Delta Is Eliminating This Perk for Passengers — And It’s the Only Airline Doing It (So Far)
The airline is ending free beverages and snacks on 9% of daily flights less than 350 miles starting May 19.
No pretzels for you. That’s what Delta is telling passengers who fly less than 350 miles starting later this month.
Delta is ending free snack and beverage service in economy on short flights, affecting about 9% of its up-to-5,500 daily flights. That means routes like Los Angeles to San Francisco—just under 340 miles—will no longer get complimentary coffee, soda or the standard Biscoff cookies. The airline frames it as “creating a more consistent experience,” but the move is a clear cost-cutting strategy none of its major competitors are copying. American Airlines offers free snacks and drinks on flights over 250 miles. United provides free drinks on all flights and snacks on routes over 300 miles. Southwest serves free drinks and snacks on select flights over 251 miles.
Travel analyst Henry Harteveldt isn’t buying Delta’s spin. “Even budget airlines sell food and beverages on their short flights,” he told The New York Times. “Delta likes to claim that it’s a ‘premium’ airline, but cutting out cabin service doesn’t support that.”
No pretzels for you. That’s what Delta is telling passengers who fly less than 350 miles starting later this month.
Delta is ending free snack and beverage service in economy on short flights, affecting about 9% of its up-to-5,500 daily flights. That means routes like Los Angeles to San Francisco—just under 340 miles—will no longer get complimentary coffee, soda or the standard Biscoff cookies. The airline frames it as “creating a more consistent experience,” but the move is a clear cost-cutting strategy none of its major competitors are copying. American Airlines offers free snacks and drinks on flights over 250 miles. United provides free drinks on all flights and snacks on routes over 300 miles. Southwest serves free drinks and snacks on select flights over 251 miles.
Travel analyst Henry Harteveldt isn’t buying Delta’s spin. “Even budget airlines sell food and beverages on their short flights,” he told The New York Times. “Delta likes to claim that it’s a ‘premium’ airline, but cutting out cabin service doesn’t support that.”
