What to Know Before Flying Delta Air Lines, According to Passenger Reviews

Since its humble beginnings as a crop-dusting outfit founded in Macon, Georgia in 1925, Delta has grown into one of the largest airlines on the planet. In a typical year, the carrier flies as many as 200 million passengers to 300 destinations in over 50 countries around the globe on its fleet of nearly 800 aircraft.

Delta also partners with other international carriers like Air France-KLM, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic. The airline has major hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York City, Salt Lake City, and Seattle, so chances are you might be flying with Delta sometime soon. If so, here's everything you need to know about Delta Air Lines before booking, including feedback based on passenger reviews.

Fare Classes

Like many other airlines, Delta offers a variety of fare classes, which can get confusing.

Basic Economy

Starting at the bottom, Basic Economy, or "E" fares, are the cheapest. Seat assignments can only be made after check-in, and you cannot change your flight or receive a refund for cancellation beyond 24 hours from booking. Whether you have Medallion elite status or not, tickets are not eligible for:

• Paid or complimentary upgrades
• Paid, complimentary, or discounted Delta Comfort+ (extra legroom) seats
• Paid or complimentary Preferred seats (window or aisle seats toward the front)
• Same-day confirmed or standby changes

Despite those drawbacks, many fliers feel like the savings are worth it, especially if you check in as soon as you're able to and can snag a seat. That's what Tripadvisor commenter Solo Traveler did, saying, "I was able to select the same seat at check-in that I would normally have chosen, and saved myself a substantial sum (about $125)."

Main Cabin

If you book a Main Cabin, or regular economy, fare, you will be able to select some seats for free at booking. You will also have the option to purchase Preferred (aisle and window) and Comfort+ (extra legroom) seats as well as paid upgrades, or complimentary ones depending on your elite status. Unless they opt for very expensive fully refundable tickets, passengers who purchase fares in Main Cabin and higher will be able to cancel or change tickets subject to certain restrictions (we'll get into that below), and may receive credits to apply to a future flight.

Comfort+

Delta Comfort+ is the airline's moniker for extra legroom economy, but this fare class also includes dedicated overhead space, priority boarding, and extra snacks and amenities compared to Main Cabin. Sure, you pay more for these places, but according to Tripadvisor commenter Nelson, "I really thought the Comfort option was worth the price. Excellent leg room, great movie screens, premium snacks and ear buds, great luggage compartments, preferred boarding, etc., were worth the additional cost!"

Premium Select

Delta introduced Premium Select international premium economy in 2017 with much larger seats as well as updated entertainment screens and better amenities than in economy.

Folks in this cabin also receive Sky Priority service at the airport with expedited check-in, security, and baggage services as well as priority boarding. These cabins are only available on the airline's Airbus A330-900neos and A350s, and certain Boeing 777-200s and 767-400s.

First Class

Despite the name, First Class is not Delta's most premium option. It only applies to domestic and regional flights, and it pretty much resembles Premium Select. That said, you'll get a higher baggage allowance plus better food and drinks than economy passengers, and be among the first to board.

Delta One

Finally, the airline's flagship cabin is Delta One, which includes podlike lie-flat seats and those fancy suites the airline unveiled back in 2016 on long-haul international routes as well as premium transcontinental services like New York to Los Angeles.

Delta One passengers receive Sky Priority treatment at the airport and can access Delta Sky Clubs when flying internationally, and they're among the first on the plane.

Flight Change and Cancellation Policies

There are no change or cancellation fees if you purchase tickets in Main Cabin or above on flights originating from North America, and you will receive the original airfare as an eCredit. However, you will have to pay the price difference if your new flight is more expensive than your original flight.

For Basic Economy tickets (which are non-refundable), you will be charged a cancellation fee starting at $99. This may be higher depending on your itinerary — you can find the exact fee under the "Fare Rules" of your ticket. The remaining value of your ticket, minus the fee, will become an eCredit to be used for future flights.

Although that leaves a bit of flexibility for travelers, as Tripadvisor board user Joe C discovered, future flight credits have their limits. "Booked a [flight] last year only to be told that my trip was canceled and I'd receive a 'credit' for future travel," he wrote. "Tried to book a new reservation … only to be told the [price] had quintupled! Gee, thanks Delta … Now I know why they gave a travel credit instead of a refund!"

Standing by for a more convenient flight is free, but if you want to make a same-day change to a confirmed seat on a different flight, it'll cost you at least $75 (unless you have Delta Gold Medallion status or higher).

Baggage Policies and Fees

Whether or not you can check a bag for free will depend on the ticket you buy and whether you have Medallion elite status or a Delta credit card. You can determine your baggage fees with the airline's useful calculator.

If you're in Basic Economy without elite status or an airline credit card, you can bring a carry-on bag, but will have to pay for checked luggage pretty much wherever you fly. Prices start at $30 for the first bag within the U.S. or $75 internationally.

Main Cabin and Delta Comfort+ customers on flights within the U.S. pay $30 for the first checked bag and $40 for the second. Some prices are higher if flying to Mexico, but other international itineraries, such as Europe or Asia, include a free first checked bag.

Folks in First Class, Premium Select, and Delta One generally get two checked bags for free.

If you have a Delta American Express credit card, or Medallion elite status, you will get one or two checked bags free no matter what fare you book, depending on your specific combination of benefits.

Boarding Order

Delta's normal boarding procedures follow this order:

• Preboarding of customers needing assistance or additional time to board, plus active U.S. military
• Delta One and First Class passengers
• Diamond Medallion members
• Delta Premium Select customers
• Early boarding for passengers with car seats or strollers
• Delta Comfort+ passengers
• Sky Priority, including Delta's own elites and those of some partner airlines
• Main Cabin passengers with elite status
• Main Cabin passengers without elite status
• Basic Economy customers

That's a lot of groups, as Yelper Nancy M. wrote. "It starts with an indecipherable boarding process that 'pre-boards' half the aircraft." Other fliers have noticed that if you're not among the first few groups to board, you're likely to be asked to gate check your carry-on.

Seats and Legroom

Delta has a plethora of planes, so the exact dimensions of your seat will depend on the aircraft type and class of service. In general, though, expect the following range of sizes.

Main Cabin

Economy seats are between 16 and 18.6 inches wide, with 30 to 33 inches of pitch (the distance from seatback to seatback), and two or three inches of recline. Depending on the type of plane you're on, they can be laid out in anything from a 2 – 2 pattern to one that is 2 – 4 – 2 or 3 – 3 – 3.

Most fliers seem to find the seats themselves serviceable, if tight for longer rides. SkyTrax commenter N Harkov said of his economy experience on an A330, "Seat was quite comfortable, but legroom was not so great (I am six feet tall) … Overall, it isn't bad, but I was definitely happy to stretch my legs after 10 hours aboard."

Comfort+

Comfort+ seats have the same width and recline, but offer up to 34 inches of pitch.

First Class

Domestic first class seats tend to be 20 to 21 inches wide with 35 to 39 inches of pitch, laid out in a 2 – 2 pattern.

Premium Select

Folks in Premium Select are seated in a 2 – 3 – 2 or 2 – 4 – 2 configuration and can expect chairs that are 18.5 inches wide with 38 inches of pitch and up to seven inches of recline.

According to Charles1019 on Tripadvisor, who flew Premium Select in March 2020, "These seats are like the original first class seats used internationally years ago by Delta, with some upgrades. You can fully recline your seat without the possibility of making the passenger behind you mad. Lots of space. They have retractable leg rests, and the television screen is much bigger than the largest domestic versions. Super comfortable flight all around!"

Delta One

Finally, folks in Delta One sit in a 1 – 2 – 1 pattern so everyone has direct aisle access. Seats are 21 to 22.5 inches wide and recline to flat beds that are 71 to 80 inches long. If you're on the A350 or A330-900neo, your pod will also have its own closing door for privacy.

That feature seemed to blow Tripadvisor commenter The Travel Squad away on a January 2020 flight: "Great experience flying business in the … Delta One Suites. The best business class experience so far, full privacy in the suite, great food and service."

Amenities and Entertainment

Food and Beverage

Shorter domestic flights will serve a selection of packaged snacks, coffee, tea, and bottled water in economy, while passengers in higher classes might receive complimentary wine, beer, soft drinks, and juices (Main Cabin customers can purchase these on longer domestic flights).

According to recent short-haul Main Cabin flier The_Wanderer1992 on Tripadvisor, "They had a limited snack offering with a small bottle of water, peanuts and cookies."

On some Hawaii flights and international routes, folks in Main Cabin and Comfort+ receive one meal service including a choice of entrée and dessert plus a full selection of beverage options including complimentary beer, wine, and spirits. Tripadvisor commenter ESPASSOC, who flew from Atlanta to Honolulu non-stop, described the food as "tasty for the main meal and served with both complimentary soft drinks and/or alcoholic beverage."

Those in Delta Premium Select receive a larger meal that includes salad and bread, while the lucky few in Delta One get pre-departure bottled water, more gourmet menus served with the airline's bespoke Alessi flatware, and a full selection of beverages.

According to Tripadvisor reviewer brmusicman, the Delta One meal on his flight from Sydney to Los Angeles was "elegantly presented and tasty. A tray of appetizers including marinated shrimps, an arugula salad with tomatoes and mozzarella, and a tasty soup. The main course was a well-prepared fish. Ice cream and cheese for dessert hit the spot. The wine selection was not excellent, but was suitable."

Onboard Comfort

On long-haul flights, Main Cabin and Comfort+ passengers get pillows and blankets, and they receive basic amenity kits containing toothbrushes and toothpaste, eyeshades, earplugs, and a cleansing towelette. There are Tumi pouches with all that plus socks and Le Labo lip balm and facial mist in Premium Select, while Delta One passengers receive Someone Somewhere kits with Grown Alchemist lip balm and hand cream.

In-flight Wi-Fi

Delta provides Wi-Fi for purchase on nearly all its flights and offers free mobile messaging on iMessage, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp via its onboard network, which many passengers seem to appreciate in their Yelp and Tripadvisor comments.

Wi-Fi is not always guaranteed, though. Tripadvisor user wanderinstyle, who flew from New York to Tokyo via Los Angeles, and back, mentioned, "I had Wi-Fi all the way from LAX to Tokyo and from New York to Los Angeles. On the way to New York from Los Angeles there was no internet, it was down," punctuating the disappointment with a frowning emoji. While that seems to be rare, make sure you've loaded any websites you'll need to access in flight, just in case.

Entertainment and Outlets

The airline also features over 1,000 hours of free entertainment including movies and TV series via its Delta Studio system, which passengers can view on seatback touchscreens on most of its mainline aircraft.

Yelper Kim V. said, "The in-flight individual entertainment was just awesome … The screens were big and the colors vibrant … They also had a USB port for cell phone charging."

Speaking of which, most planes have in-seat power and USB ports installed for keeping devices charged in flight, though some older aircraft, including Boeing 757s and 737s, do not have power plugs in large portions of their economy cabins. Be sure to check the availability of power ports on your specific flight by looking through the amenities key on Delta's booking page.

Delta Credit Cards

Depending on how many miles you hope to rack up, how often you fly Delta, and what perks you're looking for, you might want to consider one of these three credit cards.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card typically offers anywhere from 40,000 to 70,000 bonus miles after eligible spending on purchases. It earns two miles per dollar on Delta purchases, on dining, and at U.S. supermarkets; and one on everything else. Cardholders get their first checked bag for free, priority boarding, and 20 percent back on in-flight food purchases. Its $99 annual fee is waived the first year.

One step up, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card usually offers between 50,000 and 90,000 bonus miles (plus 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles toward elite status in some cases) after eligible spending on purchases. It earns three miles per dollar on purchases from Delta and at hotels, and two miles per dollar on dining and at U.S. supermarkets, then one mile per dollar on everything else. Cardholders receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year after renewing their card and paying the $250 annual fee.

Finally, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card tends to include anywhere from 50,000 to 80,000 bonus miles and 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after eligible spending. It earns three miles per dollar on Delta purchases and one mile per dollar on everything else. Its main perks are access to Delta Sky Clubs and Amex Centurion Lounges when flying Delta and a companion certificate each year after renewing and paying the $550 annual fee, good for a domestic round-trip ticket in Main Cabin, Comfort, or First Class, which can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.