5 things you gotta know about Delta 717-200 economy class

Delta 717-200 economy class is hardly anything to get excited about. However, when you compare it to the alternatives (mostly regional jets), it’s a darn good option.

I recently had the chance to try it out on a short flight from San Diego to Los Angeles, and the following are my takeaways from that experience.

DL1750
San Diego, CA (SAN) – Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Aircraft: 717-2BD
Registration: N953AT
Duration: 49 minutes
Seat: 26E (economy class)

The 5 things you need to know about Delta 717-200 economy class 

Fair warning: what you’re about to see pales in comparison to what you saw in my Delta 717 first class review. I highly recommend swinging for first class on one of these airplanes if you can swing it. Keep reading if you can’t…

1. It’s better than a regional jet – so grab it when you see it

Delta 717 economy class is so much better than economy class in any regional jet. Although the leg room is similar, the seats are slightly wider. Not only that, the ceiling of the aircraft is higher (and the space between the walls is wider), so you’ll have more room to spread out.

2. Bigger plane = better opportunity for upgrades and empty seats next to you

With more seats available, the odds are better that you’ll score that upgrade or have an open seat next to you in economy class. I will admit that Delta Connection Embraer 175 first class is kind of nice, but nothing beats a mainline aircraft when it comes to cabin height and width.

This particular flight was on a Thursday morning (6:20am departure time), and I’d say it was 50% full. If that. I had an entire row to myself and there was only one person behind me, so it ended up being a really comfortable ride up to LA.

3. Bigger plane = takes longer to get on and off

The only real downside to being on anything larger than a regional jet is the fact that it just takes longer to get everyone on and off. There’s no getting around that unfortunately (no matter how clever they get with boarding zone shenanigans). It’s just a matter of physics. Even a dumb art school graduate like me knows that.

Thankfully it was a really light load this particular morning and I had a 3.5 hour layover before my Air Canada flight to YYZ, so I wasn’t feeling any pressure at all. Throw in a full load, a delay, and a tight connection into the mix, and…well…don’t forget to pack your Peptol Bismol.

4. Row 26 has the best views of the engine

If you’re reading this blog (and you’ve made it this deep into this post), there’s a pretty good chance that you’re at least somewhat of an airplane nerd. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Be proud of who you are! There’s absolutely no shame in admitting that you want to look out the window to see the engine spinning a mere meter from your AvGeek face.

So yes – the best engine view row on the Delta 717 is row 26. Row 25 is too far forward (though acceptable if it’s the only option left), and row 27 is too far back since the engine will block much of your view to the outside – and you won’t even be able to see inside the engine, which is the whole point. Oh – and no, it’s not too loud in this row. Sure it’s more noisy than it would be at the front of the plane, but it won’t give you a migraine.

5. If you have the choice between a United 737 and a Delta 717, take the 717

I’ve had the opportunity to ride the United 737-800 in economy between SAN and LAX a handful of times (both directions) and my only complaint about it is how long it takes to get everyone on and off the plane. The seat pitch on those UA birds isn’t the best either, but it doesn’t matter much since it’s a short flight anyway.

Personally, I consider the Delta 717 to be the more comfortable aircraft for two reasons: first, economy class is a 2-3 layout, which feels more spacious than the 3-3 layout on the United 737’s. Second, the first 1/3 of the 717 cabin is whisper quiet due to the engines being all the way in the back. The Delta 717 clearly wins.

Final thoughts

The Delta 717 definitely feels special (and a bit of an oddball) in this day and age of 737s, A320s, and regional jets dominating shorter routes. In my opinion, it’s the right-size aircraft for flights shorter than two hours.