Delta or KLM?

If KLM is still a European airline, than I would go with them. It's been a long time, 14 years to be exact, since I flew them, but I remmember it being really nice. Anyway, I've flown Lufthansa and KLM and LOVED them. There's just something about the European hospitality! But I'm sure others on here will have more recent info than mine!

Jenny, you would need to know exactly what plane models the specific flights use. However, the planes used most often by KLM on transatlantic flights (Boeing 747-400 or Boeing 777-200ER or -300ER) all have seat widths of 17.5 inches. The planes Delta uses most often for transatlantic flights (Boeing 767-400ER) have seat widths of 17-18 inches. Both of these are economy class. In short, no difference. Your choice probably amounts to the particular airport where you would prefer to make your connecting flight. The Amsterdam airport is easy to navigate; just be sure to have plenty of time between flights. There can be long lines moving through passport control, although they do move fairly quickly.

I have never flown KLM but have used Delta numerous times to Europe. I have found the seats to be very comfortable as they used the larger airplanes, and the service excellent. I have never had a problem with delays or lost bags. We usually connnect through Atlanta or JFK. Last year a coworker took KLM to Sweden and was delayed several hours in SFO (not weather but maybe mechanical) and she hated the service. Unfortunately she is using KLM again this year (best fare), and today when I called NWA airlines for seats they said that their rules require that you sit "shoulder to shoulder" with your travel companion which really means that you can't book a window and an aisle and hope no one sits in the middle. Additionally I was informed that KLM does not preassign seats for flights within Europe so she has to wait until she gets to Amsterdam to get a seat for the service to Stockholm.
I have always heard good things about KLM but not recently. That might have been in the years when air travel was still pleasurable. Today its hell.

I forgot to mention that this year I am again flying Delta to Zurich and out of Munich (via Atlanta) and was able to get on to their website and book my seats with the greatest of ease. I am claustrophobic so that means a lot to me. To someone else it may not be a big deal.

You may wish to visit www.airlinequality.com and www.seatguru.com for customer reviews and useful seat/cabin configuration details. A mildly interesting piece of information to know is that KLM and Air France have been one in the same since 2004-ish. Also, Delta-NWA and KLM are part of the SkyTeam alliance. I’ve flown Delta many times and believe the comfort level and service to be perfectly adequate. If it were me, the better total fare and easier noon flight time leaving Venice would be enough for me to select Delta.

Most airlines exceed my expectations (because I expect nothing). There's probably only one airline I would never fly, Alitalia.

I also purchase my ticket based on price and most convenient flight times along with consideration about their reputation for reliability. Both KLM and Delta are reasonably reliable.

I too book my flights based upon (1) flight time - length of trip; (2) time between connections and (3) airport where connection takes place. There are several airports I try to avoid and I don't want to spend an unreasonable amount of time in an airport waiting for a connection (like 6 hours or more). A $30.00 price difference would not be a consideration.

I love flying foreign airlines as I feel my trip/vacation starts earlier (from home) rather than in Europe or elsewhere. Lufthansa is always great. My daughter and friends have flown KLM and loved it.

In response to the comment above regarding NW rule about flying partners must be seated "shoulder to shoulder", I have not heard of that rule. I'm flying a different airline to Dublin (change in Newark - 4 hrs) and booked aisle seats for all of us on most legs of the flight. I did book one leg to Newark with an open seat in the middle hoping no one will have it. If so, I will change and offer the person the aisle or window and I will take the middle.No one likes the middle seat but I took a chance and will pay if necessary.