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The airline industry is slowly bouncing back from the pandemic! United Airlines started to bring back hot meals while American Airlines decided to give lounge access to first-class flyers on certain flights. And with Delta improving its food and IFE (in-flight entertainment), it looks like the “BIG 3” US carriers are back in the game.
Delta’s improvements on their in-flight food service and entertainment in a nutshell:
- Premium dishes from famous restaurants in San Francisco and New York City will be included in Delta’s onboard menu in September.
- John Shook and Vinny Dotolo, who are L.A.-based chefs and also Delta partners, will introduce new menu items to the airline’s onboard menu.
- Delta strikes new deals with STARZ and KIDNATION giving passengers more premium seatback entertainment options during flights.
- Passengers will be able to watch new films, episodes, and podcasts onboard.
Read More: United Reintroduces Hot Food On Flights To Hawaii
Delta Food Service Improvements: New Partners & More Food Options
As more popular destinations re-open due to the mass vaccination rollout in the U.S., Delta is focusing on improving its onboard dining experience for its first-class business and leisure travelers.
Delta S.V.P of In-Flight Service Kristen Manion Taylor said, “At Delta, we are focused on delivering moments of delight for our customers and our restaurant partners will help us do just that.”
Taylor also mentioned that Delta’s specially curated menus “will wow customers” so passengers should expect more dishes and a variety of new cuisines starting in September.
Delta Partners With San Francisco-based Greek Resto Souvla
Souvla is a Greek restaurant that has locations found within San Francisco and it specializes in Greek sandwiches, salads, yogurt.
“We’re so honored to bring our creative take on Greek cuisine to the skies and to be working alongside such a visionary team at Delta,” said Charles Bililies, Founder & CEO of Souvla. “We are thrilled to share the unique Greek flavors Souvla is known for with Delta’s premium customers from our hometown of San Francisco.”
Now that San Francisco-based restaurant has partnered with Delta Airlines, flyers can now experience Souvla’s famous spit-fired lamb leg sandwiches, free-range chicken salads, and their signature frozen Greek yogurt top with sour cherry syrup (Vissino).
Union Square Events Is Back On Delta’s Onboard Menu Lineup
Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events has been a long-time Delta partner since 2013 but USE food items were removed from Delta’s onboard menu, along with other in-flight food options, during the pandemic.
However, customers have more reason to rejoice as USE food items will return to Delta’s onboard menu lineup this September. Flyers will once again experience the all-time favorites such as the braised short ribs with a side of cheesy baked potatoes and the spinach and goat cheese frittata with a side of bacon and hash browns.
USE will be moving its commissary operations to a 70,000-square-foot location in Brooklyn this Fall to provide better support to Delta’s in-flight food services.
New Food Items From Jon & Vinny’s
John & Vinny’s is an L.A.-based restaurant that has assisted Delta’s in-flight services since 2017. This September, chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo will be wowing flyers with new food items such as the pearl couscous salad and hot pork shoulder sandwich.
For flyers departing from Seattle, local dishes from Seattle-based restaurants will also be included in Delta’s onboard menu lineup later this fall. One of the dishes that passengers should watch out for is Skagit River Farms pan-roasted chicken with a side of fingerling potatoes and Polish kielbasa with Beecher’s cauliflower mash.
Read More: American Airlines Adds Lounge Access On Hawaiian Flights
Delta IFE Adds New Partnerships And More Entertainment Options
There will be no more dull moments on Delta flights ever again as Delta Studio adds more movies, TV shows, and podcasts to its seatback screens to further enhance the onboard entertainment experience of flyers.
Starting August, passengers will be surprised to see more than 240 films and 16 new movie releases of various genres which includes the highly-anticipated “A Quiet Place 2”, “City of Lies”, and “Here Today.”
“Our dedication to bringing the very best entertainment onboard is never ending,” said Jaclyn Gonzales, Manager – In-Flight Entertainment. “Whether it’s binging a full season of a favorite TV show or discovering a new feature film, our team has hand-picked the perfect selection of entertainment to ensure customers have something new to enjoy when flying on Delta.”
Delta Partners With STARZ To Offer More Premium Content On Board
Aside from adding 182 new episodes to your most-watched shows onboard, Delta is also partnering with TV network STARZ to give flyers more access to more exclusive content. Passengers will be able to watch STARZ Originals such as “The Girlfriend Experience,” “Death and Nightingales,” “The Rook,” and “The Luminaries.”
Delta is also planning to offer full seasons for some of the most-watched shows onboard. This means flyers can now binge-watch old-time favorites such as “Friends” seasons 1-10 and “The Office (US)” seasons 1-9.
More Family-Friendly Content For Kids
Delta plans to show more family-friendly content onboard specifically for flyers who are traveling with their kids. This is why the airline decided to partner with KidNation, a TV network that delivers wholesome enriching content through songs and dances which were created by artists, educators, and child development experts.
“We’re so excited to partner with Delta as we introduce KidNation to the world,” said Bridges. “It’s so important for our children to have access to safe, high-quality, and fun media where they can not only learn but see themselves represented proudly. Delta is the perfect vehicle for KidNation.com to take flight.”
Delta’s partnership with KidNation is very timely as back-to-school season is just around the corner. Some of KidNation’s top content is “USA,” “Don’t Give Up,” and “Good Grades” which focuses on topics of education, health and wellness, and cultural movements.
Read More: Using The Delta Medallion Accelerator To Get Delta Status In 2022
Improve Your Flight Experience Using Co-branded Delta Cards
The much-improved in-flight entertainment and food service is definitely good news for all Delta travelers but those with co-branded Delta cards will have an even better experience. Co-branded cards like the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, Delta SkyMiles Platinum, and Delta SkyMiles Gold come with in-flight service discounts and exclusive Medallion status benefits.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card
The Delta Reserve Business Card from American Express comes with a welcome offer of 110,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 in the first three months (offer ends 8/3/22).
Cardholders will also earn 3x miles on Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases. The 1x miles accelerator increases to 1.5x miles after spending $150,000 in a calendar year). Some of the card’s other travel benefits also include an annual travel certificate, Delta Sky Club access, and a 20% discount on in-flight purchases.
Delta Skymiles Platinum Card
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card from American Express lets cardholders earn 3x miles on Delta purchases and direct hotel purchases, 2x miles on restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases.
New cardholders will earn 90,000 bonus miles after they spend $3,000 in purchases on their new card in their first three months. Offer ends 8/3/2022. . It also comes with other travel benefits such as a 20% discount for in-flight services and an annual companion certificate.
Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Card from American Express has a welcome offer of 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
For miles earning, you can earn 2x miles per dollar at Delta purchases, restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), and at U.S. supermarkets, then 1x mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Bottomline
Delta flyers are in for a treat starting August as Delta makes improvements on its in-flight services. However, you’ll even have a better flight experience by getting co-branded Delta cards that can give you more discounts, lounge access, and priority boarding.
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