So a few months back, when searching for flights to Prague, the Delta site either had a glitch or messed up the prices but the first class Delta One ticket was the same price as economy. I jumped on it and bought them for Mia and myself. We were both pretty excited about it and of course, she started telling everyone like this is what we do everytime. “We are going to Europe first class for a month” – sounds pretty snobby, doesn’t it? Well, we were going to experience it first hand. Not to spoil the surprise but it was a mixed bag.

Check-in/airport lounge

Noone knows what documents you need to travel anymore so I had everything. Birth certificates, all passports, PCR tests, vaccination cards, every possible country random paper form filled out. Check in for first class is not open so back to “normal” line. TSA lane closed so back to “normal” line. Luggage got tagged priority so hurray for the extra (wait for it, this gets better). Lounge open, packed with nowhere to sit, didn’t even bother get in the drink line. So far, not much of anything.

Plane/flight

This I can live with. Priority boarding – check. Entertainment – same. Bag of toiletries – very neat. Service – very attentive. Food – much much better – choice of 5 real meals before the flight online so no surprises there. Mine was lamb with some spicy peppers, Mia had lasagna – full 5 course meals with real dishes and utensils. Seats and sleeping is where it gets super exciting – full 180 recline into bed, heavenly douvet and pillow, sleep mask and we were out for 7 hours. I could live with that.

The flight was delayed and Paris airport – ouch, what a nightmare. I seem to recall buses or some sort of mode of transport from prior flights but they disappeared. We couldn’t find our next terminal and I am not an airport novice so somehow we were directed out of the airport completely – no concern in customs on covid or anything. OK, so now what? Well now comes a sprint of our life across 3 terminals in 2 masks (2.5 km). Fresh and relaxed (not!) we barely make it to the gate where a woman tells me “you need a mask”, oh we got plenty of those says moi who is ready with over 10 cloth masks. I have researched this after all! No, you need the KP 75 or something – the pointy paper one. Oh shit, I have never ever worn or bought that one. Mind you, at this point, I already have 2 masks on (stewardess handed paper one over my cloth one!), ran 2 km and have to pee, really. There is no way on the plane without it and the gate is closing. Frantically running around other gates, the stores are like 1km away – I was mad, mad, mad – composed myself and started asking anyone around me if they have any, anyone. A Czech young man had 2 spare ones and we were on with gate closing behind me. Here, business class had drinks ready and all smiles while we collapsed into our seats. Prague – ok, luggage nowhere to be found (priority you say?), bar code has last tracking at Atlanta loading – not looking good. It wasn’t – we touched ground on Friday at 430 pm, our luggage arrived on Monday at 645 pm! Not super concerned on day 1, we went shopping for clothes, annoyed on day 2 and p.o. on day 3. First class, no class – this was the longest I have had my luggage lost, without anyone calling on update or too concerned. Bags arrived dirty and one had a whole so saga continues.

So – first class – nice but not 3x the price tag nice. The full night sleep is sweet but that’s it. Wouldn’t pay my own money and full price for it.