First Time Flying The Retro Delta B717! | First Class & Economy ATL-CLT-DTW

Testing Out The Retro Delta B717! | First Class & Economy ATL-CLT-DTW Today, I’m doing something I’ve wanted to experience for a long time — flying on the legendary Boeing 717-200 with Delta Airlines, one of only two airlines still operating this iconic aircraft! As the final evolution of the *Douglas DC-9 Family*, the 717 represents the end of a six-decade legacy of unique short-haul jetliners that helped shape commercial aviation. In this video, I’ll be flying the Boeing 717 for the very first time across two Delta flights in the United States. This is also my first flight on a DC-9 family aircraft since 2006, making this a special return to one of aviation’s most iconic aircraft families. Before this journey began, I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to attend the First-Ever Aviation Content Creator Convention, AvCon held at the Delta Flight Museum. After an incredible experience at the event, I returned to my hotel at the Atlanta Renaissance Concourse Hotel to do some plane spotting with new friends before starting the next part of this aviation adventure. You can watch my full AvCon experience here:    • The First-Ever AvCon! Aviation Creator Con...   Also to see my video all about the Delta Flight Museum click the link here:    • Detailed Tour: Delta's FIRST Boeing 767 At...   The journey begins with a First Class flight from Atlanta (ATL) to Charlotte (CLT), followed by an Economy Class flight from Charlotte to Detroit (DTW), allowing me to experience both sides of the Boeing 717 passenger experience. Sitting at the front and back of the aircraft also gave me the chance to compare the cabin while capturing the iconic wing and rear-mounted engine views. The Boeing 717 is unlike most modern aircraft, featuring a distinctive T-tail design, rear-mounted engines, and a cabin layout that traces its roots back to the original Douglas DC-9. With many aircraft from this era disappearing, the 717 remains one of the last examples of this legendary family. Today, Delta and Hawaiian Airlines are the only operators of the type, with both fleets expected to eventually retire, making the Boeing 717 an increasingly rare aircraft to experience. To see the full Edit-Free Takeoff & Landing Footage from today’s 717 adventure, click the link below:    • DL 3190 & DL 1584 ATL-CLT-DTW   One of my favorite travel adventures I’ve ever filmed was my First-Ever Riverboat Cruise through Europe! Join me as I explore this incredible journey from Munich, Germany to Budapest, Hungary:    • Holiday Magic: Danube River Christmas Crui...   Check out my podcast playlist, including my interview about the new CLT runway project:    • Caleb's Aviation Podcast   The Boeing 717 has 12 First Class seats (P 37” W 21”) in a 2x2 configuration, 20 Delta Comfort+ seats (P 34” W 18”) in a 2x2 configuration, and 78 Economy seats (P 30” W 18”) in a 2x3 configuration. Source: aeroLOPA This trip cost me 92,100 SkyMiles + $11.20 USD in taxes and fees. This was an incredible value considering the itinerary included a First Class flight from Detroit (DTW) to Atlanta (ATL) nonstop on the Airbus A321, followed by a First Class experience on the Boeing 717 from ATL to Charlotte (CLT), and an Economy Class flight from CLT back to DTW. WorldWide Dom's B717 video mentioned earlier:    • Boeing’s oldest plane in service   ‪@WorldWide_Dom‬ Paul Lucas' EPIC Delta MD-88 & MD-90 Adventure before they were sadly retired!    • Flying the Delta MD-80s ONE LAST TIME: New...   ‪@Paul_Lucas‬ Aaron's Channel ‪@RandomAviation11‬ mentioned earlier. He captured all that incredible footage of my departure from ATL. He is also collaborating on this B717 video with me! 😀 This video is part of The Douglas DC-9 Journey, a Three-Part Mini-Series celebrating 60 Years of Service of the DC-9 family and exploring its History, Legacy, and final evolution. To see the other videos in this miniseries, click the link right here:    • The Douglas DC-9 Journey   It promises to be a very special trip, and I hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoyed making it! #Boeing717 #DeltaAirLines #DC9 #DouglasDC9 #Aviation #TripReport #FirstClass #ATL #CLT #DTW ©️ Caleb’s Aviation 2026 0:00 Intro & Today’s Adventure 1:10 Airside At Atlanta Airport 2:22 My Boeing 717 Arrival & Plane Spotting At ATL 3:35 Boarding & The First Class Cabin 4:40 Taxi & Takeoff From ATL 5:21 Flying ATL-CLT & First Class Experience 6:57 Arrival In Charlotte & Their New Runway Project 7:51 First Time At Charlotte Airport & Layover 9:08 My Second Boeing 717 Arrival & Boarding Economy Class 9:45 Takeoff / Flying CLT-DTW & Economy Class Experience 10:26 Boeing 717 Lavatory & Fun Facts 12:00 Descending Into DTW & Landing 13:00 Final Closing Thoughts