I usually book my trips far in advance and try and snag the exit row aisle seat to make the journey as comfortable as possible. For the first time on this trip, I experienced the new Economy Comfort seats on my Salt Lake City – Paris leg. It actually only happened by chance – as the exit row aisle seats were already taken when I booked my trip. I logged in to delta.com each day hoping that something would open up. Slowly but surely I started to make my way up towards the front of the plane on the seating chart with an aisle here and there. The day of my flight, I logged in for one last time and an aisle seat on row 18 had opened up and so I grabbed the seat.
I had seen on the seat map at the top a banner that indicated that economy comfort seats were available on this flight but nowhere did it indicate on the seat map which rows were economy comfort.
On this particular flight from Salt Lake to Paris, these were the economy comfort seats:
Row 17, 18, and 19 – Seat A & B
Row 16, 17, 18, and 19 – Seat F & G
Row 17, 18, and 19 – Seat C, D, & E
This seems to be a positive step for Delta and especially as a free benefit to Platinum and Diamond members.
The people around me seemed to be unaware that they were in the economy comfort seats based on their comments.
On my flight home from Frankfurt to Detroit, the economy comfort seats were available again (though no indication again on the seat map). The seat configuration for this flight is 2-4-2.
I already have an exit row aisle, so I decided to stay put but I just wanted to let everyone know about this positive development.
UPDATE: In my haste to post this before stepping on a plane, the commentators pointed out that I actually hadn’t given a review of the seat. I thought that the Economy comfort seat was very nice and comfortable but no different than an exit row seat. Therefore, if you’re going on a long haul flight and can’t snag an exit row seat, then the Economy Comfort would be worth the purchase. However, if there is an exit row available, then there is no advantage to the Economy Comfort seat.
On a separate note, my flight from Frankfurt to Detroit did not have the economy comfort seats available which once again illustrates the confusion as the same exact banner was shown above the seat map talking about Economy Comfort. However there was no graphical indication on seat map showing Economy Comfort – thank goodness I kept my exit row seat.
@Gina: the difference in recline is _up_to_ 50% more; some seats have less. For example, on the 767-300ER with EC seats from 16FG to 22, row 21 – an exit row – doesn’t recline as much as row 22. (Because row 22 is an exit row as well, and they don’t want the row 21 seats blocking egress.) Row 22 has the full 50% recline… but row 23, which is not EC, doesn’t have the extra legroom or extra recline, so the row 22 seats are basically in their lap.
A note on how “up to 50% more recline” *feels*: normal Economy seats recline 2″-4″, so the EC seats recline _up_to_ 3″-6″. It’s a noticeable feeling, and how far the seat projects into the face or lap of the person behind you is noticeable as well, but it’s nothing like laying down.
Just got back from a trip to New Tork. We were able to get teh comfort eceonomy seats for an additional $29 per seat. It gave quite a bit more leg room and was by far worth the money. The leg room is quite a bit more than we usually get. We were in the first row of comfort economy
@claire – thanks for the report !
I had one on an MD-11 from AMS to ATL recently and ended up with the guy in front of me “in my lap”.
Do not get the first seat behind the comfort seats. I had one on an MD-11 from AMS to ATL recently and ended up with the guy in front of me “in my lap”.
Do not get the first seat behind the comfort seats. I had one on an MD-11 from AMS to ATL recently and ended up with the guy in front of me “in my lap”. And… the food was terrible.
Its great. These seats are much better than the regular by a longshot but I wish I did what so many others did. When the door closed regular passengers ran up and sat in the empty seats. There was no monitoring the empty seats by the stewards. Next time I will do the same and save 300 dollars.
As a Silver, I decided to cough up the extra $150 for a DTW-AMS flight….since Delta’s site advertises ‘first to be seated’. NOT TRUE. In this case you end up being 3rd to seat. Since Zone 1’s get on first, you end up duking it out over the tiny bit of overhead left by the time you get on. No changes to Zone for me, no advantage at all to spend the money.
@Sue – thank you for sharing your experience
Delta is currently providing Economy Comfort Seating between JFK and SFO (and JFK and LAX).
Check seating charts at Delta (https://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/aircraft_types_layout/index.jsp ) and SeatGuru (www.seatguru.com); it appears that ALL flights between JFK and SFO, are on “757-200ER (75E) V2″ aircraft, and according to Delta (and SeatGuru) it is an “Economy Comfort” configured aircraft. Also beginning Saturday, October 1 flight 2049 (767-300ER-I) from ATL to SFO is an EconoComfort configured aircraft.
If anyone travels between JFK and SFO (or LAX), please comment re Economy Comfort seating between JFK and SFO and/or LAX.
Current Flights
All non-stop flights between JFK and SFO are EC flights.
All non-stop flights between JFK and LAX are EC flights.
Beginning Oct 1 EC Seats
ATL to SFO
8:15am – Flight 2049 – 767-300ER -76L (767-300-I at SeatGuru)
SFO to ATL
11:55am – Flight 1870 – 767-300ER -76L (767-300-I at SeatGuru)
Beginning Nov 1 EC Seats
ATL to SFO
8:25am – Flight 2049 – 767-300ER -76L (767-300-I at SeatGuru)
1:45pm – Flight 2349 – 757-200ER-75A (Atlantic)
SFO to ATL
6:20am – Flight 1580 – 757-200ER-75A (Atlantic)
12:00pm – Flight 1870 – 767-300ER -76L (767-300-I at SeatGuru)
Check seating charts at Delta (https://www.delta.com/planning_reser…yout/index.jsp ) and SeatGuru (www.seatguru.com). It appears that ALL flights between JFK and SFO, are on “757-200ER (75E) V2” aircraft, and according to Delta (see Delta seat chart URL below) and SeatGuru.com it is an EC configured aircraft.
If anyone travels between JFK and SFO (or LAX), please comment re Economy Comfort seating between JFK and SFO and/or LAX.
Did the seat actually recline more? It says 50% more.That sounds like you would notice it>?
@Gina – I didn’t notice – so it can’t be 50% more. I do have another trip coming up where I’ll be in the seat again and will take much more meticulous measurements.
Hi Jason,
I’ve been having the same dilemma as you as to which to choose (exit or economy). My concern was although you get more pitch…the seat in front of you also has more recline and therefore you would lose all benefits if you were to use a computer or try and exit the seat to use the lavatory (non aisle). Did you find this to be the case or was there plenty of room with the seat in front of you reclined to use a computer for work?
Also, do the seats by any chance have flaps on the head rest to allow for easier sleep in non-window seats?
Thanks for all the help doing a 13 hr long haul to tokyo and want to get some rest!
best,
Mike
@mike – personally I would go for exit row still unless it’s not available – I just didnt see enough differentiation – and I didn’t notice about the window seat so I can’t answer your question there
Was the seat any wider than regular economy? Are there new seats or just moved a little further apart?
@Peter – it seemed to be same seats just moved farther back
I called Delta recently to inquire about Economy Comfort seats for a pax. The outbound was on Delta metal, and the return on a SkyTeam carriers metal. The reservations agent kept saying how DL was rapidly deploying the Economy Comfort seats, and that maybe by the time the pax returned those seats would be available on their flight. The agent said that usually the seats cost non Diamond or Platinum members about $60-$80.
Only once I pointed out to the agent that the return was not on DL metal, I was clued in just by looking at the digits of the flight number, did the agent say that yes in fact since it was a code-share on another airline there would be no chance of the Economy Comfort seat.
On an aside overall I think code sharing just adds confusion to airline customers. Delta, or any other carrier, should just say they have a marketing relationship with Airline X, and that they can ticket their seats. It does nothing but add confusion, to pax and reservations agents, to have a Delta flight# operated by another airline.
If MacDonalds wants to sell Wendy’s hamburgers, they should just tell the customer that you can buy the Wendy’s hamburger at the same register along with your other MacDonalds purchases. The way it is now, the way the carriers do it, a lot of customers only find out its a Wendy’s hamburger by the wrapper and packaging once they leave the MacDonalds.
If MacDonalds wants to sell Wendy’s hamburgers I don’t think thats shameful or something to be bashful about, but just tell the customer your offering to sell them a Wendy’s hamburger. Don’t wrap the Wendy’s hamburger in a MacDonalds wrapper or package.
@mika – very well put!
I have a PDX-AMS flight in June and Economy Comfort seats are available as a paid upgrade (since I’m a lowly Gold).
On the flight over, all the exit rows are already gone. On the flight back I presently have an exit row.
Could you report back the comparison between a normal exit and Economy Comfort? Would it be worth $60?
@ Josh – it would be worth $60 if you can not secure a normal exit. Otherwise it would not be worth it.
@NB – it has been over a decade since I was in Economy Plus on United and therefore I may not be the best to comment, but as I recollect – Economy Plus on United was equal if not slightly better.
@Mack – I would stick with an exit row.
@Jack – sorry, in my haste to post I forgot to post my actual review – I’ve updated the post now with my review.
@Sice – lemonade stand? reallly?
I’ve been in economy on the SLC – CDG flight and some more legroom sure would be nice…
How does it compare with Economy Plus on United?
So, how did they differ? Delta claims 4″ more legroom and 50% more recline (if my memory serves). What do you think? Worth the price (for those of us who must pay)? Or, would you stick with exit row. Thanks.
No actual review of the seat itself?!