ATLANTA – As Delta Air Lines approaches its 100-year milestone (originating as a crop-dusting service named Huff Daland Dusters in 1925 and launching passenger flights in 1929), the airline is set to undertake a significant transformation of its cabin designs.

Although the current seat designs and cabin layouts will remain the same for the time being, the color schemes and decorative finishes onboard are being updated.

YSL News recently received an exclusive preview of these changes at Delta’s Atlanta headquarters last month. Although it will take some years before the entire fleet undergoes renovations, the initial plane with the new look— a 27-year-old Boeing 757— is expected to commence commercial flights soon.

So, what can travelers look forward to as Delta transitions to this new design?

What changes are in store?

The new design for Delta emphasizes updated finishes: as planes are renovated, seats will receive new upholstery, and the coverings for aircraft walls and lavatories will be replaced, along with the carpets and other floor materials.

“We’re not altering the seating capacity or configuration on the aircraft; we’re strictly focusing on what we refer to as trim and finish,” stated Alex Douglas, Delta’s general manager of Technical Operations, in an interview with YSL News.

However, passengers will certainly notice the changes, especially in seat design, which will see significant updates.

In the Delta One business class, for instance, seats will feature new fabric in navy blue and gray with red accents. Delta executives believe that switching from leather to breathable fabric on lie-flat seats will enhance passengers’ sleeping comfort.

The rest of the cabin, including domestic first class and economy, will also see seat updates featuring darker, sleeker leather and smoother textures.

Further, seats in the main cabin will now include additional storage pockets on each seatback.

Mauricio Parise, Delta’s vice president of brand experience, mentioned that the airline has put considerable thought into creating a more calming atmosphere with these new designs.

“One of the main ideas behind this project is to help passengers unwind once they board. We want our customers to experience lower anxiety levels and a soothing environment,” he explained. “We are focusing on how we can utilize colors effectively to foster a calming experience.”

In addition to the seating changes, the aircraft will feature darker shades and more subdued patterns on the front walls, along with warmer lighting throughout the cabin.

Delta executives even conducted “selfie tests” of the new design to ensure that social media photos taken onboard look vibrant and natural.

Different segments of Delta’s fleet will receive various levels of upgrades.

“Not every aircraft will undergo a complete redesign. It will depend on each plane’s lifecycle and our investment strategy,” Douglas explained, noting that many aircraft will only receive new cushions and covers rather than complete seat replacements.

“This is more of an update rather than a complete overhaul,” she noted.

One specific group of planes undergoing seat updates is the 757-S, which currently has lie-flat Delta One seating but will switch to a domestic first-class recliner seat style during this renovation.

What is the timeline for the fleet renovations?

According to Douglas, the entire fleet renovation could span up to seven years, though it might wrap up earlier. The strategy is to synchronize interior work with routine aircraft maintenance to keep expenses down and lessen the duration planes must be out of service for updates.

“Our aim is to avoid removing aircraft from service or causing schedule disruptions; it’s about finding the most practical timing for these tasks.”

Which aircraft will be updated first?

The first aircraft to showcase the new design will be a Boeing 757 that has been in service for 27 years, which is expected to return to service shortly with its upgrades.

“Delta is committed to periodically updating our fleet,” Parise said. “This project is symbolic because it demonstrates our dedication to rejuvenating a 27-year-old aircraft, making it look like it just came out of the factory in Seattle.”

While the average aircraft age within Delta’s fleet is around 15 years, there is a combination of both older and newer planes.

Later this year, a brand-new Airbus A350 will come off the production line featuring the upgraded design, and in the meantime, Delta will start retrofitting older models. Looking ahead, all newly acquired planes will include the updated interiors upon delivery.

How Delta is handling customer expectations during this transition

Given the multi-year transition plan, Delta acknowledges that customers may feel uncertain about their flight experiences.

“Generally, customers recognize that we operate more than 1,000 planes,” Parise mentioned. “If you happen to board a new aircraft, it will be a delightful surprise, but those on older planes will also have an enjoyable journey.”

Douglas emphasized that from a functional view, the seating finishes do not influence the flying experience. Even though passengers might have a preference for the modernized seats, the layout will remain consistent across planes before and after the updates, ensuring that a sudden aircraft swap won’t result in any disadvantages or bumps, as long as the flight remains on the same type of aircraft.

“During this transitional phase, there are numerous moving parts. As we activate and retire planes, some will be updated while others won’t yet,” she explained.

How the updates align with Delta’s sustainability initiatives

Airlines typically highlight how

Any modifications made lead to greater sustainability, and Delta’s recent updates reflect this ethos.

Douglas mentioned, “Is it possible to minimize the variety of finishes, colors, or textures on the aircraft since this would help lower our overall material usage?” He added, “We have streamlined our materials catalog, so we won’t have an excessive number of unique surfaces and materials in the future.”

She pointed out that by limiting the finishes the airline incorporates and opting for simpler patterns, Delta can significantly reduce material waste in the long run.

(This article was updated to fix a typographical error.)