Delta New A321neos with Premium Flat Bed Seats Grounded

ATLANTA— Delta Air Lines (DL) has taken delivery of five Airbus A321neo aircraft configured with flat-bed Delta One seats, but none are flying yet. The reason? The cabins have not received certification, forcing the airline to place the new jets into storage.

The aircraft were expected to enter service in 2024, particularly on premium transcontinental routes from airports such as New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). However, certification delays have now left Delta’s most premium narrowbody aircraft grounded, with no clear timeline for entry into service.

Photo: Clément Alloing

Delta New A321neos Grounded

Delta Air Lines has a total order of 155 Airbus A321neos, set for delivery through 2027. While most of these aircraft enter service in the standard 194-seat layout, 21 are being configured in a new 148-seat premium design.

This special configuration is meant to compete directly with rivals like JetBlue’s Mint (B6) and American Airlines’ (AA) premium A321 fleet.

The cabin layout on these aircraft includes:

• 16 Delta One (business class) seats in a 1-1 reverse herringbone configuration with full-flat beds and privacy doors.
• 12 Delta Premium Select (premium economy) seats in a 2-2 layout, similar to domestic first class.
• 54 Comfort+ (extra-legroom economy) seats in a 3-3 configuration.
• 66 Main Cabin (standard economy) seats in a 3-3 configuration.

The business-class layout is especially notable because reverse herringbone seating is rare on narrowbody aircraft.

It’s widely speculated that Delta may be using the STELIA Aerospace OPERA seat platform, already flying on ITA Airways’ (AZ) A321neo fleet, OMAAT reported.

Photo: Clément Alloing

Why the Planes Are Grounded?

Despite having five of these aircraft delivered, Delta has not been able to place them into service. Instead, they are parked in storage:

• Three in Victorville (VCV) — N551DT (delivered October 2024), N552DT (November 2024), N553DT (March 2025).
• Two in Toulouse (LFBF) — N555DE (June 2025), N554DT (July 2025).

The delay is due to the pending certification of the customized cabins. Airlines rarely store brand-new jets unless they are unfit for operation, so certification bottlenecks remain the key obstacle.

Nearly a year has passed since the first aircraft was delivered, leaving uncertainty around when they will officially join the fleet.

ALSO READ: Delta Likely to Install Door on Business Class Suites in New A321neo

Photo: Delta Air Lines

Routes and Fleet Strategy

Delta intends to use these A321neos on high-demand premium domestic routes, primarily transcontinental services such as New York (JFK)–Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK)–San Francisco (SFO).

Traditionally, these routes have been served by Boeing 757s and 767s, but those aircraft are aging and less competitive in terms of passenger experience.

The new A321neo premium configuration offers Delta flexibility:

• Lower capacity compared to widebodies, allowing for higher frequency and more premium seating.
• A modern alternative to 757s, whose business class in a 2-2 layout lags behind competitors.
• A path to gradually reposition 767-400ERs away from domestic routes toward long-haul international services.

While it’s possible Delta could prioritize smaller premium markets, questions remain on whether the airline will deploy these jets on ultra-competitive routes like JFK–LAX, where capacity demands are high.

Photo: Delta

Competitive Landscape

Delta is entering a market where competitors already offer flat-bed products on narrowbody aircraft. JetBlue Mint set the benchmark with private suites, while American Airlines’ A321T has long been used on transcontinental flights, soon to be replaced with the Airbus A321XLR.

United Airlines also plans to operate flat-bed cabins on upcoming Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, though certification of that model is still pending.

In this context, Delta’s move reflects the broader industry trend of upgrading premium cabins on narrowbody aircraft. Premium economy offerings are also becoming more common on U.S. domestic routes, giving travelers a middle ground between economy and business class.

Photo: Aero Icarus | Flickr

Bottom Line

Delta Air Lines is betting on a fleet of 21 Airbus A321neos configured with 148 seats, including reverse herringbone business-class suites and premium economy. While these aircraft were scheduled to enter service in 2024, cabin certification delays have stalled the rollout.

With five aircraft already in storage and more on the way, the airline faces growing pressure to bring the product to market.

Once certified, these A321neos are expected to reshape Delta’s domestic premium strategy, eventually phasing out older Boeing 757s and 767s from key transcontinental routes.

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