Delta Vs United: Which Boeing 757 offers a better passenger experience?

United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are the world's two largest operators of the iconic Boeing 757 (although FedEx and SF Airlines are major operators of cargo variants). But which of the two giant airlines offers a better Boeing 757 passenger experience? Here is a comparison of United and Delta's 757 fleets and their seating configurations.

While United and Delta are the two largest 757 operators, they are not the only operators of passenger 757s. Another significant operator of the Boeing 757 has been Icelandair . However, Icelandair is progressively retiring its fleet as it brings its new A321LR and A321XLR into service.

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines' 757 fleets

Delta Boeing 757 fleet

Delta is one of the world's largest airlines, with 1,006 aircraft in service and another 300 aircraft on order. Like the Boeing 757, Delta also operates a large fleet of related Boeing 767 widebody aircraft. It has 42 Boeing 767-300ERs and 21 Boeing 767-400ERs in inventory.

Delta Air Lines is the largest operator of the Boeing 757 and has two variants in service, the Boeing 757-200 and the Boeing 757-300 . According to data provided by ch-aviation, Delta has a total of 106 Boeing 757-200s in inventory, of which 91 are active and 15 are inactive. The giant airline has also divested 83 757-200s.

Delta's fleet of 757-300s is much smaller. It has a total of 16 -300s in inventory, of which 15 are active and one is inactive. Delta's -200s are aging and are now an average of 28 years old. Its -300 fleet is newer, being an average of 22.1 years old.

In March 2025, Delta's 757 fleet is scheduled to conduct 10,887 flights carrying a total of 2.1 million seats.

United Boeing 757 fleet

United has almost an identical amount of aircraft inventory as its Delta rival . United has 1,005 aircraft in inventory and 672 aircraft on order. In addition to its Boeing 757 fleet, it has 37 Boeing 767-300ERs and 16 Boeing 767-400ERs in inventory. Like Delta, United operates the two 757-200 and 757-300 variants.

United is the second-largest operator of passenger Boeing 757s, although it once operated many more. It now has 40 Boeing 757-200s in service, of which 31 are active and 9 are inactive. It has divested 99 Boeing 757-200s over the years. According to ch-aviation data, the remaining fleet is, on average, 28.1 years old. United's 757-300 fleet is made up of 21 aircraft, of which 17 are operational. The fleet is now, on average, 22.5 years old.

United's Boeing 757 fleet will conduct 3,837 flights carrying 752,000 seats in March 2025.

The Boeing 757 has been out of production since 2004 after 1,050 were produced. Boeing is now working on a new medium-sized aircraft often called the Boeing 797. There has been some speculation about this aircraft, and it is thought to be intended to fill some of the roles that the Boeing 757 once filled. The pencil narrowbody 757 is a favored commercial aircraft flown today by many aviation enthusiasts around the world.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 configurations

Delta's 757-200s come in four different two-class seating configurations, while the -300s have a single configuration. Delta's Domestic first class is equivalent to business class for domestic flights, while Delta Premium Select is Delta's premium economy class. Comfort+ are essentially economy class seats offering "extra legroom, earlier boarding and deplaning, and dedicated overhead bin space."

"Available on domestic flights, you’ll find the things you want to help make the hours fly by in First Class. You’ll have room to stretch out, an outlet to stay powered up and, of course, the signature service of a Delta flight attendant for the First Class cabin." - Delta Air Lines

Delta has 39 Type 75D Boeing 757-200s fitted with 20 Domestic First business class seats, 29 Comfort+ seats, and 150 economy seats. It also has 12 Type 75H 757-200s with the same number and mix of classes of seats. Delta has five Type 75G 757-200 aircraft that are equipped with 20 business class seats, 41 Comfort+ seats, and 132 economy seats.

Delta has 15 757-200s configured as Type 75S. These are fitted with 16 Delta One seats, 44 Comfort+ seats in economy, and 108 regular economy class seats. Delta's 16 Boeing 757-300s come with the Type 75Y configuration. These have 24 business class seats, 32 Comfort+ economy seats, and 178 regular economy seats.

Regarding the 757-200s, Delta's Domestic First business class seats have Zodiac 6810 recliner seats configured as 2-2. They offer a row pitch of 37", a seat width of 20.9", and a seat recline of 6".

The exception is Delta's 15 Type 75S -200s. These have Delta One Collins Aerospace Parallel Diamond seats configured as 2-2 that convert to a 76" flatbed. They have row pitches of 37", seat widths of 19", a seat recline of 180 degrees, and a 15.4" touchscreen display. Delta says, "Each Delta One lie-back 180-degree flat-bed seat is easily adjustable. Relax with cozy bedding and a lumbar pillow that doubles as a mattress pad."

"When you’re comfortable and well-taken care of in Delta One, the hours pass quickly. Each seat offers the features you need to enjoy each moment — with room to stretch out, the best in entertainment with Delta Studio® and the most comfortable seats and bedding." - Delta Air Lines

Delta Comfort+ are Collins Aerospace Pinnacle slimline seats configured 3-3. They have a row pitch of 34" (35" on Type 75S configured aircraft), a seat width of 17.3", and a seat recline of 3". Economy seats in the main cabin are also Collins Aerospace Pinnacle slimline seats configured 3-3. They have row pitches of 31", seat widths of 17.3", and seat reclines of 3" (4" on Type 75S configured aircraft).

Delta's 757-300s business class seats have Zodiac 6810 recliner seats configured 2-2. These have a row pitch of 37" in AB seats and 38" in CD seats. The seat width is 20.9", and they offer a slightly better recline than their -200 counterparts, reclining 7". Their Comfort+ seats are the same Collins Aerospace Pinnacle slimline seats with the same dimensions as the -200 aircraft. -300 seats are equipped with Panasonic 9i IFE screens.

All seats have a USB-A port and access to a universal AC power socket as well as a touchscreen display. Delta's entertainment system is Satellite TV plus streamed to passengers' personal electronic devices or to the seat back display. Passengers can also connect to the Viasat 2Ku satellite WiFi. Delta's 757s are equipped with Wi-Fi as well as in-flight entertainment systems.

United Airlines Boeing 757 configurations

United's Boeing 757-200s come with two-class seating configurations. They have 16 business class seats and 160 economy class seats. Of the 160 economy class seats, 42 are designated Economy Plus seats. United's 757-300s have 24 business class seats and 210 economy class seats, of which 54 are Economy Plus.

United's 757 business class seats come with Collins Aerospace Diamond Parallel seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration. These seats convert into 76" long fully flat beds and are 20.6" wide. Business class passengers have 16" touchscreen displays where they can watch movies on the aircraft's Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system.

Collins Aerospace says of its seats, "Delivering on business class travelers’ expectations across multiple aircraft types, Diamond offers a fleet-wide solution. A large table provides the ideal space for work or dining. The latest in-flight entertainment offerings and fully flat seat with superior comfort system lend themselves to a relaxing flight. Ample storage allows passengers to easily tuck their carry-on bags and accessories out of the way."

Economy Plus seats feature Collins Aerospace Pinnacle seats. These are configured in a 3-3 configuration and have a row pitch of 37", a seat width of 17.1", and a seat recline of 6". Like economy class, these seats have 10" touchscreen displays. Economy seats are also arranged 3-3 and have a row pitch of 31", a seat width of 17.1", and a seat recline of 5".

Passengers on these aircraft can make use of United's Panasonic Avionics Ku-band satellite WiFi.

Both airlines offer similar comfort in economy

For economy class passengers, both Delta's and United's 757s offer a pleasant flying experience. While Delta and United have different business class seats on their 757s, their economy class seats are the same.

They both use the Collins Aerospace Pinnacle economy seats and offer the same seat pitch and recline. Both Delta and United offer in-flight entertainment and USB charging on all seats. The different 757 configuration is Delta's 15 Type 75S-configured aircraft, where the Delta One seats fully recline into flat beds.