Delta 737-800 economy review (yes, it’s as dull as you think it is)

Can you believe it? I’m writing a Delta 737-800 economy review. Worse yet, you’re actually reading it. What’s wrong with you?

In my defense, I wasn’t even planning on doing a review of this flight. However, in the days leading up to it, I realized that I’ve never posted a review of Delta Air Lines 737-800 economy class.

What’s the point of being an airline reviewer if I’m not posting my opinions on all of the different airline products that I try? Let’s just get this over with so I can check it off my list…

DL1406
New York, NY (JFK) – Tampa, FL (TPA)
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Aircraft: 737-832
Registration: N3733Z
Duration: 2 hours 34 minutes
Seat: 27F (economy)

A full review of Delta 737-800 economy class from New York (JFK) to Tampa

According to my flight log, I’ve flown on a Delta 737-800 exactly 5 times in my life so far. I’ve already reviewed Delta 737-800 first class, but I’ve never had the opportunity to post anything about economy class. Or, maybe I just didn’t want to. I can’t remember.

Anyway, after trying the all new JetBlue Mint Suites from LAX to JFK, I needed to fly down to Tampa to catch a Breeze Airways flight to Oklahoma City. The most convenient option was Delta Air Lines.

Hanging out in Terminal 4 at JFK before the flight

As you read in my Delta 767-400 economy review, Terminal 4 at JFK is nice. It’s also extremely massive. You’re going to need a good pair of walking shoes if your gate happens to be located at the far end of the terminal.

The boarding process for flight 1406 to Tampa

Hovering around the gate area in the moments leading up to the boarding process, I could tell that it was going to be a fairly light load this morning.

It’s always hard to guess how full or empty a flight is going to be just by looking around the gate area, but I was feeling optimistic about having an empty seat next to me on the plane. After all, I did write an article about increasing the chances of having an empty seat next to you on a plane. I can sense these things.

My first impressions of the Delta 737-800 economy class seat

I’ll admit it. I was expecting the worst as I was walking down the jet bridge and onto the plane.

The last Delta 737-800 that I was on hadn’t been updated in years, and I was told by others afterwards that the 737-800‘s are the most neglected in the Delta fleet. Imagine my surprise when I stepped onboard and saw brand new seats with large video screens.

The departure sequence out of JFK

Departing out of JFK can be both exciting and frustrating. It’s exciting because it there’s always lots to see both on the ground and in the air. It’s frustrating because it’s an extremely busy airport and the wait times can be horrendous during rush hour.

It was a bit flip-flopped this morning though. We didn’t have to wait all that long to takeoff, but it was on runway 22R, which points away from the city. There wasn’t much to see just after liftoff.

Are there video screens in Delta 737-800 economy class?

Yes, there are video screens in Delta 737-800 economy. And they’re pretty good actually! As I said earlier, I was pleasantly surprised to see the most modern and up-to-date Delta economy product on this plane. These seats featured large and vibrant video screens – nearly identical to what I recently experienced in Delta A220-300 economy.

What kind of food did they serve on this flight?

If pretzels and water consists of food, that’s the food we got. Of course Biscoff Cookies were an option as well (as they are on all Delta flights), but I was in no mood for a sweet snack this particular morning.

It should be noted that there were no buy on board meal options on today’s flight. Perhaps it was because of Covid restrictions still being in place or something. I don’t know.

How good (or bad) are Delta 737-800 economy seats on long flights?

Total flying time down to Tampa this morning was 2 hours and 34 minutes. While far from being the longest 737-800 segment that I’ve ever been on, I was decently comfortable for the entire flight. Except when my seatmate (an attractive Latino woman in her 30s) ripped a huge fart near the halfway point. I knew it was her. I felt the vibration in my seat.

My final thoughts on the Delta 737-800 economy experience

In my opinion, Delta’s economy class product has been the best in the US for the last 10 years or so. This 737-800 economy experience was just as good as Delta 757-300 economy (and even Delta A321 economy). It’s far from being luxurious, as you would expect, but it’s a solid alternative to JetBlue (the only other airline flying JFK to Tampa at the moment).

Now, let’s wrap this review up with the descent and landing into Tampa:

Pros and cons of Delta 737-800 economy class

Despite what others have told me about Delta being slow to update their 737-800s with the newest interiors, I was lucky on this particular morning. The seats on this plane were pretty good. Everything else was on par with what I would expect for a bare-bones economy product.

Pros:

• If you’re lucky enough to be on a plane that has them, I’d like to think that you’d agree with me the fact that the new seats are both stylish and comfortable. I could still feel my toes after the 2.5 hour flight down to Tampa, which was a major plus.
• The video screens are just as good as you would find on any other Delta aircraft with the newest interior. For example, these are the exact same video screens you saw in my review of Delta A321 first class.
• Seat pitch (legroom) is pretty good. Easily comparable with other US airlines such as JetBlue and Southwest. Speaking of which, it probably behooves you to read my Delta vs Southwest and JetBlue vs Delta comparisons before booking your next domestic flight.

Cons:

• The 737-800 is one of the oldest aircraft types in the Delta fleet. This means scratched windows, scuffed walls, and other blemishes you would expect to find on such an old bird.
• It’s loud. The majority of the economy class seats on a Delta 737-800 are behind the wing. The area behind the wing is by far the loudest place to sit on one of these planes.