Medallion elite status has many benefits, including choice benefits, international lounge access, and same-day confirmed changes. However, the lure of a complimentary seat upgrade remains the critical benefit when it comes to pursuing status.

Whether it’s premium economy, business, or first class, nothing is as magical as purchasing a ticket for one class of service and getting upgraded into a superior cabin.

Delta Upgrade With Miles

When buying a ticket at delta.com or through Delta Reservations, you can use your miles to upgrade to Delta One, Delta Premium Select, First Class, or Delta Comfort for eligible flights within the United States. You can upgrade in your Trip Summary if your reservation is considered. 

Upgrade a flight that you’ve already reserved:

On almost all flights that Delta markets and operates, it’s now simpler than ever to upgrade your seat independently using miles on delta.com.

On the majority of Delta-operated flights, as well as some partner-operated flights, Delta Reservations can assist you in upgrading your seat if you are unable to do so using miles on delta.com.

How to Make an Delta Airlines Upgrade Request

When booking a flight on delta.com, over the phone, in person at the airport, or through a travel agency, be sure to provide your SkyMiles number. You can configure your SkyMiles account choices to either carefully request upgrades for every flight or have them asked for effortlessly whenever you make a reservation using your SkyMiles number (on eligible flights), depending on what works best for you. Find out more about the two choices:

Get Automatic Upgrades

Choose your preferred seat on the entire seat map in your upgraded cabin or the Main Cabin if you opt-in for automatic upgrades. You also have the option to utilise the seat map to choose any accessible seat whenever you receive a complimentary upgrade.

Choose to receive complimentary upgrades automatically if you:

• Keep your Medallion eligibility window open while maintaining the highest upgrade priority. 

• Enjoy the convenience of automation. 

• If you are upgraded to a seat you don’t like, you can choose another available seat. 

Choose Your Upgrades

Suppose you prefer to refrain from receiving automatic complimentary upgrades. In that case, you can use the seat map to choose any available seat in any cabin once you obtain upgrade clearance for that particular cabin.

• Avoid receiving free upgrades if you.

• Choose the upgraded seat that you prefer.

• Ensure that you select your upgrade within the window of eligibility.

• Accept settling for a lower priority during your eligibility window to select your desired seat.

Setting up Your Preferences by Default

Your SkyMiles profile defaults to being opted out of automatic upgrades to Delta Comfort+. However, you opt-in for automatic upgrades to First Class if you have never set upgrade preferences. To change the settings:

• Log in at delta.com/myprofile.

• Find Flight Preferences on the My Profile, then select “OPEN.”

• Find Medallion Complimentary Upgrade Requests on the Flight Preferences page, and utilise the EDIT button to change what you want.

• Please note that after you update your settings, any reservations you make will be reflected in the changes you make to your upgrade choices. The itineraries that are currently in place will remain the same.

• Setting Your Choices for Each Flight’s Delta Comfort+ Seat: 

• If you haven’t been approved for Delta Comfort+ yet, you can now choose and customise your complimentary upgrade seat preferences for a future trip. Choosing your preferred seat:

• Look for your reservation using the Fly Delta app or My Trips (make sure you have downloaded the most recent version of the app).

• Look at the “Upgrade Preferences” box and request an upgrade to Delta Comfort+.

• Next, make sure that “Request upgrade” and “Only upgrade if my Seat Preferences are available” are both checked. 

• Choose between the aisle, middle, or window seat choices after both boxes have been checked.

• To save your seat preferences for each segment of your trip, click “Apply to All Segments of the Trip” if there are more than one. 

• Verify your preferred seat. Once your Seat Preferences are selected, if your chosen Seat Preferences are available, you might be upgraded to Delta Comfort+ for the next flight. Currently, choosing your Seat Preferences will not affect your global settings; instead, you must choose your Delta Comfort+ Seat Preferences each time you take a flight.

Delta Airlines Complimentary Upgrades

On some flights, all Delta Medallion member statuses are entitled to an unlimited number of complimentary upgrades to First Class along with Delta Comfort+ seats. All Delta Medallion Elite members, such as the ones travelling to Hawaii, are qualified for a complimentary date upgrade to the Delta One Experience starting on April 1, 2018.

Despite the fact that it’s necessary to comprehend the details below, it’s noteworthy that Delta is consistently growing the quantity of first-class tickets it offers. It gives more space in its front cabin, according to quarterly profitability statistics, rather than compromising anything through an upgrade. First-class tickets are priced to encourage more customers to purchase them altogether, all in the hope of maximising income. If you notice a reservation with Delta and get an upgrade offer, this can become clear.

The list of products offered by Delta consists of purchased tickets, SkyMiles award tickets and more which are eligible for complimentary upgrades:

• All flights run by Delta are offered with Delta Comfort+.

• All domestic flights operated by Delta and a few short international flights are in first class. 

• The states of Alaska and Hawaii are included in Delta One’s domestic route network. 

Due to Delta’s preference for Diamond Medallions over Medallions at lesser tiers, there isn’t much time to spend. Diamond and Platinum Medallion holders can check into Comfort+ from the Main Cabin as soon as seats become available after making a reservation. In addition, Gold and Silver members must wait, respectively, 72 and 24 hours before leaving in order to be eligible for Comfort+.

Although Gold and Silver Medallion members are able to clear on flights with a high passenger load, like New York to San Francisco, the Comfort+ cabin is frequently full. However, last-minute changes can be made at the entrance.

Medallion members will employ the same clearance priority hierarchy as first-class upgrades on the day of departure, should domestic Delta One upgrades be available.

You can still access the gate with your upgrade even if you don’t have permission in advance. Keep in mind that throughout the period of your check-in or upgrade, your pending upgrade request must be confirmed. In that instance, prior to your departure, an upgrade at the gate, if possible, will be automatically added to the standby list at the airport. The “My Trips” feature of the Delta app displays your reservation on the standby list. This information is seen on the information screen at the airport gate.

How to Upgrade Delta Airlines Class with Travel Companions

If a Medallion Member and one companion are travelling on the same flight with the same reservation and are General SkyMiles Members, Medallion Members, or partner airline elite members*, then both of them will receive a complimentary upgrade when using Delta and Delta Connection carriers. Travel on paid tickets, award tickets, miles + cash tickets, pay with miles tickets, and companion certificates can all be upgraded to include a companion.

Upgrades for companions must be requested. You can ask for your companion’s upgrade at delta.com when making your reservation, later on in My Trips, or when checking in right before takeoff, provided you and your companion are on the same reservation. 

Elite members of partner airlines have been selected for companion upgrades on purchased tickets and companion certificates.

Travelling With One Companion

Upgrades to domestic Delta One, First Class, and Delta Comfort+ for you and one companion travelling on the same reservation operate similarly. If available, your upgrades will be provided based on the status of the higher-tiered member. This covers companions who hold Medallion Status and also general members who do not, as well as elite members of partner airlines. For instance, both upgrades will clear at the Diamond window, if available, if a Diamond Medallion Member and a General Member are travelling together. 

If both you and your companion have linked separate paid ticket reservations, there are slight differences in how upgrades to U.S. 50 domestic Delta One, First Class, and Delta Comfort+ work.

The approval of your upgrade to domestic Delta One and First Class will depend on your specific membership status and any open confirmation windows. When travelling together, for instance, the member with the platinum award will decrease in the platinum window, and the member with the silver medal will decrease in the silver window. Your companion, a regular member without Medallion Status, will get an upgrade concurrent with the Medallion member’s Tier clearing. When travelling together, for instance, a Platinum Medal member and a General Member will pass through a platinum window.

General SkyMiles members are not eligible for free Delta Comfort+ upgrades. When it’s time for their upgrade, the Medallion Member will check in.

Reservations that are independently made and connected by Delta Reservations are referred to as linked reservations. You can view phone numbers worldwide or call 1-800-323-2323 in the United States to link your reservations. If a SkyMiles Member still needs to be added to your reservation, make sure you have both confirmation numbers available when you request a companion upgrade. You can request to link your reservations at the airport, though.

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