Delta Air Lines to offer complimentary meals on 12 routes

Delta Air Lines recently announced that they would resume complimentary meals in the main cabin on flights between JFK and LAX. Now, beginning on March 1, 2017, Delta is going a step further by offering complimentary meals in the main cabin on longer competitive routes.

Qualifying routes:

• JFK to/from LAX, SFO, SAN, SEA, and PDX;
• SEA to/from FLL, MCO, and RDU; and
• BOS to/from SEA, LAX, SEA.

Clearly, the routes listed above are routes where Delta faces fierce competition from either American, Alaska, Jet Blue, or other low budget airlines. Per Delta’s press release:

Beginning March 1, Delta will offer complimentary meals in the Main Cabin on flights between JFK and LAX/SFO. On April 24, the airline will expand complimentary meals to 10 other major domestic markets from Seattle, New York, Boston and Washington, D.C. including BOS-SFO, BOS-LAX, BOS-SEA, DCA-LAX, JFK-PDX, JFK-SAN, JFK-SEA, SEA-FLL, SEA-MCO and SEA-RDU.

The enhancement is part of Delta’s ongoing multi-million dollar investment in the on-board customer experience that includes upgraded Main Cabin snacks, enhanced blankets, refreshed Flight Fuel food-for-purchase options and free in-flight entertainment. Main Cabin customers on long-haul international flights are also treated to complimentary beer, wine and spirits and sleep kits.

Delta’s new meal program will feature a variety of options for customers depending on the time of day of their flight. In the morning, customers will have the option to choose between a Honey Maple Breakfast Sandwich, Luvo Breakfast Medley or fruit and cheese plate. During the day, customers will be able to select from a Mesquite-Smoked Turkey Combo, Luvo Mediterranean Whole Grain Veggie Wrap, or fruit and cheese plate.  For overnight flights, customers will be offered a breakfast bar during the pre-arrival beverage service.

On all other flights, Delta will continue to offer the same snacks it has been offering, such as pretzels, peanuts, and yogurt. Delta says the menus will be “refreshed often to support the airline’s focus on offering innovative, seasonal and locally-sourced food and beverages.”

This enhancement comes after Delta “conducted a test late last year, where the airline closely monitored customer satisfaction scores to determine the impact on the in-flight experience and saw a significant increase as a result of the test.” Only time will tell if American, United, and Jet Blue will follow in offering complimentary meals for passengers sitting in the main cabin.