Even on a Short Flight, Delta Just Feels a Little Different (Trip Report)

There are certain events that really make you step back and realize just how quickly time passes. My recent 20th grad school reunion fits into that bucket. Most of us look older, but it’s incredible how we all fall right back into it as if no time has passed at all. I don’t go to my high school or undergrad reunions, but I have never missed a Stanford one, and I wasn’t about to break that streak now.

I planned to fly up north from Long Beach to San Jose on Southwest, but then I realized I had an expiring credit on Delta. I would brave the journey to LAX so I could use it up. I plunked down $246.20 in credit — yes, intra-Cal pricing has gotten out of hand — for the weekend trip.

My wife was going to drive me to the airport, but then I looked on cheapairportparking.org and was surprised to find I could get parking for only about $13 a day all-in. That was a steal.

The day before travel, I got the app notification telling me to get my boarding pass. It didn’t say anything about checking in. The language Delta uses is a little different, and it does make the experience feel just a bit different as well. It’s smart.

I parked a good 20-minute walk from Delta’s Terminal 2, but I enjoyed the stroll. I entered in Terminal 2 and walked past the old security checkpoint. The stairs are long gone and there is a security station there. It’s so strange to see it like this.

The new Terminal 2/3 security checkpoint isn’t set up very well. I came in from the Terminal 2 side of the checkpoint and someone checked to see that I had TSA Precheck.

But then I just walked all the way to the far Terminal 3 side of the checkpoint where they then checked it again to let me into the real line. There were people going in the other direction to get in the non-Precheck line. It just seems like there’s a lot of overchecking.

Once through security, I split off to Terminal 2 where I headed to my favorite spot. There’s a little mezzanine above the end of the concourse with seating that never seems full. It’s also quieter. The power outlets didn’t work, but I didn’t need that.

Twenty minutes before departure, I went downstairs to the gate and found the airplane fully loaded. The app never alerted me that boarding had begun until after I got on the airplane.

Delta Connection 3762 (operated by SkyWest)May 3, 2024

From Los Angeles➤ Scheduled Departure: 11a➤ Actual Departure: 1056a➤ From Gate: 26B➤ Wheels Up: 1112a➤ From Runway: 24R

To San Jose➤ Wheels Down: 1202p➤ On Runway: 30L➤ Scheduled Arrival: 1215p➤ Actual Arrival: 1206p➤ At Gate: 10

Aircraft➤ Type: Embraer 175➤ Delivered: September 26, 2018➤ Registered: N263SY, msn 748➤ Livery: Standard Delta Widget

Flight➤ Cabin: Coach in Seat 12D➤ Load: ~95% Full➤ Flight Time: 50m

The flight was pretty full, but I had no problem with overhead bin space. I took my seat on the right side and stared out at that sexy new A321neo. From an Embraer, that looks like a widebody.

The pilots came on to say we’d be on our way soon and it would be a nice ride up. Not long after, we were pushing back. It was a longer taxi than usual, because runway 24L is closed for construction. They threaded us between arrivals. I waved to In-n-Out, and soon after we were taking off into the marine layer.

Once above the clouds, we hung a right and the flight attendants swung through with an abbreviated service. This is another way Delta differentiates itself. Even though they only had coffee, water, or tea available, they did also offer four different choices of snacks. It’s a small thing, but having a choice feels more premium. (I naturally went Biscoff to bring back to my kids, because they insist the Delta ones taste better.)

Despite the ads about free wifi, these planes do not have that. (The flight attendants apologetically announced as much earlier.) I had to wait until we passed 10,000 feet. Then I connected my phone to try to watch a TV show, but they don’t even have that on these regional airplanes. There isn’t even a map, just this:

Since I use T-Mobile, I just flipped on wifi for a free hour, and it was pretty slow. I ended up just messing around on Flightradar24 until we were below 10,000 feet and wifi shut off again.

There’s nothing quite like the Bay Area at this time of year after a rainy spring. The hills are green, and the place just looks so beautiful.

We landed from the south and parked at gate 10 in Terminal A. The real problem with Terminal A is that it’s far from the rental car center. I thought about walking all the way down the concourse and then crossing, but I wanted to go outside instead. I did that and realized walking would be pretty tough, so I just took the rental car shuttle.

I made the mistake of grabbing a Buick Enclave from National’s Emerald Aisle, and I never figured out how to use the radio the entire time. I feel like I clearly was doing something wrong, but Android Auto worked, so that was good enough.

Being able to connect with some old classmates after so much time away was wonderful. It’s the one-on-one opportunities that mean the most, and it reminded me why I felt my time in grad school was so meaningful.

On Sunday, I tried to pry myself away from the breakfast but it’s always hard to get out of there. By the time I got in my car, the map said I’d arrive only 55 minutes before departure… and I still had to stop for gas. After a quick pit stop, I dumped the rental car and then went through security in Terminal B right across the street.

I stopped into the bathroom and it was a mess. There was a giant puddle on the floor which I hopped over. Meanwhile, the first soap dispenser I found didn’t work. I went to the next sink where the soap worked but the faucet didn’t. So I went back to the first one, grabbed a towel and then hopped back over the puddle, walking all the way up to gate 10 in Terminal A.

Boarding had begun, and my app told me that was the case this time around. I have no idea what group they were on, but there were several people around, so I stood there waiting to see. They called group 5 next, which was good since I was in 6. The two people boarding in 5 took forever. I don’t know what was going on, but once it was done, the agent lost her place and called group 7.

That wouldn’t really matter except that they were also saying that only five more roller bags would be allowed before they started checking. I don’t have a roller bag, but I bet some people were mad.

Delta Connection 3914 (operated by SkyWest)May 5, 2024

From San Jose➤ Scheduled Departure: 1255p➤ Actual Departure: 1252p➤ From Gate: 10➤ Wheels Up: 124p➤ From Runway: 30R

To Los Angeles➤ Wheels Down: 217p➤ On Runway: 24R➤ Scheduled Arrival: 217p➤ Actual Arrival: 226p➤ At Gate: 23A

Aircraft➤ Type: Embraer 175➤ Delivered: October 30, 2018➤ Registered: N291SY, msn 759➤ Livery: Standard Delta Widget

Flight➤ Cabin: Coach in Seat 12A➤ Load: ~99% Full➤ Flight Time: 53m

The plane was full, but I had no trouble finding a spot for my duffel. I took my seat, still in row 12 but on the other side this time around.

The captain came on to tell us that we would have a remarkably quick 42 minute flight down to LA, but having just flown up from LA, it was turbulent so he would keep the flight attendants seated for awhile. I just assumed on a flight that short, nobody would get up.

We pushed back and then sat. The captain came on again to say we had just been given a wheels-up time due to an air traffic control delay in LA. We would be there for 25 minutes. I appreciated the explanation.

About 15 minutes in, we spooled up and slowly started heading toward the runway. Right on time, we got in the air and turned around to head southeast toward LA.

After getting above some light chop, it smoothed out immediately and the flight attendants surprisingly sprang into action. They came through with the same limited beverage service as on the way up, and I was impressed.

Once at altitude, we were clearly going too fast. They started slowing us down with a wide turn to the left. At one point, we turned as we were below an Emirates A380 that was going to end up in front of us on descent into the LA area. I tried to capture the beast with a photo, but I couldn’t quite get it.

As we got lower, the gusty winds kicked in, and the captain had the flight attendants sit down right there. They came on and did announcements, just asking people to put up their tray tables and all that. I don’t know what people were supposed to do with trash, but clearly he wanted them sitting right away.

Over the LA Basin, it did get squirrely with those gusts pushing us around. I wondered if there might have been some wake coming off the A380, but I don’t think so.

Once we got past downtown LA, we turned right before Emirates and got in front of him to land. It stayed just as bumpy the rest of the way down.

I had a good view of the new Intuit Dome which will be home to the LA Clippers starting this fall. The pilots greased the landing, and on our way back to the gate, I saw the Emirates A380 touch down.

As I got off the plane, I noticed that we had parked next to a WestJet 737 still painted in Swoop colors. Swoop lives!

I walked behind security over to Terminal 1, and then I walked out and over to the parking garage for the drive home.

Overall, Delta does a really nice job. The language used just seems a little different, and the onboard experience feels superior even if it’s only marginally so. It might just be the choices of snacks or the willingness to get up and hustle on a short, bumpy flight, but regardless, I noticed the small differences.

Even on a Short Flight, Delta Just Feels a Little Different (Trip Report)

Even on a Short Flight, Delta Just Feels a Little Different (Trip Report)

Even on a Short Flight, Delta Just Feels a Little Different (Trip Report)

Even on a Short Flight, Delta Just Feels a Little Different (Trip Report)

Even on a Short Flight, Delta Just Feels a Little Different (Trip Report)