Delta 777 or VA 777?

[Mackey]

I'm leaving my booking a bit late for my upcoming US trip. I have the following options:

Delta 777 SYD-LAX on my preferred date

or

VA 777 SYD-LAX the day before.

These will be discount economy seats and I'm a Velocity Platinum. Should I pick the codeshare flight on the day I want, or is it worth going a day early just to get the VA 777 product? Will I get better treatment on the VA metal flight, or will I get put in the Delta Comfort Plus seats as a platinum member? Upgrade potentials? The third option is AirNZ but it is $500 more.

Opinions?

 

[smit0847]

VA without question. Avoid DL Y at all costs. You should be able to secure an exit row seat as VA WP.

VA Y > NZ Y > DL Y.

 

[Fantic125]

I've found Delta Y is ok within the US, but from most accounts best to be avoided for long-haul.

 

[Fruitcake]

The golden rule of travel (for me) is to never choose a US carrier where there is any other option. VA treats WPs very well on long haul services. If you can tolerate travelling the day before I would definitely go with VA.

You'll also pick up a status bonus flying on VA (although flying VA codes on the DL service will also earn the status bonus).

 

[grubbidok]

Now that they have new planes DL doesn't deserve the bad reputation it has across the Pacific (which, admittedly, it fully deserved *before* the new planes - until two years ago they still head the overhead projector for IFE!). However, that being said VA is immeasurably better than any DL service.

If the VA time is really inconvenient DL won't be a terrible experience like it used to be, even if not as pleasant as VA. I'd put them on a par with the European carriers like BA.

 

[ashill]

I find DL's 777 coach seats to be more comfortably padded than VA's 777 seats, which I think are quite hard and uncomfortable. DL's in flight entertainment also has a much larger and better movie selection. As a DL elite, I can select an exit row seat at booking; certainly worth trying that in a dummy reservation, at least.

For food and service, VA is markedly better than DL. For wine, VA serves entirely drinkable stuff in coach, while DL pours completely undrinkable "wine" out of a box.

Either way, both are long haul coach. Entirely survivable, but not overly pleasant. The differences are fairly small; I'd only worry about them if price and schedule are approximately equal.

If you go with DL, they don't provide an amenity kit, so remember your own eyeshades and earplugs if that matters to you.

 

[bullerdude]

As a VA Plat I cannot select exit rows for free etc during a dummy booking... but on a Delta domestic booking I made on the weekend, I do see "Platinum Medallion Elite" show up on my booking - so I suspect that you can probably get the seats by calling up after booking.

Although, be aware that according to the Velocity website, VA elites are not supposed to get priority seating benefits.

NB: Interestingly, I noted that the Delta website allows you to select seats on the Virgin domestic legs attached to Delta international flights. Yet VA's own seat selection is still rubbish in general... seriously VA hurry up and make seat selection available for elites at any point in time on every flight.

 

[VMC73]

I would ring VA and see what seats etc you can get it is amazing what they can do that you cant online. Good Luck!

 

[Fruitcake]

I find DL's 777 coach seats to be more comfortably padded than VA's 777 seats, which I think are quite hard and uncomfortable. DL's in flight entertainment also has a much larger and better movie selection. As a DL elite, I can select an exit row seat at booking; certainly worth trying that in a dummy reservation, at least.

Thanks for a genuine comparison, rather than my blind generalisations .

 

[ashill]

NB: Interestingly, I noted that the Delta website allows you to select seats on the Virgin domestic legs attached to Delta international flights. Yet VA's own seat selection is still rubbish in general... seriously VA hurry up and make seat selection available for elites at any point in time on every flight.

Well, Delta's (famously awful) web site allows you to select seats on VA metal flights, but I wouldn't be confident that they'll stick. When I had DL6798 (operated by VA, VA2 LAX-SYD) booked in deep discount coach, Delta's web site let me choose a seat in business class. The assignment stuck for weeks, but I'm fairly sure that VA wouldn't actually have honoured that seat assignment once I got to the airport. I ultimately chickened out and moved to a decent coach seat, but then misconnected and missed the flight so I couldn't find out if VA had any knowledge of the seat assignment on DL.com.

DL.com showing the seat map on VA-operated flights is new in the last few months.

 

[jad01]

Another factor to consider is the points earn rates.
Being a Platinum member you will earn 100% bonus when flying VA, thus double points on each flight.
Velocity Plantinum does not earn a status bonus on Delta.
Status credits are the same for both DL or VA.



I havent flown DL long haul but if their First class menus in USA are anything to go by I'd pick VA's Luke Mangan menu over DL.


JASON