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Cabin classes, seats & legroom

Delta has six cabin classes, split between three standalone premium cabins and three categories of economy. Keep in mind that not every aircraft has all three premium cabins, though every aircraft does have all three types of economy-class categories.

Delta One

Delta One is Delta's business-class cabin, and it's most commonly found on long-haul flights (both international and transcontinental). While all the seats are lie-flat, their dimensions, configurations and features vary greatly across Delta's fleet. For example, some A350 aircraft have Delta One Suites arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, where each seat has a sliding door for privacy. But other A350 aircraft have a 2-2-2 layout with wide-open seats that lack privacy.

You can look up your aircraft type before you buy your ticket (it's usually shown on the booking page), but keep in mind that Delta can swap planes for any reason, so you may fly on a different aircraft. I personally always aim for the Delta One Suites, found on A330-900neo and some A350 aircraft, as they're both spacious and private. I tend to avoid the 767-300 and 757-200 because these are some of the oldest Delta One seats in the fleet and provide very little privacy. Delta is, however, upgrading its cabins over time, so eventually all Delta One seats should be a premium experience.

First Class

First Class is the top cabin on short-haul flights, both domestic and international. The seats are not lie-flat, but they are more spacious than what you'll find in the economy cabin (Main Cabin in Delta lingo). I consider them to be like a comfortable armchair. First Class seats have up to eight more inches of legroom than Main Cabin.

Premium Select

Premium Select is Delta's premium economy cabin, which is something between economy and business class. Seats have up to 38 inches of pitch, 19 inches of width and seven inches of recline, but these dimensions vary across aircraft. Premium Select seats notably have a footrest and legrest. I also really like the memory foam pillows that accompany these seats, as I find them quite supportive.

Comfort Plus

Comfort Plus is part of the economy cabin, and it's located in the front section. These seats are almost the same as the Main Cabin seats, save for one crucial difference: They have up to three inches of extra legroom. (Yes, the specific amount varies across aircraft.) If you have a choice between a middle seat in Comfort Plus and an aisle or a window in Main Cabin, I'd probably choose the latter. The upgrade isn't significant enough to deal with a middle seat!

Main Cabin

Main Cabin is Delta's standard economy-class cabin. Seats have, on average, just shy of 32 inches of pitch. If you're seated in Main Cabin, look for bulkhead or exit row seats to get the most legroom. I'm particularly fond of Main Cabin seats that have an empty space in front of them, such 21A and 21F on some 737-900ERs and 27A and 27F on A321-200s. Just keep in mind that you might not have underseat storage in some cases.

Basic Economy

Basic Economy is part of the economy-class cabin. While the seats are the same as Main Cabin, Basic Economy tickets are far more restrictive. They are not assigned seats until boarding, they cannot be changed and they can only be canceled for a fee. On the plus side, they're the cheapest fares. But personally, I would never fly Basic Economy. If budget is a restriction, I'd find a cheaper ticket on another airline.

Pre-flight experience

Here's what you need to know about the airport experience when traveling with Delta.

Baggage policy and fees

All Delta passengers are allowed one free carry-on bag (22” x 14” x 9”) and one personal item. While there are fees for checked bags, there are several ways to avoid these charges.. But there are many ways to get free checked bags, including booking a ticket in a premium cabin (Delta One, First Class or Premium Select), having elite status or having a Delta credit card (Delta SkyMiles Gold, Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Delta SkyMiles Reserve). In my experience, I find that if you fly regularly enough with a checked bag, it can be worth paying the annual fee for an airline credit card. It's worth noting that many credit cards allow free checked bags for multiple people on your reservation, which is great for families.

Check-in

There are three check-in categories: Delta One, Sky Priority and general. At certain airports, Delta One passengers have their own check-in desk, otherwise they must queue with the Sky Priority passengers. Sky Priority check-in desks serve passengers who have certain tiers of elite status (Gold, Platinum and Diamond) or who are flying in a premium cabin (Delta One, First Class and Premium Select). All other passengers must use the general check-in desks or self-serve kiosks.

Lounges

Delta Sky Clubs can be found in more than 30 airports across the United States. Here, travelers are treated to complimentary buffets and bars, while some Sky Clubs have features like showers and outdoor spaces. Access is granted to passengers flying Delta One or in business class on a SkyTeam partner airline; certain elite statusholders (Gold, Platinum and Diamond) who are flying Premium Select or internationally in First Class; Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders; Centurion Card Members from American Express; Platinum Card Members from American Express; and Delta elite statusholders who purchase a lounge membership. Domestic First Class tickets do not include lounge access.

Delta is also expanding its lounge program to include special "premium lounges," but details are not yet finalized. Just keep in mind that not all Delta Sky Clubs are created equal. While some have the full spectrum of amenities in gorgeously designed spaces, others are rather small, barebones, and outdated. As someone who loves taking lounge showers, I always confirm with the front desk agent that there are indeed showers available before entering a lounge.

Boarding

Delta splits its boarding process into pre-boarding and eight different zones. Your boarding group is determined by your cabin class and/or elite status. If you're traveling with a child in a car seat or stroller, you are invited to board between Zones 2 and 3. Please don't crowd the gate before your zone is called; I find that this greatly hinders the boarding process and makes it more difficult for everyone involved.

Onboard experience

Here's what you can expect when you're onboard a Delta flight.

Wi-Fi & entertainment

Most Delta planes have Wi-Fi, and on domestic flights, it's usually free for SkyMiles members. If you don't have a SkyMiles membership, it's free to sign up, and you can do so while you're on the plane. On international flights, Wi-Fi availability all depends on your aircraft and route. The best connectivity can be found between North America and Europe, with limited availability in South America, too. If you do have Wi-Fi on your international flight, messaging is free, while browsing and streaming require the purchase of a package. Entertainment-wise, Delta flights are equipped with dozens of movies and TV shows that you can watch from your seat-back monitor. I find that Delta always has a robust lineup of programming that's changed out regularly enough for frequent flyers, but the Wi-Fi on international routes can be hit or miss. Delta sometimes does warn you in advance (usually via email) that your flight might have technical difficulties with the Wi-Fi. I've been warned a day or so before my flight on occasion, but sometimes I only find out at the gate, or worse, once we're in the air.

Dining

Hot meals are served in Delta One on all flights and in First Class on certain flights. In Main Cabin, hot meals are only served on long-haul international flights (ones that go beyond Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Central America). Free snacks are always available in every cabin on every flight. Alcohol is available to purchase on most flights longer than 500 miles; Delta One, First Class and Premium Select passengers always have free alcohol, while Comfort+ passengers get free alcohol on flights longer than 500 miles. I find that Delta's best dishes in Delta One are the local specialties; Delta often partners with local chefs to bring their restaurants' most popular menu items onboard.

Amenities

Delta One passengers receive amenity kits with an eye mask, ear plugs, toothbrush and toothpaste, socks and Grown Alchemist toiletries. Passengers in Premium Select receive a similar amenity kit without the toiletries. I find these amenity kits to be fairly basic compared to many other airlines' amenity kits.

Change & cancellation policies

Delta allows free changes for all fare classes except basic economy on flights originating from the United States, Canada and the Caribbean; you will only have to pay the difference in airfare, if there is one. For flights originating elsewhere, you will have to pay a change fee. As for cancellations, Delta will give you an eCredit for the full amount you paid, and it must be used within 12 months of the date of issue (not the date of travel). Basic economy tickets typically cannot be changed or canceled. Always read the fine print before purchasing your tickets to be sure you understand the change and cancellation policies for your specific fare.

Loyalty programs, miles & credit cards

Delta's loyalty program is called SkyMiles; it's free to sign up for a membership. Once you attach your SkyMiles number to a ticket, you will begin earning redeemable miles (also known as award miles), as well as Medallion Qualifying Dollars, which are used to calculate elite status.

Delta SkyMiles

Delta SkyMiles can be earned on plane tickets, Delta-branded credit card spend, traveling with partner companies (such as Hertz for car rentals) and shopping and dining through a designated portal. You earn a certain number of SkyMiles per dollar spent. When it comes to flights, passengers with elite status earn more miles per dollar (from 5 to 11 SkyMiles). These SkyMiles can be redeemed for free flights or upgrades. But beware: In my experience, SkyMiles rates are often extremely high, especially for business-class fares. I've seen rates reach 400,000 SkyMiles for a one-way fare on a seven-hour flight, which is a terrible redemption.

Elite status

Delta's elite status tiers are referred to as Medallions. Each tier is earned by purchasing tickets and flying or spending on Delta-branded credit cards; you must earn a certain number of Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs), which are different from SkyMiles, in order to achieve status. Benefits range from free checked bags to free upgrades on domestic flights, pending availability.

Credit cards

Delta has four credit cards with American Express. Depending on which credit card you hold, you may receive special benefits like complimentary upgrades on domestic flights, limited Sky Club access and free checked bags. And all four cards allow you to earn SkyMiles for your credit card spend. I recommend that you pay close attention to the specific perks of each credit card before signing up and crunch the numbers to ensure the annual fee is worth it. (That is, make sure that the value of the perks you'll use, such as free checked bags, exceeds the annual fee.) In some cases, you might be better off signing up for a generic travel card instead of a Delta specific one, particularly if you're not extremely loyal to Delta when you fly. This doubly true because SkyMiles redemption values are frequently poor. Plus, credit card companies have their own lounges now, and many are much nicer than the older Sky Clubs.