Delta Air Lines unveiled updated business-class suites for its Airbus A350-1000 jets, which are set to arrive in early 2027. This marks the airline’s first major update to its top business seat in about a decade.
The updated Delta One suites, set to debut on Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, feature beds 3 inches longer and a new pillow-top cushion
Kevin Carter / Getty Images
Delta Air Lines unveiled updated business-class suites for its Airbus A350-1000 jets, which are set to arrive in early 2027. This marks the airline’s first major update to its top business seat in about a decade.
The upgrades include beds that are three inches longer, giving passengers more than six and a half feet of sleeping space, and a pillow-top cushion that sits on top of the memory foam mattress. The new design also offers more knee and leg room, plus dedicated shoe storage and extra places to store personal items.
Each A350-1000 will carry 50 of the suites, according to CNBC. The aircraft will also include Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort, and Delta Main cabins.
Mauricio Parise, VP of brand experience at Delta, told CNBC that prospective customers spent "hours" putting the new seats through their paces at the company's Atlanta headquarters. He emphasized that the redesign was built around sleep comfort, noting that most flyers prefer sleeping on their sides. Parise also pointed out that Delta was an early mover in the doors-equipped business-class space, having launched that feature in 2017.
All cabins on the A350-1000 will have the airline's largest seatback screens to date, with high-definition picture quality, as well as more than 1,000 hours of free entertainment through Delta Studio. Each seat will include Bluetooth connectivity, USB-C and universal AC power outlets, and memory foam cushions. The aircraft will also offer fast, free in-flight Wi-Fi throughout, Delta said.
The A350-1000 uses Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and is built for long international and hub-to-hub flights. Delta says this aircraft uses over 20% less fuel per seat mile compared to the older planes it will replace.
The redesign fits into a broader strategic push by Delta, which has been directing virtually all of its seat growth toward premium cabins — CEO Ed Bastian said earlier this year that "effectively none of our growth in seats will be in the main cabin." First-quarter results reflected that focus, with revenue from premium tickets climbing 14% year over year, helping Delta post a record March quarter on an adjusted basis.
United Airlines, Delta’s main competitor, has also updated its offerings for business travelers. United introduced a redesigned long-haul Polaris suite and a new tiered pricing system for its business cabin, including a basic entry-level option. United's three-tier Polaris structure offers a "Base" option with a lie-flat seat, but without lounge access or advance seat selection.
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