Delta 757 Los Angeles International (LAX)-Washington National Airport (DCA) Economy Class Review2/17/2024 By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review
Flight Overview
A fast tail wind shaved nearly an hour off of this cross-country flight while the strong Delta Comfort+ offering made the experience enjoyable. Pros- Strong Loyalty Recognition, Complimentary Economy Meal, Premium Comfort+ Snacks, Amazing Legroom, Strong In-Flight Entertainment, Early Arrival Cons- Exit Row Seat Restricted Width and Immovable Armrest, Poor Ground Experience 
Delta Boeing 757
Check-In
I checked in a 5:30 am and no one was in the line. I was thanked for my loyalty and annoyingly pitched a Delta credit card. It was so early that no one was in the pre-check line! 
Delta Self-Check In Kiosks
At the time of my flight in February 2020 LAX was a construction zone with an open ceiling and a big mess. This was all a part of the massive, and still undergoing, renovation of Terminal 3 which was very much needed since the terminal at the time of trip looked really old and in need of a major refresh. The circular design and age of the terminal reminded me of the old Terminal A at DCA airport.
Delta Terminal B
I went to the Sky Club which at the time was unimpressive but since has undergone a major renovation. The renovation included adding a Sky Desk and the renovated version opened in April 2022 right on schedule. Overall, the construction and weak Sky Club made for a poor ground experience though I suspect that has significantly improved since my flight.
Delta SkyClub Sign
Boarding
I got an alert that my flight was departing 10 minutes early. Something that also happened to Christina's flight the day before and can be very frustrating for any who left the gate to grab food or explore the terminal. The flight from LAX to DCA on the Boeing 757 is designated as a premium Delta One flight. The means that there is enhanced service including meals in economy and lie flat seats. As a Delta Silver Medallion I was eligible for a same day upgrade to Delta One, however, on this popular route I didn't stand a chance of being upgraded. On the day of departure there were five open Delta One seats and five passengers were upgraded including 3 at the gate. At the gate I was 21 of 28 for an upgrade. However, I did end up getting "upgraded" to Delta Comfort+ which is Delta's extra legroom economy seat and treated as a separate cabin on Delta. I was 3 of 5 on the Comfort+ upgrade list and all but one of us got upgraded to Comfort+. Since there were middle seats remaining, I assumed that the last person asked for only an aisle or window seat.
Plane and Seat
My Comfort+ seat was 18E which is one of only two seats in row 18 and located at the very front of the Comfort+cabin. This seat was technically a middle seat but was really an aisle seat since it is in the exit row and there were only two seats. 
Comfort + Seats 18 D and E
The seat was really spacious with enough legroom for me to get up and move around which out bumping into anyone. These seats had a great location away from the rest of the economy cabin and the closest to the boarding door. The seats were also the closest to the bathroom which gave the perk of quick access to the bathroom but also came with the downside of a smelly bathroom towards the end of the flight. I also really liked that the seat had a bi-fold and moveable tray. This made it really easy to get up during meal service without having finished all of my food and drinks.
The biggest downsides of the seat were the lack of under seat storage, an immovable armrest, and smaller width because the in-flight entertainment (IFE) is stored in the armrest. The IFE storage in the seat was annoying and meant that during takeoff and landing I was unable to watch the IFE. The two seats shared one power plug and because they were in the exit row only had a tiny exit row window. Despite these downsides I would recommend 18E and 18 D as perfect seats for traveling companions since they are isolated from the rest of economy cabin. 
Boeing 757 Bulkhead
There were two things I really appreciated about this 757. First, the ceiling height was higher than other narrow body planes which was nicer for a longer flight. Second, the plane had a sign that lights up when the Wi-Fi was activated which was a nice touch.
Boeing 757 In-Flight Signs
The door was closed 10 minutes early and we were told that because of strong tail wind the flight would be 3 hours and 45 minutes. The estimated flight time was lightning fast compared to the scheduled flight time of 4 hours and 55 minutes.
In-Flight Entertainment
As usual Delta's IFE was strong on this flight. While other airlines have removed IFE systems and require steaming on your own device Delta continues to commit to installing IFE systems. The IFE system offers the ability to track your flight, watch movies, television shows, live television through Dish Network, and the ability to listen to music. 
Delta IFE System
During the flight I really enjoyed watching the flight tracker to see how fast we were flying to DCA. I also watched the movie Gemini Man, and used Dish to watch live news on CNN. Delta's IFE system and offering continue to stand out above the competition.
Delta IFE System
Food and Drinks
About an hour into the flight meal service started. Because of my location at the front of the Comfort+ cabin I was the first person served an economy meal. The choices were either a ham and cheese bagel sandwich or fruit and cheese plate. I chose the ham and cheese bagel sandwich which came with a Cliff bar and grapes. This was solid for a cold meal. I really appreciated Delta offering complimentary meals on this long domestic flight. Because I was in Comfort+ I also could have ordered a complimentary alcoholic drink but decided not to order one this time. 
Ham and Cheese Bagel Sandwich with Snacks
After meal service was done the crew came through for coffee service, followed by water service, and finally snack service. Because I was seated in Comfort+ the flight attendants offered premium snacks, typically the same one offered in Delta One and first class. These options included cheez-its, cookies, Oreo Thins, almonds, granola bar, and bananas. I chose the Oreo Thins which were really good. I actually discovered I am a big fan of Oreo Thins from flying with Delta which shows just how effective partnerships which airlines can be for companies promoting products.
Oreo Thins
Service
The service at the airport was great and onboard service was solid though not as strong as the flight from DCA-LAX. I was surprised to be thanked for my loyalty at check-in even though I was just a Silver Medallion the lowest level of elite status. During the boarding process the flight attendant was also friendly and offered a warm greeting. However, the crew just wasn't as present throughout the flight as my flight over from DCA though they did complete the meal service quickly. Arrival We ended up hitting turbulence with about 29 minutes to go but that didn't stop us from arriving 3:13 pm which was 52 minutes ahead of schedule. Not as fast as original estimate but still quick. Upon arrival I went to claim my bag. There was some confusion in this process since the bag ended up coming out dirty, but not damaged, and at a different DCA baggage claim that listed on the screen. However, I continue to be impressed by the speed of the Delta baggage claim which came out after only a 10-minute wait! 
Delta DCA Baggage Claim
Take Away
The Delta difference stood out on this flight. We arrived well ahead of schedule, the ground team demonstrated strong elite recognition, and the onboard experience was head and shoulders above the competition on transcontinental economy flights. Despite my exit row seat limitation, and since significantly upgrade ground experience, I would strongly recommend taking Delta from LAX to DCA.
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By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further. California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review  View of Los Angeles from Dodger's Stadium Exploring Los Angeles Overview Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States and the metro area is home to major film/television studios and a center of culture, particularly Chicano culture. With all of this in mind I planned a two -night stay in Los Angeles to give my dad a small taste of what the largest city on the west coast of the United States has to offer. I previously visited Los Angeles briefly for work but this is the most time I had spent consecutively in the city. While I had fun on my visit, I came away from my visit unimpressed with the city. The city has a host of problems which took away from my enjoyment including major homeless encampments, terrible public transportation which further drives its horrendous traffic and smog, boring architecture with massive sprawl, and insufficient density. Attractions Dodgers Stadium My dad is a huge baseball fan and Christina and her family are big Dodger's fan's so the first major stop in Los Angeles was a tour at Dodger's Stadium. Dodger's stadium is located in Chavez Ravine and its construction was controversial since the city utilized eminent domain to evict primarily Latino homeowners from the site to construct the stadium. The stadium is the third oldest in baseball behind only Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. I was impressed by the sweeping, though smog filled, view of Los Angeles from the stadium.  View of Los Angeles from Dodger's Stadium The tour was very informative and started in the outfield with an opportunity to look out over the stadium. The tour guide informed us that the stadium capacity is 56,000, the second largest in baseball behind the Oakland Coliseum, and the seats are color coded by level. Yellow representing sunshine, orange the beach, and blue for the ocean and sky.  Dodger's Stadium As the tour continued, we were shown the suites and the press box. We were told that the suites at the time in 2020 ranged from $5,000-$15,000 and did not include food or drink. One cool fact is that Dodgers Stadium allows fans to bring outside food and drink.  Dodger's Stadium Press Box Other interesting information that was shared with us is that the Dodger's at the time had only retired 10 jerseys and to retire a Jersey you were required to be in the Hall of Fame. One of the retired jerseys was #42 for Jackie Robinson who played for the Dodgers who were the first team to integrate baseball with the inclusion of the first Black player on a Major League Baseball roster. The tour of Dodgers Stadium was cool and I would recommend it to any sports fan visiting Los Angeles. Queen Mary As we continued our exploration of the Los Angeles area, we decided to take a trip to the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary is a British ocean liner which served at various time as trans-Atlantic civilian transportation and a during World War II as a ferry for Allied troops across the Atlantic. One of the servicemen included Christina grandpa who served in World War II. The ocean liner was retired in 1967 and purchased by the city of Long Beach to serve as a tourist attraction and now is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was a cool experience for my dad to visit the ship since he remembered this large vessel entering the harbor in Nassau, The Bahamas as a child. Also, during the tour of ship we learned several interesting facts. Even though it served as a troop transport the Queen Mary was never fired upon during World War II. As a passenger transport it hosted several celebrities including Bob Hope and Bing Crosby and made an appearance in the movie The Aviator. For 10 years the ship held the transatlantic speed record with a 3-day crossing. The tour guide said this trip normally takes about six days for an ocean liner today. When it served as a civilian ocean liner it, was divided into three classes and was often compared to another ocean liner the Titanic, even though it was larger and faster than the Titanic. Its First Class round trip tickets costs about $5,000 in 1936 which would be about $111,000 in 2023 dollars. The ship seemed in need of a refresh and after our visit in February 2020 the company that operated the ship went into bankruptcy due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the subsequent year the attraction underwent millions of dollars of repairs and reopened in April 2023. Overall, I found the tour interesting as a history lover and was happy to have a chance to have my dad aboard the ship he saw as a child. I would recommend it if you are a tourist interested in history. Sony Pictures Studio Tour Our next stop on our visit to Los Angeles was Sony Pictures Studio. Christina didn't join us since she had to go back to Washington D.C. for work. The Sony Pictures Studio is located on the same lot as the old famous MGM Studios. Sony purchased the land and items located on the lot from MGM when MGM shifted its focus to hotels.
The first stop on our tour was a room chock full of memorabilia from various Sony Pictures television shows and movies. This included the set from the classic television show Seinfeld and items the various Men in Black movies. In this room we also got a chance to have a picture with a few Oscars, which sure looked real. As we continued the tour the tour guide talked with us about some of the famous movies filmed on the lot including Air Force One, Star Trek, and The Wizard of Oz. At the time of our tour filming had just wrapped for the television show Shark Tank which the tour guide said was filmed in 20 days. We also got a chance to take pictures with some items from sets that were around the lot including one of the cars from Ghostbusters.  Car from Ghostbusters The iconic game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! also are filmed on the Sony Pictures lot and as part of the tour we got to visit the Wheel of Fortune set. As a regular watcher of these shows when I was a kid this was really cool. My mom also was very impressed since she is still a big fan of Wheel of Fortune. The tour guide told us that typically six episodes of the show are filmed in one day.  Sean Giambrone from The Goldbergs During our tour the biggest highlight was getting to actually meet a celebrity. While we were walking around the lot, we ran into Sean Giambrone who stars on The Goldbergs, one of my mom's favorite shows. He came over to talk and take pictures with our tour group and I was impressed by how down to earth he was. Our tour guide also explained that child actors, like Sean at the time of our tour, have an on-site school. He said that in old Hollywood it wasn't a required for kids to receive education. In response, Congress passed legislation requiring that entertainment companies provide education for child actors.  Stage 30 at Sony Studios This was my parents and I first visit ever to a movie studio and there were a few things I found interesting. First, there were trailers everywhere not just for the actors but for all of the support staff including hair and makeup. Second, it is amazing how small some of the television sets are and how good camera work can make a set look a lot bigger on television. Third, at Sony Pictures Studios other media companies were using the lot to film entertainment that wasn't being distributed by Sony Pictures. For example, while we were on the lot Apple TV+ was filming The Morning Show season 2. Finally, I came away with the impression that Sony Pictures was a little behind the times. Most of the television shows and movie released by the studio were not big hits during the time of our tour. Hollywood Walk of Fame Our next stop was the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We walked around the streets looking for the stars of actors whom we knew. My dad was very happy to take a picture with the star, of perhaps the most famous Bahamian ever, Sidney Poitier. As we walked around the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I was surprised by just how many celebrities have a star. I wouldn't consider some of these celebrities to be legendary celebrities and I wondered if it just took the right amount of money to get star. As we walked around it also seemed that some stars got more prominent placements for those who were more famous.  Sidney Poitier's Star While we were walking around, we stopped in front of the Chinese Theatre and the El Capitan Theatre. I was really disappointed by the Chinese Theater which wasn't architecturally impressive and was surrounded by vendors hawking cheap tourist souvenirs. I thought that the nearby El Captain theater was much more impressive. Hollywood Museum Our final stop was the Hollywood Museum located a block from the Chinese Theatre and El Capitan Theatre. This museum claims it has the largest collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world. It is located in the former Max Factor building, which housed makeup artists to celebrities. I was impressed by the enormous number of items housed at this building. At the time of our visit the basement housed items for horror films, Star Wars, Hunger Games, and Planet of the Apes items were on the first floor, and an exhibit dedicated to the Pointer Sisters was on the second floor. I thought the most impressive floor was the third floor. This floor housed some original DeLoreans from the Back to the Future movies and the original Batmobile from the Batman television series. While the sheer number of memorabilia items at this museum was impressive, I thought the museum was dated and could have done a better job updating both the items on display and the way in which the items were displayed. Take Away
It was great being able to show my dad a slice of Los Angeles. The most frustrating parts of Los Angeles were the poor air quality, poor public transportation, homelessness, and traffic. However, I really liked the weather, seeing Dodgers Stadium, and doing the Sony Pictures Studio tour. I really felt on this trip that I was getting to see slice of Tinsel Town. Overall, I think it was a great trip and I think my dad was left impressed and overwhelmed by the size of Los Angeles. Even though I couldn't picture myself living in Los Angeles because of the problems I mentioned, there is so much to see in Los Angeles that if I had the chance I would come back for another visit and recommend that others visit the city. One place I look forward to visiting on my next trip is The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which wasn't open during our visit in February 2020. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review
Exploring California's Central Coast Overview
Across both of our stays the Renaissance Los Angeles Hotel stood out as a very good airport hotel. The elite recognition was excellent, the club lounge was solid, and the buffet breakfast stood out for a U.S. hotel. Pros- Excellent elite recognition, solid club lounge, stand out breakfast buffet for a U.S. hotel, free airport shuttle with tracking, airport adjacent location, pool and gym, and friendly service Cons- Poor sound proofing, uncomfortable sofa bed, and no in-room microwave
We stayed at the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel before our train ride to the Central Coast of California and before our return flights to Washington DCA. For purposes of this review I will included details from both stays. As the name may infer the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel is an airport hotel within a three-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The location is amazing for an off-site airport hotel. About the only way the hotel could be closer is if it was attached to the LAX terminal.
Arrival and Check In
Arriving at LAX was a hot mess with construction happening everywhere in the terminal. Our bags were delivered within five minutes by Delta and we were on our way to find the hotel shuttle. 
Hotel Shuttle
One of the best amenities of the hotel is that it offers a free shuttle. Moreover, the hotel offers the ability to track the location of shuttles via a map on the Marriott app. This was a standout feature that I hadn't seen at any other hotel. When we used the shuttle, it seemed to never take more than 5 minutes to arrive but it could take up to 10 minutes to get to the hotel because of the traffic and poor design of LAX.
Hotel Shuttle Tracker
At check-in we were greeted by a very friendly check-in agent. She recognized Christina's elite status and offered her the choice of a $10 dining credit or 1000 points. We were only going to have the chance to have breakfast at the hotel so we chose the points. In addition, on the weekend, when the lounge isn't open, the hotel offers elites vouchers for complimentary breakfast. During our first stay the agent apologized that there were no upgrades available. However, during our second stay we were upgraded to a One Bedroom Executive Suite and allowed to check-in early at 10 am. During both stays I thought the hotel had excellent elite recognition.
Check-In Counter
Something I appreciated about this hotel was that it had some character including interesting artwork throughout the lobby. Another example of this was a live performance by a signer at the lobby bar during check-in on our first day. Both of these are things you typically don't see at an airport hotel.
Lobby Artwork
Club Queen Room and One Bedroom Executive Suite
During our first stay, we stayed in a Queen Room with access to the hotel's club lounge. The room had two queen beds, a tv, desk, and tub in the bathroom. The beds were soft and comfortable. However, the standout feature of the room were the views of the LAX runways. We ended up having clear views of takeoffs and landings at the airport which I found fun. The standout feature though had a big draw. Throughout the night we could hear the noise from the planes taking off and landing because the room had poor sound proofing. This is result of poor planning since you would think an airport hotel would have good sound proofing. 
Queen Beds
During our second stay, we stayed in an upgraded one bedroom executive suite. The suite had one king bed and a sofa bed. Just like the first room it also features great runway views.
King Bed
The sofa bed was not comfortable and I would have preferred to keep the two queen beds instead of the suite upgrade.
Sofa Bed
The suite also had a desk, tv, tub, and a mini-fridge. One odd aspect of the suite was that it had no microwave. I was disappointed that the suites in the hotel didn't have a microwave and we were informed that there was just one shared microwave for hotel guests.
Amenities
The hotel offered an outdoor pool and a gym which we did not use but stopped by to check out during our stay. The pool was small and shallow but I was impressed that they offered one at all at an airport hotel. The gym was large and well equipped.
Dining
During our first stay, we had a chance to check out the breakfast buffet before our morning train ride to Santa Barbara. The breakfast buffet was impressive and the best breakfast buffet I had seen at a hotel within the United States.
The buffet offered a wide variety of cold food options including fruit (melons, strawberries, bananas), yogurt, cold cuts, lox with cream cheese, bagels, and muffins. It also included hot food options including scrambled eggs, french toast, sausages, potatoes, and bacon. The stand out option though was the fresh omelet station. The omelet options included mozzarella, tomatoes, onions, and ham.
Cold Food Options
The buffet also offers a variety of drinks including orange juice, hot chocolate, coffee, and smoothies. I liked the orange juice, was disappointed with the hot chocolate, which was too milky and didn't include enough chocolate. Christina really liked the coffee and enjoyed the guava and mango smoothie.
Omlet Station
During our second stay, the club lounge was open so we had breakfast and dinner at the club lounge. The breakfast offerings were average and included powered scrambled eggs, potatoes, sauce, bagels, and a variety of fruit. I tried the eggs which I thought were okay and some fruit which I thought was good. Christina also enjoyed the fruit along with the sausage. Overall, this was a let down from the very good breakfast buffet but was better than other complimentary breakfasts I had within the U.S.
The area where the lounge excelled was with the evening hors d'oeuvres which were substantial enough to substitute for dinner. The first night featured chicken and gravy while second night featured penne pasta with turkey meatballs. I thought the penne pasta and turkey meatballs dish was so good that I got seconds.
Evening d'oeuvres
The lounge also featured great plane spotting which we enjoyed during every visit. Overall, I thought the lounge experience especially in the evening was solid.
Service
The service at this hotel was solid. I liked the staff and thought all of the staff were helpful and friendly. During our first day I appreciated that the staff recognized Christina's status, explained all of the elite benefit options and seemed genuinely disappointed to not be able to upgrade us. The biggest area of improvement for service would be to improve the speed responding to requests. During our second stay, two of us had to sleep on the sofa bed, but there weren't extra sheets or pillows in the room. We called and asked for pillows and blankets. While the staff did bring them the delivery took a long time. It would have been good for the staff to respond faster or proactively bring extra pillow and blankets since there were four people on the reservation.
Take Away
My expectations for an airport hotel are typically low. However, the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel really stood out. The hotel offered many things which are not typical of an airport hotel including an excellent breakfast buffet, interesting artwork, and a pool. This all came in addition to the great elite recognition, very close airport location, free airport shuttle, solid club lounge, and friendly staff. While there were areas for improvement including better sound proofing and quicker service this was a very good airport hotel. If you find yourself in need of a hotel near LAX I would definitely recommend the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review
Flight Overview
Our first experience with Delta's 757 felt like the longest flight ever as I got squeezed into a Comfort+ middle seat on this more than 5 hour flight. Pros- Industry Leading Airline Lounge, Strong In-flight Service Cons- Uncomfortable Comfort+ Middle Seat, Unresponsive and Error Prone IFE, Gross Economy Meal, No Economy Amenities 
DCA Terminal
Check-In
Check-in was smooth with a quick drop of our bags at the Delta baggage drop. Where things really slowed down though was at security. There were a ton of people traveling on Valentine's Day 2020. It is crazy to look back and realize that we had no idea just how much we would be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic just one month later. Even though we had TSA PreCheck it took us about 10 minutes to get through Washington Reagan National (DCA) security line. This was really slow considering that this was prior to the consolidation of all of the security checkpoints at DCA. 
Delta DCA Check-In
Delta SkyClub DCA
Once we got through security, we headed to our then favorite airline lounge the Delta SkyClub at DCA. Since I previously reviewed the SkyClub I will focus here on what was a different this trip. 
Delta SkyClub DCA Check-in
First off, I will say the SkyClub impressed us as always and I believe it truly was an industry leading domestic airline lounge. The staff had the lounge decked out in Valentine's Day decorations and had special Valentines treats waiting for SkyClub guests. I am always impressed by just how well the SkyClub staff at DCA execute on themes. We ended up having one of each of the treats and I can attest that they were yummy.
Valentine's Day Treats
Once again on this visit the views and food were top notch. It was a clear day and we could not only see the Potomac and the tarmac but had a clear view of the U.S. Capitol building.
For food we had a variety of choices including macaroni, butternut squash soup, noodles flatbread, and sandwiches. We ended up having the macaroni which was really good, the flatbread which was not good because it was cold, and a turkey sandwich which was also very good.
Boarding
When we got to the gate shortly before boarding it was crowded. The flight wasn't looking for volunteers but went out completely full. I checked my seat and realized that we had both been "upgraded" to a Comfort+, Delta's extra legroom seat, middle seat despite the fact that I had requested an upgrade only if it was to an aisle or window seat. On Delta, Comfort+ is considered a separate class despite being just extra legroom economy. Delta Silver Medallions have the ability to receive a Comfort+ upgrade 24 hours out. You also can select to only be upgraded if a non-middle seat is available to ensure you aren't stuck in a middle seat on a long flight. However, this was the second time I selected this option and it didn't work. I was really frustrated and really don't like the way in which Delta's handles Comfort+ upgrades for Silver Medallion elites. For American Airlines and United Airlines their extra legroom seats are not considered a separate class so you have the option to simply select any open extra legroom seat 24 hours prior to departure. Because the flight was completely full, I had no choice and I was stuck in a middle seat on this over 5 hour Valentine's Day flight in a different row than my traveling companion Christina. 
DCA Gate 21
Plane and Seats
This flight is considered a premium route for Delta and this was the first time Christina and I had flown the route on Delta. Because it is a premium route Delta has Delta One lie-flat seats on a Boeing 757. Delta is the only airline currently serving this route with lie-flat seating. For this flight I ended up 23 out of 31 on the Delta One upgrade list so was suck with 23E my middle Comfort+ seat. Overall, I love the mood lighting on Delta flights and the color scene of their seats which gives the plane a premium feel. However, this couldn't hide that fact that this Boeing 757 was starting to show its age. My seat itself was comfortable and had good padding and legroom. It also had a Comfort+ pocket to hold my phone and two 110-V outlets shared between the three seats. My biggest complaint was that I was suck in the middle of what ended up feeling like the flight wouldn't end. This was because I was squeezed between two people including one gentleman who was very large and despite his best efforts flowed about halfway into my seat. I spent the entire flight feeling very uncomfortable and mad at Delta for putting me into the Comfort+ middle seat "upgrade" I didn't request. 
Delta Boeing 757
Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment
Despite this being a premium route there were no amenities such as a blanket or pillow in economy class. However, like the vast majority of Delta flights the seats did have seat-back in-flight entertainment (IFE) system which also included a USB charger. About 15 minutes into the flight a flight attendant came around offering complimentary earbuds but I declined since I had my own noise cancelling headphones. The IFE was one place where the plane showed its age. It was not very responsive and I had multiple issues using it. At one point I couldn't fast forward, pause, or change the movie, and was limited to only increasing or decreasing the volume. 
Delta IFE
The one place where the IFE system did shine was the wide selection of over 100 movies and a wide selection of television shows. The IFE system also offered audio and a selection of live television stations offered by Dish including ESPN, CNBC, and CNN.
Delta IFE
On the flight I watched Spider Man Far from Home. When I tried to play a second movie, Harriett, the IFE system froze. Then after a few minutes the IFE had sound but no video. Delta really needs to work on maintaining these IFE systems.
Delta IFE
Food and Drinks
One benefit of this being a premium flight for Delta was the complimentary meal for economy passengers. However, the options were not impressive. About 50 minutes into the flight the flight attendants starting serving the meal and the options were chicken noodle salad or fruit and cheese plate both of which were served cold. We both had the chicken noodle salad and it was in one word gross. The noodles were so bad that is made Christina sick. Honestly, it would be better to charge for food on this route if it were at least going to be edible. 
Chicken Noodles
After the food was dropped off the flight attendants came by with drinks and I had a California Cabernet Sauvignon. The flight attendants also came by two more times during the flight offering drinks. I missed the second round but for the third round I ordered Prosecco which was okay. The flight attendants also offered a snack basket with options for Comfort+ passengers including Kind bars, Biscoff cookies, peanuts, bananas, and Oreo thins. I chose the Oreo Thins which I always find to be a solid choice.
Service
The service on this flight was impeccable as I have come to expect from Delta. The flight attendants were continually working throughout the flight. They had multiple drink and snacks services to make sure we were taken care of over this five hour flight. This crew was clearly dedicated to showing the strong service Delta is known for.
Arrival
We ended up arriving 21 minutes early and I was so happy! This flight was about 5 hours but felt like 10 because I was so uncomfortable. As we exited, I got a quick peek at the Delta One cabin and I would really like to have a flight with lie-flat seats on one of these cross-country flights. 
757 Delta One Cabin
After we exited the plane, we ran into one interesting passenger who flew Delta One on our flight former Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder. Christina stopped him and he kindly agreed to take a picture with her!
Christina with former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
Take Away
This flight experience was a mixed bag for me with great ground experience and what felt like the longest flight ever despite impeccable service. On the ground Delta once again had an impressive ground experience with the best domestic airline lounge I had been to in the SkyClub DCA. In the air Delta continued to deliver the strong service I have come to know from the airline. On the other hand, the airline's technology failures and bad food led to what ended up being a miserable more than 5 hour flight. I think if I took this flight again in the future with Christina I would opt out of the Comfort+ upgrades and either stay in a regular economy seat or find a way for us to upgrade to the Delta One lie-flat seats. By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review 
Dad in California
Introduction
In February 2020, I had the pleasure of taking my Dad on a trip to California for his 70th birthday. This was the first time he had traveled to the West Coast of the United States. The planning of the trip began months before when I let my Dad know that for his 70th birthday I would take him anywhere in the world. He narrowed it down to two places he was interested in visiting California, and England. After a lot of discussion, we decided to take a trip to the Central Coast of California to see my wife's family and to check out the sites in the Los Angeles area. For this trip Christina and my Mom also decided to come along and it was the first time all four of us had traveled together. I was happy to have three traveling companions along for the trip. This trip was truly eye opening my for Dad. He really loved the kindness of the people in the Central Coast of California, was surprised by the traffic in Los Angeles, and thought the beauty of the California Coast line was stunning. However, the most memorable line from our trip was him telling me he was shocked by size of California and couldn't believe it was all just one state! It also still amazes me that despite all of my trips just how much more relaxed the vibe is in California versus the East Coast.
Booking Flights
For our flights we decided to book all of the flights into and out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) because it allowed my parent's to only have one stop flight from The Bahamas. My parent's booked flights from Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) to LAX with a connection in Charlotte on American Airlines. This was the flight that had the best timing and ended up costing $426 per ticket. We had previously broken up with American Airlines and decided to match our American Airlines Gold status to Delta Silver in 2019. Since only American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Delta offered non-stop flights from Washington Reagan National (DCA) to LAX it made our selection easy. One added benefit of flying Delta on this route is that it is a premium route so we would be served a meal even in economy and have the chance (an extremely small chance) to have a same day upgrade to Delta One lie flat seats. 
Delta 757 DCA
Since we had few Delta miles and the mileage cost on this premium route was expensive, we decided to book with cash. Also, Christina had a work meeting back in Washington D.C. so we booked separate tickets. Her roundtrip DCA-LAX ticket was $413 and she earned 2,506 Delta miles which I value at $31. My roundtrip DCA- LAX ticket cost $473 and earned me 2,982 miles which I value at $36.
Booking Train
On our trip we needed to get to and from Los Angeles and Christina and I really don't like driving especially in the Los Angeles traffic. So, we decided to take the Amtrak Surfliner from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara and back. The cost was ~$30 for each of the three tickets and we redeemed Amtrak Guest Reward Points for one ticket. 
Amtrak Surfliner Train
Booking Hotels
We stayed with Christina's parents in the Central Coast and in hotels during our four nights in Los Angeles. Because my parents' flights arrived at about 11 pm and departed at 5 am we decided to stay in an airport hotel for all four nights in Los Angeles. Because of Christina's Marriott Platinum elite status we chose a Marriott brand hotel the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. The cost was $167 for the first night and $474 for the second three-night stay. I thought both of these were quite reasonable for a California hotel and after our stay I would say this hotel offers very good value. 
Renaissance LAX
Summary
It was such an honor to take my Dad to California and even now I look back on the trip and it warms my heart. I also feel it was amazing timing since the following month the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most travel and we would have cancelled the entire trip. I look forward to sharing my reviews especially of some of the beauty of California and some interesting attractions in the Central Coast and metropolitan areas around Los Angeles. |
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