Delta’s innovative Delta One suite is a finalist in the coveted Cabin Concepts category for the 2017 Crystal Cabin Awards. The airline’s premium product is the first Business Class cabin to feature a sliding door on every suite, providing each customer a private, residential-feeling space with thoughtfully designed personal stowage areas, an advanced in-flight entertainment system and premium trim and finishes.

This is the first time Delta has been in the running for what is described as being the world’s most renowned prize for innovation in aircraft interiors.

“The Delta One suite concept started with a simple vision – to create a best-in-class offering that no one else currently offers and that delivers on what our customers tell us is most important to them,” said Joe Kiely, Managing Director – Product & Customer Experience. “We are offering a space for our customers to call their own – to relax, dine, be entertained or sleep – while giving them more control over their onboard experience.”

The Delta One suite is part of the airline’s multi-billion dollar investment across the customer experience that includes a cabin modernization program featuring new seats, seatback entertainment systems with free entertainment, high-capacity overhead bins, access to Wi-Fi on nearly all flights, complimentary meals in the Main Cabin on select flights, upgraded free Main Cabin snacks, chef-curated meals in Delta One, a seasonal wine program and more.

On top of plans to add nearly 250 new aircraft to its fleet in coming years, Delta has also made significant investments in the customer experience on the ground. These include new Delta Sky Club locations in Denver, Atlanta, and Seattle, and Club renovations in Nashville, Dallas, Newark, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, airport enhancement programs in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Salt Lake City, and the testing and implementation of an enhanced boarding process in Atlanta.

Delta is not only the first airline to introduce an all-suite Business Class product, but has redefined the way the industry provides customers with a sense of space and privacy without a departure from typical Business Class pitch and seat width. The Delta One suite will debut on Delta’s first Airbus A350, due to enter service in fall 2017, and will subsequently be retrofitted on Delta’s entire Boeing 777 fleet starting in 2018.

The suite will initially be flying Delta’s premium, long-haul international routes primarily from the US to Asia.

Key features of the Delta One suite designed to provide a more innovative customer experience include:

• A full-height door at every suite
• Sliding privacy dividers between center suites
• In-suite, customizable ambient lighting, including soft blue lit horizon light and “Do Not Disturb” feature
• Dedicated stowage compartments for shoes, headphones and laptops
• Contemporary design featuring premium trim and finishes
• Memory foam-enhanced comfort cushion
• An 18-inch, high-resolution in-flight entertainment monitor
• A universal power outlet and high-powered USB port at every seat

The 2017 Crystal Cabin Award winners will be announced during the Aircraft Interiors Expo trade fair at a gala event to be held on the evening of April 4, in Hamburg, Germany.