Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300ER: New York JFK to Copenhagen CPH

NEW YORK — This report covers my experience aboard Delta Air Lines (DL) flight 401 from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Copenhagen Airport (CPH) on May 10.

The service was the second leg of a longer travel day that had started in Florida, with a connecting flight from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to JFK operated by a brand-new Airbus A321neo before the transatlantic departure.

Terminal and gate

DL operates from Terminal 4 at JFK, which has seen a meaningful refresh in recent years. Gate B27 reflected that work, with wide lounge chairs in the holdroom, making the pre-departure wait more comfortable than most hub airports manage. I had some time before boarding and appreciated having a proper place to sit.

Boarding

As a Basic Economy ticket holder, I was assigned to Group 8, the last to board on DL's transatlantic services. My Delta SkyMiles Gold Card moved me up to Group 5, which made a practical difference. I boarded with overhead bin space still available, found room for my bag without difficulty, and settled into seat 43G before the later groups came through.

The aircraft

N178DZ is a Boeing 767-300ER and wears its age openly. The cabin fittings have the look of hardware that has been well used and well maintained over many years of transatlantic service. I did not find this off-putting. There is something reassuring about an aircraft that has crossed the Atlantic hundreds of times, and the 2-3-2 economy configuration felt spacious compared to the denser layouts common on newer twin-aisles.

Seat 43G is a window on the right side of the aircraft toward the rear of the main cabin. The view over the wing provided good company once we were airborne, and the seat was comfortable enough for the overnight crossing.

Departure and taxi

We pushed back from B27 on schedule at 16:50 EST. JFK's departure queue then added a delay, and we did not lift off until 17:21, some 31 minutes after leaving the gate. It is a familiar frustration at busy northeastern hub airports, and ultimately had no bearing on the arrival time. Once airborne, we tracked northeast before turning out over the North Atlantic as the last light faded off the coastline.

Cabin and seatmate

The passenger next to me was a Danish man returning home after his first trip to the United States. We spoke for a while before the meal service arrived, comparing notes on his impressions of America and what I was expecting in Copenhagen. It was a pleasant exchange and good company for the early part of the flight.

Dinner service

The meal choice was between a chicken breast with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, and vegetables, or ravioli pasta. I chose the ravioli, partly out of caution with reheated poultry and partly because it sounded more promising. It was well-made, properly seasoned, and held together well. The tray also included warm bread and a chickpea-and-cucumber salad that was fresher and better dressed than I expected. Dessert was a lemon white chocolate bar. I had water throughout. For a basic economy transatlantic service, the meal was well above what I had anticipated.

Flight

The crossing was smooth throughout. There was no turbulence of note at any point, the cabin stayed dark and quiet for most of the flight, and I slept without difficulty. N178DZ covered the North Atlantic without incident and arrived with time to spare.

Breakfast service

The crew woke the cabin as CPH approached. Breakfast was a Mediterranean-style calzone filled with egg, parsley, and cheese, served alongside a Chobani strawberry yogurt. Both were simple and appropriate for the hour.

Arrival in Copenhagen

We touched down at 06:37 local time, eight minutes ahead of schedule. Taxiing in, I spotted a Sunclass Airlines Airbus A330 and several SAS aircraft, widebody and narrowbody, among the carriers spread across the international gates. CPH has an orderly feel on arrival that contrasts pleasantly with the bustle of JFK the previous afternoon. Danish border control was friendly, and they had workers ushering passengers with tight connections ahead of others in order to facilitate their journey, which was a nice touch. The weather was overcast, with temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius.

Immigration and EES

Denmark is implementing the European Entry and Exit System (EES), the biometric border framework replacing paper passport stamps across the Schengen Area. At CPH, the e-gates were restricted to EU and EEA citizens only. Unlike some other Schengen entry points that have extended automated lane access to biometric passport holders from trusted third countries, US passport holders at CPH were directed to staffed booths. The queue took around ten minutes. The process was efficient, and I cleared without issue. The airport train from CPH to the city center completed the journey cleanly.

Conclusion

I came into DL 401 with modest expectations for a basic-economy overnight flight on an older airframe. The meal service was better than the fare class warrants, the flight was smooth, and we arrived early. The SkyMiles Gold boarding benefit proved its value in practical terms. N178DZ is aging hardware, but Delta operates it well, and for travelers prioritizing cost on the JFK-to-CPH route, it delivers more than the ticket price might suggest.