I have a love / hate relationship with Delta 767-400 economy class. On one hand, it might be the best economy class product in the Delta Air Lines fleet. On the other hand, it just might be the worst.
What I think of it ultimately comes down to how I’m feeling the day of the flight. If I’m in mega-nerd AvGeek mode, I love the style (and size) of the 767-400. If I’m tired and I just want to go home, an economy class seat on this airplane wouldn’t be my first choice.
I mean, have you seen how many people Delta is cramming into the 767-400 these days? Good luck dealing with that nonsense when you’re irritable and moody…
DL350 New York, NY (JFK) – San Diego, CA (SAN) Saturday, August 21, 2021 Aircraft: 767-432/ER Registration: N843MH Duration: 5 hours 50 minutes Seat: 52G (economy)
Delta Air Lines 767-400 side view illustration by Norebbo.com
Our route from New York to San Diego today as DL350
A full review of Delta 767-400 economy class from New York (JFK) to San Diego
If you recall, I wrote a full review Delta 767-400 economy class in 2018. However, that aircraft still had the old interior, and what you’re about to see is a completely new product.
Arrival at JFK airport
Technically, there was no “arriving” to do since I stayed the night at the TWA Hotel adjacent to Terminal 5. So there.
Say what you will about this airport, but I’m gonna say this: the AirTrain (which stops at all terminals) makes things so much easier! Its the reason why JFK minimum connection times are so low actually. #facts
The only question is: is this the right train to Terminal 4? Let’s hope I don’t end up in the middle of Queens, because I’ve got a plane to catch.
Those of you hoping to see pics of the sunrise over Queens will be disappointed to know that I was indeed on the correct train. Welcome to Terminal 4 at JFK.
Feeling thankful that I don’t have any bags to check this morning. I wonder how many people straight-up say **** it and abandon their bags when seeing lines like this? It’s just gotta be a somewhat regular occurrence.
Terminal 4 at JFK
Terminal 4 at the John F. Kennedy International Airport is monstrous. Long time readers of SANspotter.com will know that if you don’t like walking, you’re not going to like being in Terminal 4.
Like most other major airports in the world, the first thing you’ll see after clearing security is a shopping mall. Which kind of makes sense if people abandoning their bags at check in is somewhat common.
Another thing that I’ve always been curious about is the number of high-end jewelry shops in airports. I mean, how common is it to drop $10k on a bracelet before hopping on a flight? I can’t say that I’ve ever been tempted to do that.
There we go! Now I’m in my wheelhouse.
Because I was complaining about having to walk really far in Terminal 4. See? This pic proves it.
It might have been a long walk, but it was totally worth it. This is my ride home to San Diego today.
It’s gate B28. And I’m slightly concerned that there isn’t anyone here yet.
Trying to look casual and pretend that I don’t worry about silly little things like flight delays. Inside, I was thinking about horrific worse case scenarios like the worry wart that I am.
You have no idea how therapeutic taking pics of airport chairs can be for me.
“…and then my cat will disown me and I’ll be living under a bridge somewhere in the sketchiest part of Tijuana…” (I told you that I’m a worry wart).
The boarding process for flight number 350 to San Diego
Despite being in a really good mood this particular morning, it was hard not to feel a bit of anxiety in the moments leading up to the boarding process. Due to the fact that I had booked a flight only two days prior, the only window seat available was at the very back of the airplane (next to the toilets).
Thankfully (for the sake of my sanity) it looks as if boarding will be right on time this morning.
Unmistakably JFK (I mean the airport- not the man).
Note to any business owners who have thought about advertising in jet bridges: people do look at that stuff!
You could even put advertisements near the door. People look there too.
My first impressions of the all new Delta 767-400 economy seat
Having been on the Delta 767-400 before, I already knew what to expect. Sort of. The seats that used to be on these airplanes weren’t all that great. The video screens were small, the seats relatively hard, and they looked extremely outdated.
However, this particular aircraft featured the all new Delta economy seat, and I was very much looking forward to seeing how it felt on a large airplane such as the 767-400.
Delta 767-400 economy seats. Not all that visually interesting, but since when has Delta been known for that kind of thing? I will say, however, that these basic economy seats are a lot nicer than the ones you saw in my Delta 767-300 Comfort Plus review.
You see those people all the way in the back on the left hand side? My seat is two rows behind them.
Finally! I’ll bet I confused everyone around me when I took a picture of my crotch immediately after sitting down. Even if I told them that I was trying to compare it to what the legroom is like in Delta 767-300 economy, I’m pretty sure they would still look at me funny. Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.
The best part of these seats, by far, are the large video screens. Delta has always been good about putting video screens at every seat on every aircraft. For example, you’ll even get these video screens in Delta A220-300 economy (a much smaller plane designed for much shorter routes).
Speaking video screens, I wonder how long it’ll be until they digitize the safety cards? Think of the cost savings!
Why do I always seem to get my best ideas when writing these stupid captions? The entrepreneur in me is having a difficult time letting go of that digital safety card idea…
The departure sequence out of JFK
Just as I have a love / hate relationship with the Delta 767-400, I have a love / hate relationship with the JFK departure process.
On one hand, it’s some of the best plane spotting on the planet. On the other hand, the lineup for takeoff can be extremely long at times and it’ll feel like it’s taking foreeeever.
“Delta three five zero cleared for pushback – oh, and tell SANspotter that the digital safety card idea was brilliant, and we’ll be in touch soon. Contact departure on 128.5. Good day.” Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly how it went…
Once I stopped thinking about the digital safety card thing, I realized that I have never sat this far back on a 767-400 before. This is the nosebleed section for sure.
Yes, you did see red mood lighting in the previous pic. I’ll bet this looks fantastic at night!
Obligatory pic of the NYC skyline moments after takeoff.
767-400 economy onboard entertainment
I’m happy to report that the video screens in these new seats are massively better than the old video screens. Do you see what I just did there? I’ll give you a moment to appreciate the clever word play that I just unloaded on you before proceeding. Scroll down when you’re ready for more…
Delta Studio Home Screen. Let the entertainment begin.
And if it wasn’t obvious in the previous pics, there are USB power ports located under the video screen for charging your personal devices.
Uhhh..why did the system suddenly crash and reset itself as soon as I plugged in my phone?
It wasn’t me. I swear.
What kind of food does Delta serve in trans-continental economy class?
Here’s an interesting thought: the flight time between New York and San Diego today was 5 hours and 50 minutes. If this was August 21, 1983 instead of August 21, 2021, you would’ve been served a full meal back here in economy class. And there would have been drinks. And unlimited snacks. And probably some pretty good cigarettes too, for those who wanted them.
Basically, that was a fairly long winded way of saying: we didn’t get jack **** on this flight today.
Snack cart spotted at 11 o’clock.
Delta economy snacks. Better than nothing I suppose.
A pic of what could be from any Delta economy class review I’ve done in the past 10 years. Whenever I think of Biscoff, I think of Delta. Whenever I think of Delta, I think of Biscoff. Sheesh.
Just imagine how much food you’d see in this pic if this was 1983 instead of 2021. Yeah, there would probably be cigarette smoke in the air, but we’d all be fat and happy.
Delta 767-400 economy seat comfort on long flights
Once the snack service was complete, there wasn’t much else to do but to sit back and settle in for the remainder of the flight.
Considering that this is an airplane designed for long-haul international travel, you’d be correct in assuming that the seats are slightly more comfortable and spacious than the equivalent economy seats on a domestic aircraft. At the very least, they’re every bit as comfy(ish) as the ones in Delta A330-200 economy.
Question: guess what we’re flying over right now?
Answer: flyover states.
If you’re ever in Missouri, and you wonder what’s happening directly above you, this is it.
Shoutout to anyone reading this from Missouri right now.
Long story short, it’s hard to pick a bad seat on the 767-400 (even in economy class). If you can avoid getting a middle seat, it’s likely to be a very comfortable experience.
The arrival into San Diego
After nearly 6 hours of flying, I can conclude that economy class on the Delta 767-400 was pretty decent. No, it’s nowhere near as good as Delta One on the 767-400. And it may have been a totally different experience if I was in no mood to deal with the crowds, but I was still feeling pretty good as we made the descent into San Diego.
We’ve reached the Colorado River! For those of you who are geographically challenged, this is the border between Arizona and California.
Starting the descent into San Diego over El Centro. Yes, it does get cloudy in Southern California from time to time.
Seems as if the weather was better in New York this morning…
We still have better scenery though. Neener neener!
A quick buzz of Little Italy and…
…we’ve arrived! I wonder if that little WN 737 felt our wake turbulence?
My sincerest apologies for everyone who made it this far in the review hoping to see pics of sunny San Diego. I have failed you, and for that I am sorry.
The feeling of satisfaction you get from pulling your carry on bag out of the overhead bin after a long 6 hour flight.
It’s a looong walk to the boarding door from seat 52G. Just sayin’. Anyway, if you’re curious about the seats with red headrests, do be sure to check out my Delta A321 Comfort Plus review. That’ll ‘splain everything.
Pros and cons of Delta 767-400 economy class
This is it. This is the part of the review that I’ve been waiting for! Economy class on the 767-400 is one of those things that you’re either going to love or hate. Here are all the pros and cons to help you figure out which side of the conundrum you’re on:
Pros
Delta configures their 767-400s for long-haul international travel. This means that there is more legroom in economy class than you will find on other domestic aircraft (such as what I showed you in Delta 737-800 economy).
If you’re the slightest bit claustrophobic, flying on a 767-400 (even in economy) will feel more comfortable than flying on a smaller narrow body aircraft such as an A321 or 737.
Video entertainment is quite good. The screens are large, and there are loads of popular movies and TV shows to choose from. Better yet, these are the same video screens installed in first class on some of the other aircraft in the fleet. Check out my Delta A321 first class review to see what I mean…
There are two aisles in Delta 767-400 economy class. The seats are arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration, which means that there are relatively few middle seats.
Cons
Since the 767-400 is a very large airplane, it can take a very long time to get everyone onboard. Which also means that it’ll take a lot of time for everyone to deplane once you reach your destination. RIP to everyone seated in the last section of this aircraft.
The 767-400 is louder than smaller aircraft such as the 737 and A321. Especially behind the wings, which is where economy class is located.
Really? Dang it – I didn’t realize how close I was to getting a ride on a freshly configured 764! They are going to be really nice once the updates are complete though. Delta is doing really good things with their interiors, that’s for sure.
I think I read about it somewhere on airliners.net a while back. I know that the first 764 went in for mods in late January, but I can’t recall how soon the entire fleet will be completed. It’ll likely take a year or two IMHO.
We made our 35-minute connection after arriving at terminal F and departing out of A, so you can do it if you run! It’ll be a piece of cake if you arrive and depart out of the same (or neighboring) terminals though. ATL is big but efficient.
Interesting that Delta is refurbing the 767. Mainline AC is retiring all its 767s by 2019 and adding A330s. Not sure about Rouge, but I avoid them at all costs.
I remember a flight with my mom and sister from YUL in the 70s.
We were going to TPA or MCO (can’t remember which). Back then, there weren’t any direct flights from YUL, so we connected through ATL. I do remember the aircraft … a silver Eastern 727 “Whisperliner”. Of course, there was nothing whisperey about it, and I never got to use the back airstairs.
We were late getting into ATL, but at least our connecting flight was in the same terminal. My mom was freaking out, and then a golf cart pulls up next to us.
Coming from the comparatively tiny YUL, this blew me away. “Oh my gosh! It’s a golf cart at an airport!” The driver hollered at us to get in and he sped us to our gate. I thought this was the greatest thing in the world.
In all the years of flying that one incident has always stuck with me.
Haha, whenever I think “golf cart in an airport” it’s always ATL! So annoying…but highly convenient when in a time crunch. Sounds like some good memories – flying back in the 70s and 80s was so much different than it is now (both good and bad).
I have flown 30 to 40 times. A month ago I flew from DTW to LHR in economy. It was the worst flight I have ever been on. My knees were touching the seat in front of me and I couldn’t move my feet. I always fly economy. After the flight my back was killing me for 3 days. I never get cramps in my right leg. I had serious cramps in my right leg for 3 days in 3 places. From Fort Lauderdale to DTW I flew on a Boeing 737-800. It was like heaven compared to Delta. I could stretch my legs out all the way. I am almost 6 feet.
Yeah, this is why paying a little more for an Extra Comfort seat (an economy seat with a bit more legroom) is worth it. I too get aches and pains that last for days after long flights in economy, and I will gladly pay a little more to have some extra room to stretch out.
N828MH is currently in CAN for mods. It’ll be the first 764 to get D1 Suites, Premium Select, and new Economy seats.
Really? Dang it – I didn’t realize how close I was to getting a ride on a freshly configured 764! They are going to be really nice once the updates are complete though. Delta is doing really good things with their interiors, that’s for sure.
Where did you get the new information on the updates of the 764. Will they be done by summer?
I think I read about it somewhere on airliners.net a while back. I know that the first 764 went in for mods in late January, but I can’t recall how soon the entire fleet will be completed. It’ll likely take a year or two IMHO.
I will be flying there in 2 months and I have a 45 minute connection it ATL. Will I make my 757 to SAN?
We made our 35-minute connection after arriving at terminal F and departing out of A, so you can do it if you run! It’ll be a piece of cake if you arrive and depart out of the same (or neighboring) terminals though. ATL is big but efficient.
ok thanks
Interesting that Delta is refurbing the 767. Mainline AC is retiring all its 767s by 2019 and adding A330s. Not sure about Rouge, but I avoid them at all costs.
I remember a flight with my mom and sister from YUL in the 70s.
We were going to TPA or MCO (can’t remember which). Back then, there weren’t any direct flights from YUL, so we connected through ATL. I do remember the aircraft … a silver Eastern 727 “Whisperliner”. Of course, there was nothing whisperey about it, and I never got to use the back airstairs.
We were late getting into ATL, but at least our connecting flight was in the same terminal. My mom was freaking out, and then a golf cart pulls up next to us.
Coming from the comparatively tiny YUL, this blew me away. “Oh my gosh! It’s a golf cart at an airport!” The driver hollered at us to get in and he sped us to our gate. I thought this was the greatest thing in the world.
In all the years of flying that one incident has always stuck with me.
Haha, whenever I think “golf cart in an airport” it’s always ATL! So annoying…but highly convenient when in a time crunch. Sounds like some good memories – flying back in the 70s and 80s was so much different than it is now (both good and bad).
If you had just shown me the wing, I would have guessed that was a 777-300ER
Those wingtips are beautiful aren’t they? Still, after all these years, I sill think they are one of the best “winglet” designs ever.
I have flown 30 to 40 times. A month ago I flew from DTW to LHR in economy. It was the worst flight I have ever been on. My knees were touching the seat in front of me and I couldn’t move my feet. I always fly economy. After the flight my back was killing me for 3 days. I never get cramps in my right leg. I had serious cramps in my right leg for 3 days in 3 places. From Fort Lauderdale to DTW I flew on a Boeing 737-800. It was like heaven compared to Delta. I could stretch my legs out all the way. I am almost 6 feet.
Yeah, this is why paying a little more for an Extra Comfort seat (an economy seat with a bit more legroom) is worth it. I too get aches and pains that last for days after long flights in economy, and I will gladly pay a little more to have some extra room to stretch out.
Glad your flight down to FLL was better!