Our Unexpected Journey on Delta’s Super-Long 757-300 Aircraft

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There’s nothing particularly exciting about flying from Orlando to Atlanta. With a flight time of around one hour, almost any plane will be sufficient to get you from point A to to point B. Of course, Delta Air Lines is the primary carrier on this route, with almost hourly flights between the two cities. Occasionally, they’ll fly more than the usual narrowbody aircraft on this route, such as when if they need to get a plane to their central hub in Atlanta. That’s how I traveled on a widebody 767-400 with Premium Select seats.

During another trip, I noticed Delta had scheduled a 767-400 flight to Atlanta again. This time, I decided to test the economy seats on the same plane, so I booked two aisle seats for my wife Sharon and me. I didn’t pay extra for the seats, so they were at the back of the cabin.

When I checked in for our flight the night before, I noticed that our seat assignments had changed. Pulling up the seat map, it was clear we were no longer on a 767-400. But I was just as excited because we’d be flying on the longest single-aisle passenger plane, the 757-300.

Delta 757-300

The 757-300 is an extended version of the more popular 757-200. Boeing manufactured only 55 of these planes, with Delta getting sixteen of them from Northwest Airlines. The 757-300 we were on is 22+ years old and shows a bit of age. Delta has kept the plane current with Wi-Fi, power outlets, USB plugs and a touchscreen IFE system.

Nicknamed the “Flying Pencil,” the 757-300 seats 234 passengers, 24 in the first-class cabin (with a 2-2 layout), 32 in Delta Comfort+ and 178 in the Main Cabin (with a 3-3 layout). We boarded through the door behind first class and walked to our seats at the front of the wing.

The legroom was typical for Delta’s Main Cabin seats, although the IFE box took up some of it.

Final Thought

My main takeaway from our flight is that this plane is very long. If you’re seated in the back 1/3 of the Main Cabin, it will be a pretty long wait to exit once you arrive at your destination. The in-flight experience felt much the same as any other Delta flight. It is more the rarity of this model that makes flying it an experience.

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