $99 annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year,) you’ll also earn unlimited 2X miles on Delta purchases, select U.S. advertising purchases, U.S. shipping purchases and restaurant purchases and 1X miles on everything else.

  • More perks: $100 Delta flight voucher after spending $10,000 in a calendar year, first checked bag free, early boarding, 20 percent back on in-flight purchases, baggage insurance plan, car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty coverage, purchase protection, Global Assist Hotline, expense management tools and no foreign transaction fees

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Best for airline-specific perks

With the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card, you’ll earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership, for a $250 annual fee. Ongoing rewards include 3X miles on Delta and hotel purchases, 1.5X miles on purchases over $5,000 (up to 50,000 additional miles per year) and 1X miles on everything else.

  • More perks: Annual companion certificate, up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, 10,000 MQMs after spending $25,000 in a calendar year (up to two times), Delta Sky Club access for $39 per person when traveling on a Delta flight, first checked bag free, early boarding, 20 percent back on in-flight purchases, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance plan, car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty, purchase protection, Global Assist Hotline, expense management tools and no foreign transaction fees

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Best for business travelers who frequently fly Delta

The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card charges an annual fee of $550 but offers a 70,000-mile bonus after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. As for rewards, you’ll earn 3X miles on Delta purchases and 1X miles on all other purchases; after spending $150,000 in one calendar year, earn 1.5X miles on each purchase for the rest of the year.

  • More perks: Annual companion certificate, up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, 15,000 MQMs after spending $30,000 in a calendar year (up to four times), Medallion Qualification Dollar waiver, free Centurion Lounge access and Delta Sky Club access when traveling on a Delta flight, two one-time guest passes to Delta Sky Club every year, access to complimentary upgrades and preferred seating, first checked bag free, early boarding, priority upgrades, 20 percent back on in-flight purchases, cellphone protection, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, baggage insurance plan, car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty, purchase protection, concierge services, Global Dining Collection, Global Assist Hotline, Pay with Miles, no foreign transaction fees and expense management tools

How to use your Delta SkyMiles for a cabin upgrade

The number of Delta SkyMiles required for a cabin upgrade varies based on the flight, time of year and what kind of upgrade you want.

Delta SkyMiles are dynamically priced, so there’s no fixed award chart to make an easy estimate. (That said, we peg the value of Delta SkyMiles at around 1.2 cents on average, according to our latest airline mile valuations.)

Luckily, using your Delta SkyMiles to book a cabin upgrade is a lot simpler. All you have to do is choose “Upgrade with Miles” in your Trip Summary on Delta.com prior to finalizing your purchase.

If you already booked your ticket, log in at Delta.com or the Fly Delta app, find your reservation in “My Trips,” pick an available seat and choose “Pay with Miles.” (You can also set your account preferences to automatically request an upgrade whenever you make a reservation with your SkyMiles number.)

If you don’t see an option to upgrade your seat online or in the app, you may be able to get help from a SkyMiles representative. Here’s how:

  1. Call Delta Reservations at 1-800-221-1212.
  2. Ask to book a mileage upgrade award.
  3. If an upgrade is available, your reservation is eligible and you have enough SkyMiles in your frequent flyer account, the representative can confirm your upgrade over the phone.

In addition, all Delta Medallion members (regardless of their tier) qualify for unlimited, complimentary upgrades to First Class — no miles required. (You could even get a day-of-departure upgrade to Delta One on U.S. flights, when available.)

Medallion members who have Diamond status can use a global upgrade certificate on both international and domestic Delta flights in addition to select flights with Delta Air Lines partners, such as Air France or Virgin Atlantic.

Diamond and Platinum members alike can trade in a regional upgrade certificate to move up to First Class or the domestic Delta One experience on the same routes that qualify for free upgrades.

Just remember that Delta cabin upgrades are nonrefundable after purchase, which means you’ll lose your miles if you switch your flight, even on refundable fares.

Delta First Class and Delta One FAQs

  • Once known as BusinessElite, the Delta business travel program is now called Delta One. It’s an enhanced business-class option the airline offers on longer international flights and select domestic routes.
  • While Delta One passengers have full access to Delta airport lounges before flying, First Class customers on domestic flights do not — unless you’re a SkyMiles member with Diamond, Platinum or Gold Medallion status (or hold a qualifying Delta credit card, such as the Delta SkyMiles Reserve or Reserve Business).

The bottom line

In the battle of Delta One versus First Class, there’s no clear winner for all travelers. If you frequently fly internationally or take longer domestic flights, the Delta One suite could be worth the splurge, particularly if you have a credit card that can help you save on your ticket (or plan to apply for one soon).

While Delta’s First Class seats aren’t as spacious compared to the first-class offerings on some other airlines, the fares tend to be a bit less and the customer service is superior enough to regularly place Delta near the top of J.D. Power’s North America Airline Satisfaction study for long and short-haul flights.

Ultimately, the choice depends on the route you’re flying and how much you’re willing to spend for added comfort and luxury while on board.

Learn more: Check out Bankrate’s travel toolkit for tips and tricks on how to maximize travel with a credit card.

*Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.