Review: Delta Connection by Endeavor Air CRJ-900 Comfort Plus (LGA-ROC)

Background:

I was flying from New York (LGA) to Rochester (ROC) on the Delta Connection by Endeavor Air CRJ-900 to visit a college friend. It’s funny because my first CRJ flight was just this past February and I was on two more CRJ flights last month. Well, now I guess it seems that I keep flying on them. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been flying from New York more, as from Los Angeles most of my Delta Connection flights were on Embraer 175’s.

The New York (LGA) to Rochester (ROC) flight is quoted to be 253 miles, but the reverse direction is only quoted at 214 miles. Under flight details, Delta does not mention cabin service on either of these flights. Per their website, they state that you can “Enjoy complimentary snacks on every flight over 250 miles.” I was lucky though, and on my first leg, they came around with a drink and snack service.

Alternatively, I would have loved to take a train, but Amtrak takes over 7 hours. So flying it was!

Flight Details:

Delta Connection operated by Endeavor Air
New York (LGA) to Rochester (ROC)
Plane: CRJ-900
Statuses: On Time (Early!)

Upgrades:

I am a Silver Medallion Member and booked this flight with SkyMiles. On my outbound leg, I ended up dead last (8/8) on the First Class waitlist. And on my return leg, I ended up (7/11) on the First Class waitlist. At online check-in for both of the flights, there were first-class seats selling for a little over $52. As it is such a short flight, I did not take the bait.

As a consolation prize, immediately at check-in, I was upgraded to an extra legroom (Comfort Plus) seat on both legs. The reason why I call it a consolation prize is that, during many instances before my flight, I had the chance to have a confirmed paid upgrade to Comfort Plus for just $9.68.

Getting to LGA:

I decided to try the Subway + Bus from Midtown Manhattan to LaGuardia Airport for the first time as Ubers were all running over $60 for a prime Friday night. It was actually more pleasant than I thought it would be even with a small carry-on luggage. I took the E train to Jackson Heights which costs $2.75 (or $2.90 in a few days), then a free ride on the Q70+ bus. Overall it took just under one hour, which was a win in my book! I was also lucky that right when I got off the subway and to the bus stop, the Q70+ bus just arrived. If I missed that bus, it would have added 10 minutes to my commute.

The Delta Terminal C at LaGuardia is beautiful, and also it was very empty Friday at 7 pm. TSA Pre-Check had no line, and I was off to the SkyClub in minutes.

The Delta Sky Club at LGA:

After a nice light dinner at one of my favorite domestic airport lounges, the LaGuardia SkyClub, I headed to my gate which was about a 10-minute walk away. Thankfully, there are signs in the terminal that estimate your walking time, and my gate was 10 minutes away.

The Delta Sky Club at LGA has plenty of seating, a full bar, and hot food options. You can check out my full review of the lounge here if you would like.

Rochester Airport:

The Rochester Airport is on the smaller side and has 21 gates split between Concourse A and B. I found it interesting that there was no Starbucks in the terminal at all. But, there were still numerous dining options such as Dunkin Donuts, a Sports Bar, diner, and more. The airport was spacious and clean, and it was easy to find a seat to get some work done before my flight home.

Flight Details:

Delta Connection operated by Endeavor Air
New York (LGA) to Rochester (ROC)
Plane: CRJ-900
Statuses: On Time (Early!)

Aircraft: Delta Connection by Endeavor Air CRJ-900

The Delta Connection by Endeavor Air CRJ-900 has a 2-2 configuration with either 70 or 76 seats depending on the layout type. I was on the 76-seat version on both flights and these configurations don’t have power plugs in the Main Cabin, but they do in Comfort Plus and First Class. Comfort Plus seats have 34 inches of pitch, compared to 31 inches in the Main Cabin.

I appreciated the extra legroom in Comfort Plus, but the seats on the CRJ-900 are very narrow and felt quite squished. On my both legs, the passenger next to me kept rubbing up against my shoulder and arm.

The Outbound Flight:

I was pleased that despite the website saying there would be no cabin service, they announced shortly after takeoff that we would be getting an “express” service. Options included coffee, water, and hot tea plus a snack (almonds, sun chips, or Biscoff cookie). Wine or beer was offered for Comfort Plus passengers. The pilots announced our time in the air would only be 45 minutes, so this was a nice touch. 

I had a bad experience connecting to the Wi-Fi on my last CRJ flight from Savannah to New York and was hoping this time it would be better. Sad to say, it was also a bad experience. I would connect, then disconnect about 30 seconds later, and then reconnect again. I was able to text a few people, but unable to surf the web.

Delta offers free WiFi for SkyMiles members on their mainline flights. Since this is a Delta Connection flight, it is not part of the free WiFi program yet. WiFi is $9.95 for the whole flight, $4.95 for 30 minutes, or free for T-Mobile customers.

Right when l finished the last sip of my water, we were starting our initial descent. A very quick flight indeed. We got to the gate 15 minutes before the scheduled arrival which was nice.

The Inbound Flight:

We started boarding 30 minutes before our scheduled departure and left right on time. The pilots announced that the time in the air would be just 47 minutes. But due to turbulence, they wanted everyone to stay seated with their seatbelts fastened for the duration of the flight. Thus, there was no in-flight service offered, which was understandable.

So, the flight went by relatively quickly and I just napped the whole time. Like my inbound flight, the WiFi had problems connecting, but at least on this flight I was able to message people and it stayed connected for about 5 minutes or so at a time.

Next thing you know, we landed and then got to the gate over 15 minutes early. Very happy with the punctuality!

The Verdict:

Overall, the Delta Connection by Endeavor Air CRJ-900 in Comfort Plus gets you from point A to B. On my quick hop, they still served a beverage + snack service on my outbound flight which was nice, and Comfort Plus gives you power plugs. The things I don’t like about this particular aircraft are the low ceilings, small overhead bins, and narrow seats. But, the 2-2 seating guarantees no middle seat which is a plus. 

 

Have you flown on the Delta Connection by Endeavor Air CRJ-900s recently? How was your experience? Comment below!

 

Cheers,

Ty

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Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!