I usually try to schedule 2-3 trips per year for my family. We do a big family trip together once or twice a year, a quick couples getaway without the kids every 18 months or so, and an extended family scuba trip when we can manage it. This fall, things took an unexpected turn in our schedules. We had a Halloween trip to Universal Orlando planned for over a year, and then at the last minute we were invited to join another family we know on a two-week cruise out of NYC. How could we resist? All told, we were traveling 23 days in a 37-day period. Busy!

As luck would have it, we flew Delta to New York, United back home, and then American Airlines to Orlando and back. This gave us the perfect opportunity to compare these three major US airlines.

Seat Arrangements

We are a family of four, and most commercial flights in the US have a 3-by-3 seat arrangement around a center aisle. This means either one of us sits alone, away from the others, or we arrange ourselves 2-by-2 with a stranger on each row with us.

Not so with Delta! Delta has a 2-by-3 arrangement with an off-center aisle. We can arrange ourselves 2-by-2 on one side of the plane, and nobody has a middle seat.

I also love this arrangement for a larger or smaller family. A family of 5 could take up an entire row on their own, or a family of 6 could choose between three rows of 2 or two rows of 3. It’s perfect!

Communication and Service

I honestly cannot complain about any airline on this front. All three major US airlines had friendly flight attendants, drinks and snacks in flight, clear communication from the cockpit, and comparable baggage and gate service.

Seatback Entertainment

We typically have our phones (and maybe occasionally a physical book) to entertain us during the flight, but I’ve got to admit that a seatback screen is very handy. Both Delta and United feature a screen with a variety of preloaded movies and other entertainment options. The kids surprisingly enjoyed the interactive map showing our route as we approached New York.

American Airlines… has a little clip to hold your phone as “seatback” entertainment. 

Cabin Pressure

I was surprised to discover a difference here. I would have assumed that all airlines have similar comfort in terms of the pressure in the cabin as you change altitude. But this was not my experience.

i have always struggled to equalize pressure when I fly. This is one reason I don’t join my family scuba diving. In the past few years as we’ve flown more often, I have found that yawning is the most reliable method for me, better than chewing or swallowing or Valsalva. It’s always been easy to yawn because as the plane rises, I start to feel lightheaded and drowsy. Well, imagine my surprise to learn that only one of the three airlines makes me feel this way!

On our flights with Delta and United, I merrily scrolled through the seatback entertainment, thinking I would nap through a movie. Instead, I was wide awake and comfortable, with only minimal effort to equalize on ascent and descent. I thought I was improving with practice until I boarded our American Airlines flight to Orlando… and there was that drowsiness and feeling of lightheadedness again!

Planning the Next Trip

After this month, I can confidently say that Delta is my airline of choice for our next trip, and American Airlines has now fallen to last place. We will still choose an airline primarily based on service to our destination, but living near a major international airport, we usually have options. From now on, we will take full advantage!