It seems that Delta Air Lines couldnt quite decide how it wanted to organize its aircraft boarding procedures. I have first-class seats. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Hey, I havent flown in a while but will do so Sunday. And dont forget that being Delta credit card holder is also beneficial when it comes to more easily earning elite status. If you have elite status, a Delta co-branded credit card and are traveling in a premium cabin, Delta will automatically assign passengers to the highest eligible zone (in this example, premium cabin boarding). Sign up and well send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money. Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Forbes.com, CNBC.com, AFAR, Robb Report, Reader's Digest, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, Frommers.com, Fodors.com, Islands, Business Traveler, Fortune, Airways, Yahoo, Travel Age West, MSN.com, Bustle.com, AAA magazines. Priority boarding, before main cabin passengers, can be quite valuable since it means youll have more access to overhead bin space and can get settled a bit faster. Another key detail is that when departing from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Silver Medallion members do not get the same priority boarding status as they do when flying from other airports. What to Know About Sun Country Airlines (2020) - Airfarewatchdog Delta and American Express even offer co-branded business cards so you can earn SkyMiles with all of your spending, whether it be for home or for work. Weve compiled a list of all the top options for our readers, you can view that post here: https://upgradedpoints.com/best-credit-cards-for-priority-pass-lounges/. First up is the opportunity for those that need extra time to board the plane as well as active-duty U.S. military members with identification. If you carry a co-branded Delta SkyMiles credit card, youll automatically be assigned the Main Cabin 1 zone (unless you already are in the premium cabin or elite status). for them. If you fly Delta often enough, but still have not achieved elite status, consider the credit card path that can get you closer to the front of the line before everyone else. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Youll never be that cranky passenger wondering why you arent on board yet! Additionally, Delta and its partner airlines need to work on properly supporting elite member discounts for partner seating selections through Delta's seat map. Another perk of this section of seats is priority boarding. Another example would be a Delta co-branded American Express credit cardholder who buys basic economy. Here are our picks for the. Delta's Silver Medallion members have SkyTeam Elite status; Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion members have SkyTeam Elite Plus status. passengers also get priority boarding after first class. But, holding any elite status or a Delta co-branded credit card will give you faster boarding than travelers in the main cabin. This should trigger your elite benefits like priority boarding, complimentary checked bags etc. Customers in these seats also enjoy free beer and wine and more snack options. As with other airlines, youll want to be at the gate on time so you dont miss your turn in the queue and find ample space for carry-on bags. Learn more: The complete guide to Delta Medallion elite status. I knew that wed be able to stow our carry-on bags (on the side of the plane with the larger overhead bins) and wed also be seated closer to the front of the plane. I can understand your confusion. While no longer for sale, travelers that still have this paid-access qualification enjoy perks like priority boarding and drink vouchers. Full list of Delta Air Lines boarding groups. Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now. I was wondering I am Active Duty Military. Terms apply to the offers below. Deltas entry-level elite status Silver Medallion members have to wait a bit longer to board. Every once in a while, they apply to individuals traveling with the active duty military person, IF their ticket was also purchased on the same itinerary as the active duty individual. If the Delta Air Lines boarding groups above do not look familiar to you it might be because Delta Air Lines used to have boarding groups one through six. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Its important to note that while Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders do get to board in the first main cabin zone, they do not receive the same priority as Deltas top elite status members. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. On previous trips, wed found that while these bags were well within the airlines size restrictions for carry-ons, we were still asked to check them if the overhead bins were all filled. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. Judging from Delta's partner benefits page, it appears that all Delta elites should be able to get complimentary preferred seats on Aeromexico. Even if youre flying in the main cabin, those with elite status can board with their relevant, earlier boarding zone. They also do not allow other perks like upgrades, seat assignments and mileage earning. Delta Silver Medallion Benefits Review (Qualifications, Upgrades Another perk of this section of seats is priority boarding. Click here for more info. Deltas premium cabin flyers, no matter the destination, board before Diamond Medallion members although Diamonds traveling in a premium cabin can also board with the higher zone. This means that Delta Comfort Plus is much closer to what you'll find in economy than what you'll find in the front of the plane. Priority Boarding is available on select United- and United Express -flights worldwide. Corporate Priority - Delta Air Lines If I miss my boarding call will I be able to board? Having elite status with an airline can definitely make life easier for frequent travelers, both in the airport and onboard the aircraft. Boarding by Zone Depending on the fare class of tickets you purchased, you should be able to access your reservation online and select seats for your family. Our opinions are our own. These include popular cards like the, Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. Hi Paula, in most situations, benefits afforded to active duty military personnel only apply to the active duty person themselves. As such, the reciprocal elite benefits for Delta Medallion members are just what Delta and Virgin have worked out bilaterally. The SkyTeam airline prioritizes those traveling in premium cabins over most elite status members. However, at least on many SkyTeam airlines, you can score that exit row, bulkhead, or group of two seats for free as a Delta Medallion if you know where to go to select it. The cost is $15 per flight, and it is one of the "Trip Extras" that Delta makes available to passengers. The last passengers to board are those booking basic economy fares without elite status or a Delta co-branded credit card. Basic Economy provides a value for solo travelers and light packers who don't anticipate changes to their travel plans, since refunds and changes are not allowed. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. Heres an explainer on the Delta boarding order and how you can get closer to the front of the line on your next flight. are the airlines most restricted and come with the lowest boarding tier, which means overhead bag space may be limited. It should be noted that when departing Amsterdam (AMS) and Paris (CDG) on Delta flights, Silver Medallion members will not have their own priority boarding group. After that, the nine remaining groups board in a particular order, and their names may make it less clear on whose turn is next since they do not follow a simple Group 1-9 boarding zone system. The SkyTeam airline prioritizes those traveling in premium cabins over most elite status members. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Families traveling with small children and with car seats or strollers can board after Delta One and First Class or Delta Premium Select passengers, but before a majority of boarding groups. Deltas basic economy fares are the airlines most restricted and come with the lowest boarding tier, which means overhead bag space may be limited. - Alex & Erin. Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion members do get them for free. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. Great! Read more. Delta's "Traveler Extras" include 24% in-flight meal credit, $10 off Delta Sky Club access for your 1st and 2nd visit, $100 off Delta Rapid Rewards credit, and $200 Delta Comfort Credit to upgrade your seat for a fee. If you'd like to add a comment to this article and share your valuable feedback and opinions, please How do I upgrade my Delta international flight? click here to leave your comment. What Are Delta's "Preferred" Seats and Should You Pay Extra to Sit We know the terms, we understand the procedures, and well make sure that you do, too. Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Forbes.com, CNBC.com, AFAR, Robb Report, Reader's Digest, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, Frommers.com, Fodors.com, Islands, Business Traveler, Fortune, Airways, Yahoo, Travel Age West, MSN.com, Bustle.com, AAA magazines. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members. Passengers traveling with car seats and strollers. Following Premium Select flyers, Comfort+ passengers board before the remaining passengers. How to Get Priority Boarding Using an Amex Delta Airline Credit Card Just confused because supposedly you are given a seat assignment at check in and dont know if it will be in Zone 1. Advertiser Disclosure: Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive compensation. The last passengers to board are those booking basic economy fares without elite status or a Delta co-branded credit card. So how do we make money? Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Silver members. Depending on the level of benefits you are looking for, the number of Medallion Qualifying Miles you are looking to earn, and the annual fee you are willing to pay, there is sure to be a card that is right for you. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Delta follows a particular boarding order for each flight so that it can depart on time. Whether hes staying in a hostel dorm, or in a luxury suite at a 5 star hotel, Jeff is constantly looking for the best deal to make travel as close to free as possible. That means that if you choose to change your flight at a later time, whether online, over the phone, or at the airport, you will forfeit the Priority Boarding pass that you have purchased. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. If you book one of Deltas top flight products (like Delta One or first class), youll be among the first passengers to board. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2017-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Your Mileage May Vary - All Rights Reserved. Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines A321neo at New York JFK (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy) Alaska's website states that only Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan elite members can reserve exit-row seating in advance. Since you will probably board before most of the main cabin, there should be plenty of overhead bin space. In fact, Delta Comfort+ can be added any time after the ticket is issued, up to three hours before the scheduled departure time, depending on availability. My wife and I are going to be flying with our 5 children. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. The Verdict: If all you care about is being seated near the front of the plane, buying a Preferred Seat will. Hi Gina, Who gets Priority Boarding. Delta's partner benefit page for its Brazilian partner GOL suggests that, unfortunately, Silver Medallions don't get complimentary preferred seats, which are known as "GOL+ Conforto" seats on GOL, though GOL's website says "Delta Elite customers" get them without further qualification. Ramsey is a freelance travel journalist covering business travel, loyalty programs and luxury travel. It will NOT be published. Please clear this up for us? When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. Alliance member airlines reciprocate many of the elite benefits to frequent flyers of other member airlines, creating a more seamless experience for frequent flyers flying on different airlines within the alliance. Here are our picks for the. (This goes for First Class or Delta One . However, when I checked in for this flight, I was offered to upgrade to a preferred seat. This provides priority check-in and standby, preferred seats and priority boarding on SkyTeam partners. Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Disclaimer:Upgraded Points, LLC and its website, UpgradedPoints.com, provides information on credit cards, reward programs, travel information and ancillary information concerning travel and credit cards. Some notable exceptions are below: U.S. and El Salvador, Ecuador, Panama ($30 for basic economy) Delta Air Lines is an airline that people seem to love or hate, though its not because of the slightly confusing boarding procedure weve outlined. You want a travel credit card that prioritizes whats important to you. Delta Medallion members follow the same discount schedule as Air France's own elites: Silver Medallions receive a 25% discount, Gold Medallions receives a 50% discount and Platinum and Diamond Medallions receive complimentary preferred seats. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, this doesn't guarantee a spot in A1 to A15 group. Delta Air Lines uses 10 different boarding zones for its flights. ), our referral links for thePersonal Cardand theBusiness Card, Read this first to help ensure it gets approved, https://yourmileagemayvary.com/2017/06/07/what-are-preferred-seats-on-delta-and-why-pay-extra-to-sit-there/, The Best Ways to Reduce Jetlag, According to Qantas, Delta SkyMiles: The Ultimate Earn And Burn Currency, The Risk Of Booking Airline Awards With Partner Airlines. Trust me; Im not thrilled that I have to pay the airlines so I can board earlier to ensure the carry-on bag Im allowed to bring on the plane with me wont have to be gate-checked. Thats Awesome. Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. In addition, as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. He writes for TPG about topics including SkyTeam, Amex and aviation and also moderates the TPG Lounge Facebook group. Luckily in many airports, Delta uses screens that display which group is boarding at that particular moment so look for those, if available. This benefit applies to the basic cardholder and is not available to additional authorized users on the card account. Premium Select is available on select international flights. Hi John which Delta credit card do you own? and Diamond Medallion members. Lets take alook at the details of the Delta Air Lines boarding process, and youll be ready the next time you fly. And while our site doesnt feature every company or financial product available on the market, were proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward and free. Any and all options, reviews, comments and analyses are the responsibility of the author(s) and not any Advertiser or credit card issuer. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. This premium economy cabin is only on certain aircraft mostly flying internationally and comes with a wider seat, better recline, upgraded meals and onboard amenities, and the ability to board before other passengers.