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We’ve flown enough Delta short-hauls to know that not all First Class cabins are created equal. Drop $200-500 on an upgrade and you might get a totally different experience depending on which metal you’re on.
The Boeing 737-800, Embraer E175, and CRJ-900 all operate on similar domestic routes. But the First Class product? Wildly different. Here’s what you’re actually getting on each.
The 737-800 is Delta’s workhorse for short domestic flights. First Class is 16 seats in a 2-2 config. Nothing fancy.
Seats are your standard domestic recliner – about 38 inches of pitch, decent width. I flew ATL-DCA last month and clocked the actual recline at maybe 5 inches. Enough to get comfortable, not enough to annoy the person behind you.
The real benefit here is consistency. You know what you’re getting. Meal service on flights over 900 miles (so basically anything over 2.5 hours), free drinks always, and Sky Priority boarding that actually means something on these slightly bigger aircraft.
But here’s the catch – the Delta Boeing 737 800 first class cabin is competitive for upgrades. With 16 First Class seats (fewer on newer configs with updated seating) and your Medallion upgrade odds aren’t great. Based on our experience, upgrade ratios can feel as low as ~8% on popular routes.
This is where things get interesting. The E175 runs tons of regional routes for Delta Connection, and the First Class setup (in my opinion) is legitimately better than the mainline 737.
First off – 1-2 seating. Only 12 First Class seats total. That means window seats on the left side are true singles. No seatmate. Ever.
Seat 1A on the Delta Embraer 175 first class cabin has become my top pick. It’s the only First Class seat on any Delta aircraft where you board, turn right, and you’re done. No one walks past you. No one bumps your shoulder. Just you and that single window.
The seats themselves are standard regional First Class recliners. Same general pitch, width, same basic recline. But that 1-2 config makes the cabin feel bigger.
Here’s the real secret though – upgrade odds. With only 12 First Class seats but typically 50-60 passengers on the E175, the upgrade ratio (based on our experience) feels around ~16%. That’s roughly double what we usually see on the 737-800. We cleared 7 out of our last 10 E175 upgrade requests. On the 737? Maybe 3 out of 10.
The downside is meal service. Most E175 routes are under that 900-mile threshold, so you’re looking at snack boxes at best. But honestly? For a 90-minute hop, do you really need a full meal?
The CRJ-900 operates in two configs for Delta Connection. Standard First Class and the newer (but not “new” new) “Atmosphere” cabin.
Standard CRJ 900 Delta first class is 12 seats, 1-2 layout. Yep, single “A” seats on one side, just like the E175. So the layout alone isn’t the differentiator. It’s still a narrower tube, though. It works fine. Nothing special, nothing terrible.
But the Atmosphere cabin – that’s the one to hunt for. Rolled out around 2018 with Delta Connection, and it’s not on every CRJ-900, but when you get it, you notice.
Bigger overhead bins (significantly larger, and standard rollaboards go in way more easily). LED mood lighting that isn’t that awful blue-white. And slightly wider seats because they shaved half an inch off the aisle.
I flew one from MSP-CVG last fall. My quote: “Still a regional jet, but at least it doesn’t feel like a penalty box.”
That’s about right. The Atmosphere cabin takes the CRJ-900 from “fine I guess” to “actually decent.” But finding which routes have it? That’s the trick. Delta doesn’t label it in booking, you just have to know or get lucky.
We ran the same route on different metal to compare – ATL to RDU, about 90 minutes gate to gate.
737-800 Experience: Paid upgrade cleared 48 hours before departure. Seat 2D. Boarded in first group, settled in, flight attendant knew a few people by name (small cabin vibes). Snack box with hummus and crackers. Two drinks. Landed. Solid experience, nothing memorable.
E175 Experience: Paid upgrade cleared at booking. Seat 1A. Boarded first, literally sat down and didn’t move. No one in the seat next to the aisle. Same snack box. Same drinks. But the space and lack of seatmate made it feel like twice the value.
CRJ-900 Experience: Upgrade cleared at gate (last one). Seat 3D. Standard cabin, not Atmosphere. Tightest of the three. Adequate legroom but the narrow fuselage makes it feel cramped. Snack box, drinks. Got the job done.
For the exact same route, the E175 won by a mile. And that tracks with what we’ve seen across seemingly hundreds of Delta flights.
If you’re burning an upgrade certificate or paying cash, here’s what actually matters:
Under 2 hours: E175 is the play if you can get seat 1A or 1D. Otherwise the 737-800 gives you more space per dollar. Skip the CRJ-900 unless it’s Atmosphere.
2-3 hours: 737-800 for meal service. E175 still wins on comfort and upgrade odds but you’re sacrificing the hot meal. CRJ-900 only if it’s your only option.
Over 3 hours: Why are any of these aircraft flying a 3+ hour route? But if they are, 737-800 for sure. You’ll want that meal service and the slightly larger cabin for a longer sit.
That ~16% (E175) vs ~8% (737-800) upgrade feel—based on our experience, not Delta’s spreadsheet—is real money if you’re trying to clear on status. We’ve watched Diamond Medallions sit in Main on 737-800 routes while clearing on E175s the same day.
First Class on short Delta flights is worth it on the E175. Marginally worth it on the 737-800. Situational on the CRJ-900.
The delta embraer 175 first class experience wins because of the 1-2 layout and better upgrade odds. If you’re sub-Diamond and trying to burn RPUs, book E175 routes. If you’re Diamond and value meal service, target 737-800 routes over 900 miles.
And if you see a CRJ-900 with Atmosphere? Worth a shot. Standard CRJ-900? Only if nothing else is available.
We’re still hunting E175 routes with seat 1A available. That’s the short-haul First Class sweet spot.
Modhop Host & Founder Jake Redman brings years of global exploration and travel tips to the podcast and our videos at Modhop. Jake is also a Producer and Host for SiriusXM.
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