I flew Delta for the first time in years and I'm convinced it's the best airline for coach passengers — even with a delay

I recently flew round-trip from NYC to Phoenix on Delta. It was my first time using the airline in years.

I usually choose the cheapest flight with a preference for JetBlue since it has a hub at my local airport, John F. Kennedy (JFK). But this time, Delta was the more affordable option.

Read more: I flew nonstop domestic economy on both American Airlines and JetBlue to see which was better, and JetBlue had a slight edge

I paid $283 for my round-trip tickets between NYC and Phoenix in January, and it was one of the cheapest flights available when I booked three weeks before my trip. According to Kayak, this is average pricing.

Source: Kayak

Delta flies to over 300 locations around the world in more than 50 countries, according to their website.

Source: Delta

On my first Delta flight to Phoenix, I was surprised to have such a great experience in coach.

On the way back to New York, I hoped the airline would live up to my first flight. It did — both flights left me feeling more relaxed than I normally do traveling in economy.

I didn't check bags but noticed touchless bag tag printing for easy service. I've seen similar kiosks for JetBlue.

In Phoenix, I noticed Delta had a customer service area separate from the gates with touch-screen kiosks, which I haven't seen before. All Delta terminals offer customer service, according to their website.

Source: Delta

I used my TSA PreCheck, which made security a breeze at both airports, leaving me with a lot of free time at the gates.

Both flights boarded quickly, too. Even though I was in the last group each time, I didn't feel like I had to wait long.

On each leg, I flew on a Boeing 767-400 plane, which was so big that I had to be directed to my seat.

Since I'm usually among the last to board in economy, I often worry about finding overhead space. On my first flight, I checked my bag for free at the gate when they filled up.

But as I boarded the second flight, I noticed there was still plenty of space, and didn't need the option. Every Delta passenger can bring a carry-on suitcase and personal item.

Source: Delta

On my way to Phoenix, I traveled in basic economy and could not select my seat until check-in. On the way back, I flew regular economy and selected a seat when I purchased my ticket at no extra charge.

I had no one sitting next to me on either flight.

Delta's seats were large enough that I still would have been comfortable with someone next to me. There was plenty of space for my legs and feet.

The seat pitch on my plane was 31-32 inches, compared to JetBlue's 30-33 inch seat pitch, according to Seat Guru and The Points Guy. Both airlines have the largest seats available in coach.

Sources: Seat Guru, The Points Guy

Since I'm 5 foot 3, comfort is more important to me than space, and Delta's economy seats were by far the most comfortable I've ever experienced on a plane.

They were soft and squishy but just firm enough — more comfortable than most cars, in my opinion. Plus, they looked so clean that they felt brand new.

The seat-back pocket was large enough to fit snacks, water, headphones, gum, and my phone. On other planes, I've found this pouch to be too small for all my essentials.

Above me, I found the glowing blue lighting to be cool and comforting. I haven't seen lighting like this on other recent flights.

The lighting continued into the bathroom, which was clean and easy to access from my seat.

I always feel anxious when I fly. Being stuck in one place for a set number of hours makes me uneasy, but Delta's seat-back entertainment system helped keep me calm.

Along with movies and shows, Delta offered a health and wellness section with calming music and meditations to ease travelers.

On both flights, I started with a 20-minute guided meditation that helped me relax and almost put me to sleep — something I can rarely do on planes.

After meditating, I felt at peace with my temporary location in the sky and put on my favorite show, "The Office." I brought my old wired headphones for the flights, which the entertainment system required.

Read more: I fly several times a year and insist on packing an old pair of earphones in my carry-on. Here's why you should, too.

Flight attendants served complimentary snacks and beverages and offered sweet and salty options. They came around three times on the first flight and twice on the second.

Usually, I find myself stuck holding onto my trash until the end of a flight, but on both flights, Delta's attendants came around swiftly after each snack service.

According to Business Travel News, Delta has the best on-time record of all the airlines in North America with an 88% success rate.

Source: Business Travel News

My first flight arrived a few minutes early, and my return flight was delayed, but I was barely affected by it.

For the return trip, I received a notification at 7:30 a.m. saying that my noon flight would be delayed by 45 minutes. I was grateful to know so early, so I wasn't stuck waiting at the airport.

The delayed flight took off around 1 p.m., an hour late. But the pilot announced we'd be flying faster to make up for lost time, and we landed in New York just 15 minutes later than our scheduled arrival.

Arriving to New York essentially on time, even after a delay, solidified that from now on, I want to only fly Delta.