This review will delve into our air travel experiences from three unique perspectives: a kid, a vagabond, and a FAA Certified Pilot. With over 1,000 flights under my belt as a passenger or pilot in command, I’ve seen it all. As a family, we’ve extensively flown with American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, both before we had kids and now as a family of four.

In this blog post, we’ll compare American Airlines and Delta Air Lines from a family travel perspective, sharing our personal experiences and insights from our journeys with both airlines.

Americans Airplanes vs Delta Airplanes

Delta’s Fleet

Delta operates and owns 988 mainline aircraft, making it one of the largest airlines in the world in terms of revenue. Their extensive fleet makes them the largest commercial airline fleet globally. Additionally, Delta is the oldest operating airline in the United States, with a history spanning 99 years.

Delta’s fleet consists of various airplane types, including the Airbus A 220, and they have the largest fleet of A330 aircraft in the USA. They also have a significant number of Boeing aircraft, including the Boeing 717, 757, and the largest passenger fleet of Boeing 767s.

American Airlines’ Fleet

American Airlines operates 970 mainline aircraft, three-quarters of which are narrow-body airplanes. Their fleet includes the Boeing 737 family and the Airbus A320 family.

 If you enjoy flying on Airbus planes, you’re in luck because American operates the largest A320 Airbus plane fleet in the real world, with a total of 469 planes. They are also the largest operator of A319 and A321 variants of the A320 family.

So, it’s safe to say that if you book an American Airlines flight, you’ll likely be on an Airbus airplane more than half the time. Personally, I don’t like the layout of Airbus planes. 

Many of my pilot friends who work for major airlines also aren’t fans because the cockpit has a sidestick and is “fly-by-wire.” However, Airbus has a better safety record, as noted in the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine article “Airbus A32x vs Boeing 737 Safety Occurrences.”

American Airlines vs Delta Routes and Hubs Offered

Delta’s Routes and Hubs

Delta Airlines operates out of nine major airports in the USA, including San Francisco. While Delta flights service fewer destinations in the USA compared to American Airlines, they have achieved elite status by offering a larger range of international flights. For us, this is a huge plus since we frequently fly internationally.

This makes sense because Delta’s fleet includes more large airplanes suited for long international routes. Delta’s destinations are more diverse compared to American Airlines, offering flights from Atlanta to Africa and the Middle East, where American doesn’t fly. This makes Delta a better choice for around-the-world travel.

American Airlines’ Routes and Hubs

American Airlines has numerous routes across the USA, with a major hub in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that services most of their domestic flights. Their route network includes 10 airport hubs within the United States, offering direct flights to many destinations. Internationally, American Airlines primarily serves Europe, South America, and Northern Asia, with departures from Los Angeles.

American Airlines vs Deltas Customer Service

Delta Customer Service

I used to fly solely with Delta as a kid, and I remember getting stuck at ATL due to a missed connection. The flight attendants took care of me really well. Looking back, I realize they were just doing their job, but they were genuinely nice and concerned throughout the whole situation.

Delta has won several 2021 Best in Business Travel Awards by Business Traveler USA, including:

• Airline with Best Overall Customer Service
• Best North American Airline for Premium Economy Service
• Best Business Class to South/Latin America
• Best Economy Class Service in the World
• Best Frequent Flyer Program

In our opinion, Delta has always been the better option. Even when flying 20 years ago, it felt more upscale, classy, and professional compared to any other airline operating at that time.

American Airlines Customer Service

Our latest interaction with AA management and customer service was terrible. They canceled our flight from Atlanta to Miami because the flight from the night before didn’t show up the day prior.

I am an FAA-certified Aircraft Dispatcher, and when I checked the weather and traffic logs, I saw that many American Airlines planes had departed, but not ours. American Airlines definitely fits the profile to be classified as one of the top low-cost carriers, despite their attempts to present otherwise. Trying to reach anyone at 4 am was impossible; the customer service line had a 4-hour wait to speak to a representative. I’m not a fan of United Airlines either, but I feel they do a better job than American.

Skyteam (Delta) vs Oneworld (American) Partners for Family Travel

Skyteam

We have flown with many Sky Team partner airlines including Air France and Garuda Indonesia. We always try flying within the list of our partners airlines because we can use award flights to reach exotic tropical destinations like French Polynesia with Air France.

The thing we love about the SkyMiles program is the ability to transfer miles to other high-end airlines. If you take a quick look at their website, you’ll see that all of the listed airlines are the national carriers for their respective countries or locations. This means you’ll be getting the best service, amenities, and perks available for your family.

Oneworld

I have flown with partner airlines including Alaska Airlines, Qantas, and American Airlines. Oneworld includes British Airways and many other airlines on its list. The Oneworld partner airlines often feel like second best or budget airlines, much like American does, with the exception of Qantas, which stands out for its quality.

If you’re wondering which program you should join or fly with, here’s a quick breakdown of each airline’s portfolio numbers below:

Skyteam:

• Destinations –1,050
• Countries – 166
• Lounges – 750
• Partner Airlines – 19

Oneworld:

• Destinations – 900
• Countries – 170
• Lounges – 600
• Partner Airlines – 15

American Airlines and Delta Credit Card Loyalty Programs

Delta Skymiles

Delta SkyMiles is considered a premium rewards program by Business Traveler USA in 2021. However, NerdWallet credit card reviews suggest otherwise. They provide a complete guide to Delta SkyMiles on their website for further details.

NerdWallet does a great job breaking down how the loyalty points work and offers tips on earning more points while spending on travel.

American Airlines AAdvantage

In recent years, American Airlines AAdvantage has gained recognition on NerdWallet charts, even surpassing the Delta SkyMiles program. They provide a detailed breakdown of how to earn AAdvantage miles and how the program works. You can find more information on their website here.

American Airlines surprised me with the variety of co-branded credit cards, whereas Delta only offers credit cards through American Express.

A Quick Credit Card Note To Remember:
Remember when applying for these credit cards and financial products, your information will be submitted to the credit bureaus. Banks will run a credit report, which can affect your credit score and history. This might impact your ability to get loans or credit cards in the future.

American Airlines vs Delta Baggage

Delta

Delta’s baggage claim service is similar to most airlines. They charge fees for checked bags but allow one carry-on item and one personal item with your ticket purchase.

If you want free checked bags, you can get your first bag free with a Delta SkyMiles Amex or free bags with Medallion status. You can find more information about Delta’s baggage policies here.

If you are active-duty military, Delta offers a range of free baggage allowances for both orders and personal or leisure travel. You can check those allowances here.

American Airlines

With American Airlines, baggage fees are higher at the kiosk or check-in line. They charge $40 at the counter but only $35 if you pay online. This policy change for 2024 can be found here.

American Airlines offers similar perks with their AAdvantage cards, and active duty military personnel get free checked bags.

When we were leaving for Grenada, the kiosk offered to check our carry-on for free. Since American flights are often full, they sometimes offer this option instead of taking your bag at the gate to be placed under the airplane.

They damaged our suitcase so badly that the top strap was ripped off, and the hard side near the wheels was cracked. When you check a suitcase, be prepared for potential damage. 

Pro Tip: If you need to claim damage to a suitcase, find the Baggage Service Office and get a claim number. Take photos of your bag at the airport before you leave, making sure your photos and videos have metadata with the time, date, and location. This will be helpful if you need to file the claim at the airport or online later.

American Airlines vs Delta Clientele

Delta

Delta’s clientele tends to be more sophisticated and respectful, often consisting of business travelers along with a mix of vacationers. On our trip from ATL to Tulum, Mexico, Delta flights were nearly double the cost of American Airlines, which likely attracts a higher-income demographic and helps maintain a more refined travel experience.

American Airlines

Our experiences with American Airlines’ clientele have been less favorable compared to Delta’s. It seems that the lower fares might attract a less desirable crowd. For instance, on a flight departing from Atlanta, the flight deck even made an announcement urging everyone to get in their seats and avoid any issues, which was quite off-putting.

It was unusual for the flight deck to make such an announcement unless there are frequent issues with passengers. This statement seemed to imply that dealing with problematic behavior might be a regular concern for them.

Personal Experiences

Delta Airlines

At 15, during my first unaccompanied minors trip, I missed my connection and had to stay at the airport overnight. An employee took me to a designated area where other kids were waiting, and the whole experience was managed really well.

Amanda and Audrey flew to French Polynesia and had a great time on the flight. Although Delta offers pre-boarding for families, we were a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a kids’ menu on this flight. They had just enjoyed a fun kids’ package with Alaska Airlines, so I was expecting something similar from Delta

American Airlines

I have to say, our experiences with American Airlines have been subpar at best. We upgraded our tickets to first class for our flight out of Atlanta, but even though we were first in line at the first class baggage drop, it would have been quicker to use the kiosk. It felt like we weren’t treated any differently from standard ticket holders.

They canceled a flight with no weather issues at the time of departure, and it turned out to be a rolling cancellation from the previous day. By blaming it on weather, they’re avoiding paying for vouchers for hotels and meals, forcing us to use our travel insurance due to their incompetence.

We bought first-class tickets but were denied entry into the Admirals Club because our second flight was international with economy seating. Instead, we used the USO at Charlotte International Airport and had a much better experience while waiting for our flight to Tulum.

Who Wins The Fight Between American Airlines Vs Delta?

This comparison is quite subjective and depends on your travel goals. Each service provider has its unique network for international flights and overlapping routes within the United States. Delta offers a more diversified portfolio of routes and flights, whereas American Airlines has a more straightforward network.

We mainly use Space A for our long flights across the Atlantic and Pacific. When choosing the best airline for these trips, the best option is Delta because it has top-notch partners in the Sky Team, like Aeromexico and Garuda Indonesia, which we’ve flown with a lot.

So, which airline wins for you and your family? Do you prefer American Airlines or Delta? Let us know in the comments below!