Seat Review: Delta A321 14D (aka “The One Behind the Flight Attendant’s Jumpseat”)

My family and I just returned from a wonderful, family vacation to central Minnesota. On our Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Los Angeles (LAX) flight, I had the opportunity to sit somewhere new: seat 14D in Delta Air Lines’ Airbus A321 aircraft.

My wife, daughter, and I usually prefer to sit in row 10 when we ride Delta’s A321. It’s right behind first class, offers plenty of legroom, and allows for under-seat storage.

But row 10 was occupied when we booked our flights. So we opted for 14D, E, and F. But this was a great opportunity to try 14D.

What’s so interesting about 14D? you may ask.

Well, row 13 is an exit row. And seat 13D is a flight attendant jumpseat. (13E and 13F are available to passengers.) So I was curious about 14D’s legroom, under-seat storage, inflight entertainment system, and power options.

So here’s what it was like sitting in 14D!

Comfort+

14D is the last row of Delta’s Comfort+ section on A321 aircraft.

Comfort+ passengers get a bit more legroom than those sitting in the Main Cabin. Plus, they may board right after first class. C+ passengers also (sometimes) enjoy dedicated overhead bin space. Finally, alcoholic drinks and headsets are complimentary.

Comfort+ seats have the same padding and width as standard coach seats. So there was nothing special in that regard.

14D Legroom

I’m about 6’2” tall and prize legroom. (In fact, legroom is pretty much the reason I originally pursued airline elite status.)

14D doesn’t have oodles of legroom like exit rows. Nor does it boast the space of our beloved row 10.

But it has far more legroom than the row’s other seats.

I couldn’t completely stretch out my legs. But I certainly appreciated the extra room.

Just be careful to not bump the person sitting in 13E.

Plus, the jumpseat doesn’t recline. So you don’t have to worry about passengers encroaching on legroom.

There is a slight trade off, though. If you’re like me and have broad shoulders, passengers seated in the four rows in front of you will bump into you when they walk toward the rear/coach lavatory.

14D Under Seat Storage

There is no under-seat storage for 14D. The jumpseat in front of it is a solid, metal “wall.”

So, take full advantage of that priority boarding. You’ll need to put everything in an overhead bin for taxiing, take-off, and landing.

We lucked out that day — after fearing we’d be greeted by full overhead bins. Our flight from Fargo to MSP was delayed because of ATC issues. Then Delta’s MSP ground crew wasn’t quite ready for arrival from FAR. So we ended up boarding with Main Cabin 2 — but had plenty of overhead space.

I say “lucked out” because I’ve rarely seen cabin crews enforce the “dedicated overhead bin space” edict.

14D Inflight Entertainment

The Inflight Entertainment system (IFE) is located in the left armrest.

Not having a seatback IFE isn’t exactly a dealbreaker for me. I usually work or read during flights. If a screen is readily available on the seatback in front of me, I often turn on the flight tracker.)

14D Power and USB Outlets

There are a couple of power options here.

The IFE unit has a USB power supply. Plus, there’s a power outlet and an additional USB port under the seats between 14D and 14E.

14D Tray Table

The tray table folds out from the left armrest.

Close to an Emergency Exit — and Flight Attendant

If heaven forbid, there’s an emergency and passengers need to bail from the emergency exit door, you’re in better shape in than most others on the plane.

The emergency exit row is directly in front of you. And chances are that a flight attendant will be at his or her seat when/if something goes amiss. So you’ll have quick access to the exit and there will likely be a flight attendant there to help out.

Would I Sit Here Again?

Sitting in 14D-F worked well for my family of three. My wife and daughter had IFEs in the seat backs in front of them. We used the middle seat as our “dining” table for drinks and snacks. I had a decent amount of legroom and didn’t ever feel “closed in.”

I’ll still opt for the A321’s row 10 aisle or window seat whenever I can. But 14D is a solid choice I’d recommend.