Atlanta, Georgia, USA — Our return leg from Seoul put us once again in Delta’s Premium Select class, their premium economy product, on an Airbus A350. While our outbound flight to Seoul was largely overnight, leaving ATL around midnight with most passengers opting to sleep, this flight back home departed ICN earlier in the evening giving it a slightly different vibe.
Date Flown: 20 April 2024
Departure/Arrival Times: 18:40 KST – 19:20 EST
Flight Time: 12 hr 40 min
Aircraft Type: Airbus A350-900
Fare Class: Premium Select
Elite Status: Delta Silver Medallion
Flight Overview
After a taxi ride from Seoul and grabbing a quick bite to eat from Incheon Terminal 2’s Matina Lounge (review here), we boarded the Airbus A350-900 that Delta operates nonstop between Seoul-Incheon and Atlanta. Boarding was efficient and we departed on-time just before 7PM Korean time despite the rain for our roughly 13-hour overnight flight.
Our route had us skirt around Russian airspace (which was closed to us due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russian conflict at the time of travel) and track along the Alaskan coast before cutting across the U.S. Midwest back into Georgia. Interestingly we arrived in Atlanta the same day just after 7PM Eastern time after crossing the international date line.
The flight crew was fairly reserved but very professional, and most of the crewmembers were bilingual in English and Korean. All in-flight announcements are made in both languages which can make them lengthy at times. If you are a light sleeper, I recommend a good pair of earplugs.
Overall, there was very little turbulence, and the flight went very smoothly. I was able to get 5-6 hours of sleep which is pretty good for me. I find crews on East Asian routes tend to very good as well making the flight much more enjoyable.
Seat Overview
This variant of Delta’s A350-900 has 32 Delta One lay-flat suites, 48 Premium Select seats, 36 Comfort Plus seats, and 190 economy seats. While both the Premium Select and Comfort Plus classes appear to be premium economy, there is a large distinction between them.
Delta’s Premium Select seats are similar to the lounger-style U.S. domestic first-class seats with more recline and pitch (space between seats). Comfort Plus is essentially a regular economy seat with slightly more pitch. Additionally, Premium Select generally has better amenities and service associated with the fare class.
Delta A350-900 Premium Select seats have an advertised seat width of 18.5 in (47 cm) and pitch of 38 in (97 cm). They are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, making the outside doublets great for couples while the center seats are well-suited for large families.
For comparison, the Main Cabin/Comfort Plus seats are a relatively standard economy seat width of 17.4 in (44 cm) and pitch of 31-32 in (79-81 cm), adding another 2-3 in (3-5 cm) of pitch for Comfort Plus. Additionally, these seats are arranged in 3-3-3 configuration so there is always a middle seat in each section.
On this flight, we were seated in 25A and 25B, the last row of Premium Select. Notably, while there is a solid bulkhead partition between our row and the Comfort Plus seats behind it, the seats DO recline all the way back.
Upon arriving at our seats, we were greeted with bottled water, a small pillow, and a relatively plush blanket. Additionally, there were a small amenities kit, over-ear headphones, and Delta-branded slippers.
When seated you are faced with a decently sized touch-capable in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen and beneath a small cubby for the safety card and other relatively flat items. Further down the seatback is a pocket for larger items. In-between the seatbacks are two universal power sockets.
The armrest between Premium Select seats is another notable upgrade from Comfort Plus. Each seat gets its own armrest so there is no elbow bumping and there is room for drink holders.
On either side of the middle armrest is a nook for storing other small items. Here you will also find the headphone plug, seat controls, and the IFE remote. The seat controls allow you to independently adjust each section of the seat. I personally believe the leg rest is a godsend on long flights.
In the opposite armrests you will find the fold-out tray table. It is larger than those found in economy class and fairly sturdy. The table is hinged in the center allow you to collapse it down to half-size and slip out of your seat while it is deployed.
It should be noted that the armrests are fixed on these Premium Select seats which may present a problem for more endowed passengers if width is an issue. Otherwise, the space and pitch gained over Economy or Comfort Plus is worth considering on longer flights.
Amenities
At the time of this flight, Delta provided long-haul Premium Select passengers with a woven cloth Someone Somewhere amenity kit. (Note: Delta discontinued this kit June 2024 and started providing Missoni branded kits containing similar items at the time of this post.)
The pouches are handmade by the person whose name is on the inside label. Each kit contained a pair of Delta-branded socks, eye mask, earplugs, toothbrush kit and Grown Alchemist brand lip balm.
The kit is relatively substantial for a U.S. premium economy product and basically a scaled down version of the Delta One business class amenity kit (see my review of my Delta One flight to Hawaii here).
Meal Service(s)
Water bottles were present at our seat upon boarding. There was no pre-departure beverage service however shortly after take-off crew came around with hot towels, a small bag of trail mix, and the first of several rounds of drinks.
About an hour after take-off, we start our first meal service with another round of drinks. Meals for Premium Select passengers came out on one tray. I opted for the Korean beef nubiani (a sort of grilled beef dish) which was tender and well-seasoned. A side salad, sourdough flatbread crackers, and a nice chocolate tart rounded out the meal.
Roughly halfway through the flight, a warm cheese pizza twist snack was served along with another drink.
Two hours before landing in Atlanta, the crew came around with breakfast service. I went for the savory stir-friend Korean noodles for one last taste of Korea on this trip. It was served alongside some fresh fruit and a small chocolate.
In between meals, the crew left out some snacks and drinks in the galley between the Premium Select and Delta One cabins for anyone feeling peckish. I feel like the meal services were well-timed throughout the flight and at no point was I ever very hungry.
Lavatory
There are two lavatories for Premium Select passengers, and shared with the Delta One passengers, located in between the two cabins on either side of the aircraft. While nothing particularly special, these lavatories were kept very clean by the crew throughout the flight.
Final Thoughts
Delta Premium Select represents a good middle-ground between Main Cabin/economy class and Delta One business class. It represents, in my opinion, a better value upgrade from economy when compared to Comfort Plus, if available for a good price, given the roomier seats and better food.
Until Korean Air introduces their new premium economy product (slated for late 2025 at the time of this post, initially on their Boeing 777s), Delta’s Premium Select will remain the primary semi-premium, non-business class product from Atlanta non-stop to Seoul-Incheon.
If your plan allows for a layover somewhere, you will likely have access to arguably better products on other carriers, but nonstop options from Atlanta are relatively limited given Delta’s dominance at this hub. For now, Delta Premium Select remains a strong contender for our future nonstop flights to East Asia.
Booking
Delta Main Cabin (economy) roundtrip tickets booked directly with Delta in late 2023 were $2442.00 per person, plus another 49,900 SkyMiles per person for the upgrade to Premium Select.
American Express Credit Cards
American Express offers several travel credit cards that greatly benefit Delta flyers and travelers in general, including products that allow for free checked bags on Delta, Delta SkyClub lounge access, and/or many other perks.
To learn more about American Express’s offerings, including lucrative early spend bonuses that may help fund travel, click this link: HERE. Be sure to browse through the different card options. If you apply and are approved for any American Express card through that link, we earn a referral bonus which greatly supports this blog, and we thank you in advance.
Bun World Traveler 