We flew basic economy with Delta and American Airlines. Both were better than expected, but one key difference surprised us.

• One of our travel reporters flew basic economy from LA to NYC on American Airlines.
• Another reporter took a basic economy flight from Salt Lake City to NYC on Delta.
• Both had more spacious seats than expected, but American Airlines offered a complimentary breakfast.

The phrase “basic economy” doesn’t exactly elicit excitement, especially in our current era of airline travel.

Baggage fees are rising, seats are shrinking, and no one likes getting stuck next to the bathroom.

But as seasoned travel reporters, we’ve realized basic economy isn’t one-size-fits-all. So we’re on a mission to try every US carrier’s version and help you decide which basic economy fits you best.

We’ve compared Delta Air Lines to United and Alaska. Now it’s time to see how it stacks up against American Airlines.

In January, Joey Hadden flew with Delta Air Lines from Salt Lake City to New York City.

Hadden boarded a 4 ½-hour Delta flight from Salt Lake City to NYC’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

She booked her one-way, basic economy ticket for $175 about a month before the trip. The ticket included a personal item and a carry-on suitcase, but it didn’t accrue miles. Hadden got her seat assignment at the gate and was thankful she ended up with a window seat.

Anneta Konstantinides flew with American Airlines from Los Angeles to New York City in July.

Konstantinides booked a 5-hour, 40-minute American Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The basic economy ticket, which she booked 10 days before her trip, cost $344. The ticket included one carry-on bag and one personal item. Since seats could only be selected for a fee, Konstantinides left it up to fate and prayed she wouldn’t get stuck in a middle seat.

Passengers were encouraged to check their carry-ons at the gate, which Konstantinides did for free, but plenty of overhead space was available when she boarded the plane.

Hadden’s Delta flight was on an Airbus A321neo.

In service since 2022, Delta’s Airbus A321neo holds 194 passengers, according to the airline.

As Hadden boarded the aircraft, she was taken by the modern geometric lighting overhead. When she made her way to her window seat, she was happy to find that the row was otherwise empty.

Konstantinides’ American Airlines flight was on an Airbus A321.

American Airlines explained the difference between an Airbus A321neo and an Airbus A321 in response to a question posted on X in January.

“Our A321 has less pitch in the seating from First Class cabin to Main Cabin, has six fewer seats total and holds 96 fewer bags in the overhead bins,” the airline said. “The neo aircraft has AC/USB power ports at all seats which the regular A321 doesn’t offer.”

Hadden and Konstantinides both enjoyed spacious seats during their flights.

Delta’s Airbus A321neo and American’s A321 both offer economy seats that are 18 inches wide with a 31-inch seat pitch, according to Delta and SeatGuru.

The seats were comfortable and offered plenty of leg space. Both reporters could easily slide their backpacks underneath the seats in front of them and still stretch out.

Delta’s seatback entertainment screen kept Hadden occupied throughout the flight.

Hadden doesn’t like squinting to watch TV on her tiny phone screen, so she was thrilled to have a seatback entertainment system with hundreds of movies and shows. She’d even prepared for the occasion by packing her own wired headphones. Next to the audio jack, she used the USB port to charge her phone during the flight.

Hadden was impressed with the flight’s selection of Blockbuster films and independent flicks. But she ended up watching some comforting episodes of “The Office.”

American also had a great in-flight entertainment system, though Konstantinides experienced some technical difficulties.

After flying the budget airline Norse Atlantic, which only had 120 movies available, Konstantinides was excited to scroll through American’s vast array of movies and TV shows.

There were new releases like “The Last Showgirl,” crowd-pleasing franchises including the “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” films, and a good mix of indies and classic romantic comedies.

Konstantinides went with “The Princess Diaries,” which she tried to enjoy with a pair of free headphones passed out at the beginning of the flight. But either her in-flight system or the headphones were on the fritz, warping the film’s audio and making it hard to watch. Konstantinides gave up and slept instead since it was a 6 a.m. flight.

American Airlines didn’t respond to a request for comment.

American Airlines stood out with its in-flight dining, which included a complimentary meal.

Konstantinides was surprised when a flight attendant offered her breakfast about 30 minutes after takeoff. According to the airline’s website, the meal is part of the American Flagship service for transcontinental flights. Complimentary meals are offered on select routes, including between JFK and LAX.

The flight attendant held up a flashlight to illuminate a sign listing the three options: Belgian waffle, cheese and crackers, or coconut chia oatmeal. Konstantinides opted for the waffle, served alongside Chobani vanilla yogurt, a small packet of granola, and pre-packaged sliced apples.

The waffle was a little chewy and cold, but Konstantinides loved having the granola-topped yogurt and some fruit — especially after refusing to buy a $22 breakfast sandwich at LAX.

Hadden’s flight — which was a shorter route — had snack and beverage service, but there was no complimentary meal. Delta economy bookings include meal service on long-haul international flights, according to the airline’s website.

The American Airlines flight also had a second snack and drink service.

Konstantinides enjoyed a ginger ale and a bag of mini pretzels shortly before her flight landed.

It felt like a luxury to enjoy both a complimentary meal and a snack in basic economy, which shows just how much has changed in the airline industry. As a ’90s kid, Konstantinides still vaguely remembers complimentary hot meals being the norm on longer domestic flights.

Now you can expect to pay for everything on some budget airlines, even water.

There were no significant differences between Delta and American’s bathrooms.

Hadden and Konstantinides found that Delta and American both offered bathrooms that were clean but small, as expected.

Delta and American’s basic economy seats were better than we expected.

Overall, Hadden and Konstantinides were pleasantly surprised by their basic economy experiences on Delta and American Airlines. They had free carry-on bags, spacious seats with plenty of leg room, and in-flight entertainment systems with good options.

What stood out the most between both of their experiences was the unexpected complimentary meal that Konstantinides received during her American flight. At a time when airlines are cutting benefits and airports are becoming more expensive, it was just nice that American Airlines had added an extra perk for longer basic economy trips.

In today’s day and age, some fresh fruit and yogurt can go a long way.

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