Delta Air Lines is tripling down on its most expensive cabin.
The airline on Monday announced its next-generation Delta One Suite, complete with sliding doors, for its future Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. It has 20 on order and expects the first delivery in early 2027.
The new seat, called VantageNOVA, is made by the Northern Ireland-based seat manufacturer Thompson Aero Seating; Delta is the launch customer. It’s the new version of the Vantage XL platform that Delta chose for its current Suites.
The VantageNOVA will make Delta’s coming A350-1000 planes its most premium yet, as it and almost every US airline continue to chase booming demand for better in-flight comfort. It’s part of Delta’s broader fleet modernization and standardization plan.
The airline said nearly half of the A350-1000 cabin will be comprised of business-class or Premium Select, and every seat will come with Bluetooth-capable televisions and memory foam cushioning.
Premium Select — oversized recliners with a legrest, footrests, larger televisions, and elevated meals — also got an upgrade.
Delta isn’t stopping at the A350-1000, though. It also plans to install the new cabins on its older Airbus A330-200 and -300 fleets, which Planespotters data shows have an average age of about 20 years.
The airline said this is “part of a broader effort to reduce product fragmentation and deliver a more consistent experience across fleets.”
It added that its goal is to have 90% of its Delta One seats configured as suites — meaning with doors — by 2030. So far, the Suites are on Airbus A350-900 and Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.
Delta’s older Boeing 767s, though refreshed, won’t get doors — they’re expected to be phased out by the end of the decade anyway.
Rivals United Airlines and American Airlines have similarly unveiled pod-style business class on new airplanes; neither had doors prior, while Delta has had them since 2017.
Here’s what customers can expect in Delta’s new business class.
The new Delta One is modern and sleek.
The old seats were red, white, and blue, but Delta has adopted darker, more natural tones and wood-like finishes in its newest cabin. The airline said it designed the new suites based on customer and employee feedback.
It reflects the more high-end appeal Delta has been aiming for over the years, especially as it tries to attract more deep-pocketed customers willing to pay up for privacy, sleep, and convenience.
Delta built upon its previous-generation Suites.
The original Delta One Suite is built on the Vantage XL platform, featuring lie-flat beds, sliding doors, middle dividers, and standard business-class amenities like storage cubbies and power outlets.
A modified version with no doors exists on the 767-400.
The new VantageNOVA is lighter and designed to feel more spacious, flexible, and modern. It has slimmer doors to expand the living footprint, for example.
It’s about as private as business class gets.
With the doors closed and the bed fully lie-flat, it’s like a small private pod where flyers can shield away from their neighbors. And since everyone has aisle access, nobody has to climb over anyone to use the lavatory.
Other carriers, like Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines, are adding doors to their business-class cabins, too.
There will be a snack bar.
Delta said both the A350-1000 and the retrofitted A330s will have a dedicated self-service “refreshment station” in Delta One with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks.
United already flies some planes with a snack bar; it’s also adding it to future Boeing 787s and Airbus narrowbodies.
The 4K screens will have Bluetooth.
Delta doesn’t yet offer widespread Bluetooth connectivity in its premium seats — a feature that would eliminate the need for wired headphones — though some narrowbody First Class seats do.
The next-generation Suite will bring the popular feature to more aircraft, alongside a bigger 24-inch 4K QLED screen.
Delta follows United, which recently announced a new Boeing 787 business class with Bluetooth screens.
Flyers get an amenity kit and multiple charging options.
Delta’s business-class amenity kit includes toiletries and other personal hygiene products.
Flyers also get noise-canceling headphones, USB ports, a shoe cubby, a small side table, a wireless phone charger, and a built-in holder for personal electronic devices.
The A330 will get a nose-to-tail makeover.
Delta said the upgraded A330s suites will have many of the same features as the ones on the A350-1000s, including the cushioning, doors, Bluetooth, and more space.
Though the A330 will use the current Vantage XL platform with forward-facing suite seats rather than angled ones like those on the A350.
Premium Select will also have improved perks.
The new Premium Select will be on both Airbus planes.
Delta said the cushioning has been upgraded with memory foam, and the 16-inch QLED television screens will also have Bluetooth.
Economy is getting more legroom.
Delta said the new Delta Main and Delta Comfort economy seats on both the A350-1000 and the A330 will offer an extra inch of legroom.
Coach across both is also getting bigger 13-inch screens with 4K QLED displays, better cushioning, Bluetooth, and a darker color scheme.
Delta said the aircraft will be renovated as part of scheduled maintenance, so they aren’t taken out of service for extended periods.
