I don't want to waste a whole day on air travel. So when I have to take a long flight or lose hours due to time zone changes, I prefer a red-eye.
Whether I'm going home or somewhere else, traveling by night frees my day.
My most recent red-eye flight was a five-and-a-half-hour cross-country trip from San Francisco to my home in New York City in February 2026.
I flew with Delta Air Lines and booked a $500 basic economy ticket. I'd book it again to save time and money.
My journey began on a Thursday night at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
I arrived at SFO at 9 p.m. for my 10:55 p.m. flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Since basic economy doesn't include seat assignments before check-in, I checked in online in advance. With just a backpack and a carry-on luggage, I went straight to the TSA checkpoint.
Once through security, I spent about half an hour wandering the terminal.
I have TSA PreCheck, and the line was short that evening. I got through security in 20 minutes.
I wanted to tire my body before sitting (and hopefully, sleeping) for six hours. So instead of heading straight to my gate, I explored the terminal. I killed time browsing a bookstore and looking at art installations.
Then I headed to my gate.
Since I was in the final boarding group, Zone 8, I was worried I'd have to check my luggage at the gate, but there was enough overhead bin space for every passenger who needed one.
I flew on a Boeing 767-300ER 76K.
Delta's Boeing 767-300ER has 216 seats. There are 26 Delta One seats (business class with lie-flat seats), 18 Delta Premium Select seats (wider seats than economy with more leg room and priority perks), 29 Delta Comfort seats (economy-sized with extra legroom), and 143 economy seats.
The main cabin layout consisted of two sets of two seats on each side and one set of three seats between them.
I had an aisle seat at the back of the plane.
My aisle seat was in one of the two-seater rows. It was about 18 inches wide with a seat pitch of around 31 to 32 inches.
My legroom felt a bit tight with bulky boots and a backpack stuffed to the brim tucked under the seat in front of me, but overall, the seat was comfortable.
It had all the high-tech fix-ins.
I had a power outlet, a USB power port, and an entertainment screen at my seat. I also had free in-flight WiFi as a Delta SkyMiles member.
My seatback screen was loaded with films and shows, though I don't remember what I watched because I was in and out of sleep throughout the flight.
I estimate that I slept for about half the flight, which is more rest than I typically get on flights this length — especially in economy.
My flight also had complimentary snack and beverage service. I had a ginger ale and a pack of Cheez-Its before dozing off.
The bathroom was clean and brightly lit.
There were two family-sized bathrooms at the front of the cabin and two smaller bathrooms at the back of the plane. I used one of the smaller bathrooms and appreciated that there were seat covers because I've found they're not always provided in economy cabins.
Delta's basic economy was comfortable enough for me to get some sleep, so I would book this flight again.
Sure, Delta's premium classes would have been more relaxing, and I might have slept longer if I had splurged for an upgrade.
In Delta Comfort, I could have stretched out more with more leg room. In Delta Premium Select, I would have had a larger seat, a meal, and premium amenities, including a memory foam pillow, a blanket, and an eye mask, among other items. In Delta One, I would have been able to lie down.
But as a budget traveler, the most affordable class sufficed for my red-eye flight. And I was grateful to wake up to a full day at home.
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Joey Hadden is a travel reporter and photojournalist at Business Insider based in NYC. She covers transportation modes, alternative lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are visual features that give readers a front-row seat to her personal experiences at home and around the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University in May 2019 with a BA in Photocommunications. Since joining BI in 2019, Joey has traveled by train in seven different countries, from day trips to overnight rides as long as 30 hours. She's ridden on many different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept in countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique tiny homes, and private train cabins, to name a few.When traveling in North America, Joey takes readers inside the continent's wealthiest enclaves where billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. She spends her free time singing and playing drums for the indie-rock band Blanket Approval. You can follow Joey on Instagram or send her an email at [email protected].Popular ArticlesI spent $1,000 to have a room to myself on a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the best experience I've had on an overnight train in the US.I booked basic economy flights with Delta and United. They felt like 2 completely different classes.I went on an adults-only cruise for the first time, and 8 things surprised meI spent 2 nights in a 2-story, 100-square-foot tiny home in Germany that was smaller than any I've seen in the USStep inside the richest city in Arizona, where wealthy Californians are flocking for private mountainside estates
