Is American or Delta better to Europe?

American and Delta score level at 7.5/10 on verifiable product. On the four dimensions we can verify, American wins 1 and Delta wins 1. Service and food are not scored here because they cannot be read off a spec sheet.

Which is cheaper, American or Delta?

On the 301 routes where both were priced for the same week (November 8–14, 2026), American was cheaper on 171 and Delta on 130. Every pair of fares is the same departure and return date in the same cabin, so the difference is the airline rather than the dates or the cabin.

Does the aircraft change the answer?

Yes. American scores 10/10 on the 787-9P (Flagship Suite) and 8/10 on the 777-300ER / 787 (Flagship Business). Delta scores 10/10 on the A350 / A330-900 (Delta One Suite) and 8/10 on the 767-300ER. Check the equipment on your date before deciding.

Has Jon flown either of these?

Delta, in business on a Europe route. American has not been flown, so nothing here claims firsthand experience of its cabin.

Head to head

American vs Delta

American and Delta score level at 7.5/10 on verifiable product.

By Jon Miksis · cabin data verified September 1, 2026 · fares for travel November 8–14, 2026

Best product each one flies

Scored on what can be verified. Service, food and ground recovery are absent deliberately: they need someone in the seat, and they live in the reviews rather than here.

One caveat on the Value line, stated rather than buried: Value is computed from business fares, and a carrier with too few of them does not get a Value score at all. Where you see a dash, we have fewer than three priced business routes for that airline and did not want to invent a figure from one or two — so its product score is the mean of three dimensions rather than four, and it is not directly comparable to a score built on hundreds of fares. The airlines with the most fares behind them are named on the business-class ranking.

American

787-9P (Flagship Suite)

Seat: 10/10
IFE: 8/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 2/10
Product score: 7.5/10

Delta

A350 / A330-900 (Delta One Suite) · flown by Jon

Seat: 10/10
IFE: 10/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 0/10
Product score: 7.5/10

Dimension by dimension

Seat: level
10/10 on the 787-9P (Flagship Suite) against 10/10 on the A350 / A330-900 (Delta One Suite).
IFE: Delta
Screens, connectivity and power: 8/10 against 10/10.
Lounge & bags: level
What the fare includes before you board: 10/10 against 10/10.
Value: American
Median premium over the cheapest carrier on the same route: 2/10 against 0/10.

Where both were priced on the same dates

Every fare is November 8–14, 2026, so a difference between two rows is a difference between two airlines and nothing else. These are economy fares, while the cabin scores above describe the business product — read them as how each airline prices against its competitors, not as what its business seat costs.

Route	Cabin	American	Delta	Cheaper
JFK → BCN	economy	$682	$709	American by $27
JFK → MAD	economy	$686	$686	level
JFK → LIS	economy	$690	$1201	American by $511
BOS → LIS	economy	$707	$1201	American by $494
JFK → MXP	economy	$712	$916	American by $204
JFK → CDG	economy	$714	$719	American by $5
DFW → BCN	economy	$750	$759	American by $9
TPA → MAD	economy	$774	$752	Delta by $22
LAX → BCN	economy	$923	$753	Delta by $170
ATL → BCN	economy	$757	$1168	American by $411
ATL → DUB	economy	$757	$1387	American by $630
SFO → MAD	economy	$806	$761	Delta by $45
ATL → MAD	economy	$762	$1615	American by $853
PHL → BCN	economy	$961	$762	Delta by $199
CLT → BCN	economy	$827	$762	Delta by $65
CLT → MAD	economy	$815	$762	Delta by $53
ATL → LIS	economy	$1179	$763	Delta by $416
RDU → BCN	economy	$763	$1170	American by $407
TPA → BCN	economy	$763	$1196	American by $433
MCO → BCN	economy	$765	$1125	American by $360
PDX → FCO	economy	$777	$767	Delta by $10
CLT → LIS	economy	$770	$1091	American by $321
CLT → MXP	economy	$770	$1227	American by $457
IAH → DUB	economy	$773	$1172	American by $399
MCO → MXP	economy	$774	$1136	American by $362
BOS → EDI	economy	$803	$778	Delta by $25
DTW → FCO	economy	$778	$918	American by $140
RDU → LIS	economy	$780	$1137	American by $357
IAH → BCN	economy	$782	$1265	American by $483
SLC → DUB	economy	$1230	$782	Delta by $448
IAH → MAD	economy	$783	$1165	American by $382
AUS → MAD	economy	$783	$1126	American by $343
PDX → DUB	economy	$804	$783	Delta by $21
AUS → DUB	economy	$784	$1117	American by $333
BNA → LIS	economy	$786	$1140	American by $354
CLT → ZRH	economy	$788	$1304	American by $516
PDX → BCN	economy	$803	$791	Delta by $12
PHX → DUB	economy	$1281	$792	Delta by $489
PDX → MAD	economy	$804	$792	Delta by $12
SAN → DUB	economy	$861	$792	Delta by $69
AUS → BCN	economy	$793	$1125	American by $332
BNA → MAD	economy	$793	$1135	American by $342
DEN → MAD	economy	$794	$1150	American by $356
PHL → MAD	economy	$821	$794	Delta by $27
JFK → LHR	economy	$796	$815	American by $19
PDX → LIS	economy	$821	$796	Delta by $25
MSP → LIS	economy	$800	$916	American by $116
AUS → LIS	economy	$800	$1130	American by $330
SAN → BCN	economy	$1060	$801	Delta by $259
TPA → FCO	economy	$801	$1151	American by $350
PHX → MAD	economy	$803	$1086	American by $283
AUS → MXP	economy	$806	$1136	American by $330
SAN → LIS	economy	$917	$806	Delta by $111
DEN → MXP	economy	$806	$1157	American by $351
LAS → LIS	economy	$926	$806	Delta by $120
MCO → CDG	economy	$863	$813	Delta by $50
PDX → ZRH	economy	$839	$813	Delta by $26
PHX → FCO	economy	$965	$814	Delta by $151
BOS → LHR	economy	$823	$815	Delta by $8
CLT → CDG	economy	$1261	$816	Delta by $445
PHX → BCN	economy	$817	$817	level
SLC → LIS	economy	$821	$1036	American by $215
DEN → LIS	economy	$821	$1299	American by $478
PHX → MXP	economy	$826	$1248	American by $422
DTW → AMS	economy	$827	$1311	American by $484
MSP → AMS	economy	$827	$1311	American by $484
PHX → AMS	economy	$827	$827	level
SLC → AMS	economy	$827	$1361	American by $534
SEA → AMS	economy	$827	$1361	American by $534
PDX → AMS	economy	$827	$1375	American by $548
ATL → AMS	economy	$827	$1035	American by $208
PHL → AMS	economy	$2157	$827	Delta by $1330
CLT → AMS	economy	$827	$827	level
MCO → AMS	economy	$828	$1016	American by $188
TPA → DUB	economy	$829	$1126	American by $297
PHL → CDG	economy	$1031	$830	Delta by $201
TPA → LIS	economy	$830	$1140	American by $310
SLC → CDG	economy	$842	$1313	American by $471
DTW → CDG	economy	$844	$1295	American by $451
MSP → CDG	economy	$844	$1313	American by $469
SEA → CDG	economy	$844	$1278	American by $434
ATL → CDG	economy	$844	$1313	American by $469
BNA → DUB	economy	$845	$1251	American by $406
SLC → FCO	economy	$1284	$846	Delta by $438
ATL → MUC	economy	$847	$1334	American by $487
BNA → BCN	economy	$848	$1135	American by $287
RDU → FCO	economy	$849	$1148	American by $299
BNA → MXP	economy	$849	$1136	American by $287
TPA → FRA	economy	$1975	$853	Delta by $1122
SAN → MAD	economy	$855	$1226	American by $371
AUS → ZRH	economy	$859	$1147	American by $288
PDX → CDG	economy	$1308	$861	Delta by $447
DFW → CDG	economy	$864	$1439	American by $575
LAX → LIS	economy	$869	$1237	American by $368
SAN → ZRH	economy	$869	$1247	American by $378
MCO → MAD	economy	$870	$1311	American by $441
PHL → MUC	economy	$870	$1447	American by $577
MSP → MAD	economy	$1164	$878	Delta by $286
DTW → LHR	economy	$880	$1301	American by $421
PHX → LHR	economy	$2084	$880	Delta by $1204
SLC → LHR	economy	$880	$1313	American by $433
PHL → LHR	economy	$1445	$880	Delta by $565
RDU → LHR	economy	$1510	$880	Delta by $630
BNA → LHR	economy	$2115	$880	Delta by $1235
SEA → LHR	economy	$995	$883	Delta by $112
PDX → FRA	economy	$1340	$893	Delta by $447
DTW → BCN	economy	$1230	$901	Delta by $329
SEA → LIS	economy	$902	$1036	American by $134
AUS → LHR	economy	$1412	$908	Delta by $504
DEN → AMS	economy	$909	$1423	American by $514
ATL → EDI	economy	$913	$1150	American by $237
PHL → LIS	economy	$917	$917	level
DFW → MUC	economy	$920	$1631	American by $711
SAN → FCO	economy	$922	$1241	American by $319
MSP → FCO	economy	$1178	$923	Delta by $255
BNA → CDG	economy	$925	$1203	American by $278
PHL → FCO	economy	$934	$928	Delta by $6
MSP → LHR	economy	$947	$1301	American by $354
CLT → LHR	economy	$1533	$947	Delta by $586
LAX → EDI	economy	$975	$963	Delta by $12
SAN → MXP	economy	$967	$1236	American by $269
AUS → FCO	economy	$970	$1141	American by $171
SAN → FRA	economy	$1340	$971	Delta by $369
MIA → EDI	economy	$985	$972	Delta by $13
SLC → EDI	economy	$1391	$981	Delta by $410
RDU → CDG	economy	$1000	$1260	American by $260
DTW → EDI	economy	$1386	$1009	Delta by $377
TPA → EDI	economy	$1023	$1009	Delta by $14
DTW → LIS	economy	$1198	$1015	Delta by $183
SAN → MUC	economy	$1065	$1015	Delta by $50
AUS → EDI	economy	$1023	$1144	American by $121
DEN → EDI	economy	$1029	$1216	American by $187
CLT → FRA	economy	$1032	$1363	American by $331
SEA → FCO	economy	$1046	$1036	Delta by $10
DEN → CDG	economy	$1051	$1328	American by $277
PHX → EDI	economy	$1055	$1419	American by $364
CLT → DUB	economy	$1055	$1141	American by $86
AUS → AMS	economy	$1066	$1296	American by $230
SAN → EDI	economy	$1077	$1385	American by $308
CLT → FCO	economy	$1090	$1258	American by $168
SLC → MXP	economy	$1236	$1095	Delta by $141
LAS → AMS	economy	$1101	$1366	American by $265
RDU → DUB	economy	$1115	$1109	Delta by $6
MCO → LIS	economy	$1224	$1130	Delta by $94
RDU → MAD	economy	$1260	$1134	Delta by $126
RDU → MXP	economy	$1175	$1136	Delta by $39
MCO → FCO	economy	$1540	$1141	Delta by $399
MCO → EDI	economy	$1148	$1190	American by $42
RDU → ZRH	economy	$1149	$1312	American by $163
TPA → ZRH	economy	$1149	$1149	level
BNA → ZRH	economy	$1149	$1149	level
LAS → DUB	economy	$1167	$1154	Delta by $13
DTW → DUB	economy	$1157	$1391	American by $234
PDX → EDI	economy	$1173	$1160	Delta by $13
LAS → BCN	economy	$1162	$1225	American by $63
MIA → FCO	economy	$1170	$1243	American by $73
BNA → AMS	economy	$1305	$1185	Delta by $120
AUS → CDG	economy	$1244	$1193	Delta by $51
RDU → AMS	economy	$1337	$1200	Delta by $137
AUS → MUC	economy	$1220	$1217	Delta by $3
RDU → MUC	economy	$1507	$1220	Delta by $287
TPA → MUC	economy	$1220	$1220	level
BNA → MUC	economy	$1220	$1220	level
SLC → MAD	economy	$1256	$1226	Delta by $30
LAS → MAD	economy	$1336	$1226	Delta by $110
SAN → AMS	economy	$1227	$1366	American by $139
TPA → AMS	economy	$1227	$1285	American by $58
DTW → MXP	economy	$1236	$1236	level
MSP → MXP	economy	$1236	$1279	American by $43
LAS → MXP	economy	$1443	$1236	Delta by $207
MSP → MUC	economy	$1320	$1241	Delta by $79
LAS → FCO	economy	$1500	$1241	Delta by $259
PHX → CDG	economy	$1244	$1328	American by $84
LAS → CDG	economy	$1244	$1318	American by $74
DTW → ZRH	economy	$1249	$1247	Delta by $2
LAS → ZRH	economy	$1249	$1247	Delta by $2
SAN → CDG	economy	$1257	$1293	American by $36
LAS → LHR	economy	$1354	$1306	Delta by $48
LAS → EDI	economy	$1386	$1385	Delta by $1
PHX → MUC	economy	$1429	$1429	level
PHX → FRA	economy	$1499	$1496	Delta by $3
MCO → MUC	economy	$1955	$1952	Delta by $3
JFK → MAD	business	$3925	$12669	American by $8744
PDX → DUB	business	$6230	$4104	Delta by $2126
IAH → DUB	business	$4354	$10875	American by $6521
MCO → MAD	business	$4390	$11837	American by $7447
AUS → DUB	business	$4415	$10125	American by $5710
TPA → DUB	business	$4431	$10825	American by $6394
LAX → FCO	business	$4648	$7238	American by $2590
MSP → LIS	business	$9905	$4767	Delta by $5138
ATL → LIS	business	$10346	$4780	Delta by $5566
JFK → MXP	business	$5006	$8786	American by $3780
TPA → BCN	business	$5474	$13295	American by $7821
AUS → MAD	business	$5475	$10243	American by $4768
PDX → MAD	business	$5475	$7988	American by $2513
BNA → MAD	business	$5475	$10230	American by $4755
MCO → BCN	business	$5476	$12302	American by $6826
AUS → BCN	business	$5488	$11722	American by $6234
BNA → BCN	business	$5488	$13295	American by $7807
SLC → DUB	business	$10525	$5613	Delta by $4912
MCO → MXP	business	$5665	$13331	American by $7666
BNA → MXP	business	$5677	$17799	American by $12122
JFK → CDG	business	$5945	$5710	Delta by $235
PDX → LIS	business	$6554	$5832	Delta by $722
BOS → LHR	business	$6617	$5872	Delta by $745
MCO → EDI	business	$6314	$5895	Delta by $419
DTW → FCO	business	$12566	$5973	Delta by $6593
MSP → FCO	business	$12566	$5978	Delta by $6588
PDX → FCO	business	$5998	$5978	Delta by $20
AUS → FCO	business	$5998	$10326	American by $4328
BNA → FCO	business	$5998	$11826	American by $5828
JFK → LHR	business	$6047	$8630	American by $2583
PDX → FRA	business	$10535	$6064	Delta by $4471
CLT → MXP	business	$6145	$10131	American by $3986
BNA → CDG	business	$6149	$10785	American by $4636
AUS → EDI	business	$6326	$7331	American by $1005
PDX → EDI	business	$6326	$6331	American by $5
BNA → EDI	business	$6326	$10321	American by $3995
MSP → EDI	business	$10590	$6331	Delta by $4259
DTW → EDI	business	$10590	$6331	Delta by $4259
SEA → EDI	business	$6339	$6331	Delta by $8
TPA → EDI	business	$7216	$6331	Delta by $885
SFO → FCO	business	$6555	$8756	American by $2201
DTW → LIS	business	$10346	$6569	Delta by $3777
RDU → BCN	business	$6664	$11677	American by $5013
TPA → MAD	business	$10030	$6753	Delta by $3277
CLT → BCN	business	$6754	$11302	American by $4548
IAH → MAD	business	$6775	$10830	American by $4055
DEN → MAD	business	$6775	$10830	American by $4055
MSP → MAD	business	$10330	$6903	Delta by $3427
AUS → ZRH	business	$6950	$10244	American by $3294
SAN → MAD	business	$7057	$13828	American by $6771
TPA → FRA	business	$12933	$7064	Delta by $5869
DEN → EDI	business	$7126	$7721	American by $595
MIA → EDI	business	$7869	$7239	Delta by $630
PHX → FCO	business	$8417	$7258	Delta by $1159
DEN → CDG	business	$7260	$12575	American by $5315
MCO → FCO	business	$7301	$13731	American by $6430
DFW → EDI	business	$7319	$10611	American by $3292
SLC → BCN	business	$10725	$7362	Delta by $3363
MSP → BCN	business	$10325	$7427	Delta by $2898
CLT → DUB	business	$7445	$12025	American by $4580
CLT → EDI	business	$7519	$10821	American by $3302
CLT → FCO	business	$7607	$12296	American by $4689
IAH → EDI	business	$7779	$7726	Delta by $53
IAH → BCN	business	$9054	$7767	Delta by $1287
BOS → EDI	business	$8216	$7871	Delta by $345
SFO → EDI	business	$7893	$10421	American by $2528
CLT → ZRH	business	$7913	$10294	American by $2381
RDU → DUB	business	$7925	$7925	level
PHX → MAD	business	$10330	$8106	Delta by $2224
PHX → ZRH	business	$10442	$8127	Delta by $2315
CLT → LIS	business	$8221	$10396	American by $2175
SLC → FCO	business	$10746	$8378	Delta by $2368
JFK → BCN	business	$8411	$8438	American by $27
RDU → LIS	business	$8446	$10246	American by $1800
PHX → DUB	business	$8480	$10325	American by $1845
PHX → MXP	business	$9402	$8485	Delta by $917
PHX → EDI	business	$8556	$11321	American by $2765
SLC → LIS	business	$8556	$9657	American by $1101
SLC → EDI	business	$10890	$8581	Delta by $2309
SAN → EDI	business	$9113	$10616	American by $1503
RDU → EDI	business	$10290	$9126	Delta by $1164
BNA → MUC	business	$9211	$17568	American by $8357
AUS → MUC	business	$9381	$17510	American by $8129
MCO → DUB	business	$9425	$9425	level
PHX → BCN	business	$10518	$9480	Delta by $1038
SAN → BCN	business	$11925	$9602	Delta by $2323
SLC → FRA	business	$10935	$9604	Delta by $1331
LAS → LIS	business	$16406	$9642	Delta by $6764
SAN → FCO	business	$9702	$10846	American by $1144
RDU → MAD	business	$10030	$10144	American by $114
RDU → MXP	business	$10031	$19504	American by $9473
RDU → ZRH	business	$10044	$10244	American by $200
BNA → ZRH	business	$10044	$10244	American by $200
AUS → LIS	business	$10046	$10246	American by $200
BNA → FRA	business	$10135	$10335	American by $200
BNA → LHR	business	$10202	$10244	American by $42
DTW → BCN	business	$10325	$13495	American by $3170
LAS → DUB	business	$10325	$10325	level
DTW → MAD	business	$10330	$10443	American by $113
LAS → BCN	business	$10425	$10642	American by $217
LAS → MAD	business	$10430	$13715	American by $3285
LAS → MXP	business	$10431	$11707	American by $1276
SAN → ZRH	business	$10444	$10665	American by $221
AUS → CDG	business	$12225	$10483	Delta by $1742
PDX → MUC	business	$10515	$11804	American by $1289
LAS → MUC	business	$10515	$18239	American by $7724
LAS → EDI	business	$10590	$10621	American by $31
LAS → CDG	business	$10605	$10803	American by $198
PHX → FRA	business	$10635	$10635	level
LAS → ZRH	business	$10644	$10844	American by $200
LAS → FCO	business	$10746	$10746	level
DEN → LIS	business	$12028	$11046	Delta by $982
CLT → MAD	business	$11165	$11180	American by $15
CLT → CDG	business	$11390	$11405	American by $15
SAN → CDG	business	$11506	$11704	American by $198
MCO → LIS	business	$11696	$11781	American by $85
MCO → MUC	business	$13575	$14375	American by $800
TPA → MUC	business	$14417	$18120	American by $3703
RDU → MUC	business	$16015	$18020	American by $2005

What happens if the aircraft swaps

Both carriers are paying-the-same-fare-either-way propositions on some frames. The worst product each one flies:

American

777-300ER / 787 (Flagship Business)

Seat: 8/10
IFE: 8/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 2/10
Product score: 7/10

Delta

767-300ER · flown by Jon

Seat: 8/10
IFE: 10/10
Lounge & bags: 10/10
Value: 0/10
Product score: 7/10

American: Reverse herringbone, direct aisle access from every seat, no privacy door.

Delta: Same 1-2-1 lie-flat, no privacy door.

Common questions

Is American or Delta better to Europe?: American and Delta score level at 7.5/10 on verifiable product. On the four dimensions we can verify, American wins 1 and Delta wins 1. Service and food are not scored here because they cannot be read off a spec sheet.
Which is cheaper, American or Delta?: On the 301 routes where both were priced for the same week (November 8–14, 2026), American was cheaper on 171 and Delta on 130. Every pair of fares is the same departure and return date in the same cabin, so the difference is the airline rather than the dates or the cabin.
Does the aircraft change the answer?: Yes. American scores 10/10 on the 787-9P (Flagship Suite) and 8/10 on the 777-300ER / 787 (Flagship Business). Delta scores 10/10 on the A350 / A330-900 (Delta One Suite) and 8/10 on the 767-300ER. Check the equipment on your date before deciding.
Has Jon flown either of these?: Delta, in business on a Europe route. American has not been flown, so nothing here claims firsthand experience of its cabin.

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