Delta Boeing 737-900ER First Class from Newark to Atlanta

by Krish Patel

Delta Air Lines operates a massive fleet of mainline narrowbody aircraft that are used on various short and medium haul routes. The airline’s narrowbody fleet mainly consists of A320 family and 737 aircraft. An example of one of Delta’s classic jets is the Boeing 737-900ER. On a recent flight, I had the opportunity to experience Delta’s 737-900s in First Class for the first time.

The Ground Experience at EWR

Delta Air Lines uses Terminal A at Newark, which is also used by American Airlines, JetBlue, Air Canada, and for domestic United flights. Terminal A is EWR’s nicest terminal and feels incredibly spacious inside thanks to the high ceilings and large windows.

Delta’s Sky Priority queue is secluded from the main check-in hall and can be found in a dedicated room. There was one check-in agent working at the priority counter and he was very professional. I found myself checked in soon and was directed to use the TSA security lane.

Delta Air Lines doesn’t provide complimentary lounge access for its domestic First Class passengers. However, the airline operates its own Sky Club at Newark, which is accessible to those with a certain credit card or a membership. I was traveling with a family member who has the Platinum Card from American Express, so I was able to join him as a paid guest.

My flight to ATL departed from gate A4, which is located at the right end of the terminal. A queue had already formed when I reached the gate, so I wasn’t among the first onboard despite having Sky Priority boarding in Zone 1 as a First Class passenger.

Cabin and Seat

Delta’s Boeing 737-900ER features 20 First Class seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration. The seats feature plush blue padding and a red stripe in addition to the Delta logo engraved on the headrest. I find these seats to be incredibly wide and roomy despite having been introduced almost a decade ago. The triangular patterns stitched on the seat make for a nice appearance.

Each seat offers 20.9 inches of width and 37 inches of pitch. The legroom offered by these recliner chairs is more than sufficient for a domestic flight.

Located at the front of each seat is the entertainment screen. The Delta Studio IFE system offers a robust choice of movies and TV programs, including live TV. You’ll be able to watch newly released films that vary across many genres. In addition, the IFE screen also displays information about Delta’s fleet and their hub airports. A cool feature about Delta’s entertainment selection is their choice of podcasts and audio playlists curated by Spotify. There are several mixtapes and genres of music that are available within the audio tab.

The screen can be tilted towards you if the person seated in front reclines their chair. Beneath the TV are several outlets for charging and a headphone jack.

There are many in-seat storage pockets that can be used to store smaller personal items such as a laptop, cell phone, or book.

Located in between both seats are two universal plugs.

Across from the power outlets is a side table for drinks. At this part of the seat, you’ll also find the compartment that contains the tray table. It can be pulled from its unit and folds out for extra table space.

At the opposite end of the seat is the armrest, built into which is a button for seat recline. The seat reclines 5.4 inches.

Above each seat are personal air nozzles, reading lights, and a flight attendant call button.

Food and Drink

Pre-departure beverages were offered before pushback. Passengers were offered a choice of any drink as opposed to just champagne, water, or orange juice. I got myself a ginger ale, which was served in a disposable glass.

On many flights in Delta First Class, a proper meal service on a single tray will be offered. However, all that was provided on today’s flight was a selection of snacks and drinks because this route is under 900 miles.

The snack basket was passed through the cabin not too long after departing a cloudy Newark. The selection included the following items:

Pistachios

Shortbread cookies
Potato chips
Vanilla Biscoff cookies
Low-sugar gummies
Salted pretzels

Complimentary drinks were also offered in proper glassware. I didn’t get anything to drink because I had water at my seat from boarding and wasn’t very thirsty.

Amenities in Delta First Class

In First Class, Delta has minimal offerings in terms of amenities on short flights.

Basic earbuds were passed around before pushback. They’re certainly not as good quality as a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, but better than having nothing. The earbuds were provided in a paper package with a special logo celebrating Delta’s centennial anniversary, which I found to be a lovely touch. It certainly looks more appealing than the typical paper package Delta’s headphones come in.

In the seatback pocket, you’ll find a safety card and air sickness bag.

Delta offers complimentary Wi-Fi to SkyMiles members through a partnership with T-Mobile, which is an available service on domestic flights.

Service in Delta First Class

The crew on my flight were very friendly and professional. After offering the snack service, they were through the aisle on a constant basis to offer beverage refills and check on passengers. Flying in First Class offers a more personalized experience when it comes to inflight service because you’ll have a dedicated flight attendant for your cabin, and ours was great. I find Delta’s crew to be the most personable of any U.S. airline.

Booking Delta First Class

The cost for booking a Delta First Class ticket depends on your origin and destination. One-way flights in Delta First from Newark to Atlanta start at approximately $400 in cash or 34,000 SkyMiles. However, it’s possible to find lower cash rates on this route that start from $200, depending on the time of year.

You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. Since Delta uses a dynamic pricing method, the cost can change from day to day. Fares can sometimes be as low as 25,000 SkyMiles one-way in First Class on this route.

Overall Thoughts

If you’re looking for extra space and comfort, then Delta First Class is the right way to fly from Newark to Atlanta. The seat is very plush and offers sufficient legroom. Domestic First Class on Delta also offers a smaller and more exclusive cabin, with more overhead bin space. However, you’ll find similar snack and drink offerings in both First Class and Economy on this route because it’s one that’s under 900 miles. On short and even some slightly longer domestic flights, Delta First is a comfortable way to travel. The Atlanta-based carrier still manages to offer one of the best domestic First Class experiences in the U.S. despite most of their flights being operated by aircraft with a slightly older seat.