A few days ago, I wrote about how the Pittsburgh Steelers arrived in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday morning for their big game against the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers told the media he wished their team had arrived earlier so he could explore the city. I don’t blame him.

What I didn’t realize until players from both teams shared videos of their journey that the Steelers’ and Vikings’ had two completely different experiences on their flights over the pond.

The Steelers’ Journey: Aer Lingus A330

The Pittsburgh Steelers flew to Dublin aboard a specially chartered Aer Lingus Airbus on an old A330. This aircraft carried the team, management and support staff for the historic game at Croke Park.

The Vikings’ Voyage: Delta A350

In contrast, the Minnesota Vikings traveled to Dublin on a new Delta Air Lines Airbus A350, a wide-body aircraft known for its comfort and efficiency. The A350’s modern cabins and advanced amenities clearly made it a more luxurious travel experience compared to the Steelers’ chartered flight.

I’ve flown on both Aer Lingus and Delta internationally and on both of these aircraft types and there’s no doubt I much prefer Delta’s new A350. It’s one of my favorite planes. I’m not a huge fan of the much older and less comfortable A330, but from social media videos it looked like the Steelers had some space to stretch out. The plane was configured 2 by 4 by 2, so each player had a seat open next to them and those in the middle seats could lie down and sleep for the seven-hour flight.

Fan Reactions and Online Buzz

The stark contrast between the two teams’ travel arrangements of course, created a wide range of comments among fans and aviation enthusiasts online. Some speculated about the reasons behind the differing choices while others focused on the excitement surrounding the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Ireland. As one person pointed out, “3 seats to yourself is the same as first class.”

It looks like Aer Lingus won this battle in style because the Steelers beat the Vikings on the field 24-21. However, the Vikings get to stay in Europe and play the Cleveland Browns this weekend in London, so maybe they lost the game but they won the European tour experience.