Is Delta worth the extra money?
If you're considering an upgrade to Delta Comfort Plus
If you value extra legroom, space for your luggage and complimentary booze, then yes, it's worth spending the extra money.
Demand for air travel has been increasing lately, while the number of seats available has remained pretty static. “This increased demand means airlines can charge higher prices without fear of losing passengers to competitors,” Baker said.
With Preferred Seats, your flyers can select where they'd like to sit—aisle, exit row or window— near the front of the plane on fares booked in Q class or higher, at no extra cost.
Fares are usually lower on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and highest on Fridays and Sundays. Flights later in the evening are also usually lower demand. Search nearby area airports. Low fares sold out at one airport, may be available at another nearby airport.
DAL is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 7.59 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 11.68. DAL's Forward P/E has been as high as 17.82 and as low as 6.03, with a median of 7.44, all within the past year.
- Medallion Members should add their SkyMiles number to their flight reservation during the booking process. ...
- Travel companions must also add their SkyMiles number to their flight reservation to be eligible for Complimentary Upgrades.
Delta is a very good airline because of its high-quality customer service and satisfaction, attention to personal detail when it comes to seating and reservations, and top-notch in-flight amenities. From comfort to cost, it is ideal for the casual frequent flyer.
Tuesdays may not be favorable for booking, but if you're hoping to score major savings, booking your departure on a Tuesday or Wednesday is a surefire way to do so. Mid-week flights offer the best deal prices in comparison to flights departing the rest of the week.
"I do think Delta goes a step above and beyond," Kelly said. "They're also the most expensive airline, and they're profitable. So consumers are willing to pay to be treated as humans.
Delta main cabin is slightly more expensive than basic economy on most routes, but the upcharge provides a lot of value. For a modest price premium, you get the ability to choose your seat, change or cancel your flight, opt to use same-day standby when traveling domestically and earn miles toward Medallion status.
What happens if you don't pick a seat on Delta?
Yes, but it might cost you. From seven days to 24 hours before departure, it's possible to pay to select seats on itineraries that are fully domestic. Pricing varies by trip and may be purchased leg by leg. If you don't purchase a seat assignment, Delta will assign you one after check-in.
Main Cabin Preferred: Main Cabin Preferred seats are functionally the same as regular main cabin seats. The difference lies in the seat location; Main Cabin Preferred seats are typically window and aisle seats nearer to the front of the plane, plus exit rows.

Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date.
When you purchase a Delta deal, you are stuck in economy class. The airline can give you the cheaper ticket price because they offer so many of these seats. So, you can expect to be sitting close to other passengers. In economy class, the seats are not just small, there is little legroom, and the seats barely recline.
The cost goes up closer to departure time. Walk up to change at the gate and you would likely pay the difference between what you paid and full fare. 2. Re: Idea cost of upgrade at airport with Delta & last min sales?
After a challenging year of recovery and operational rebuilding led by its employees, Delta Air Lines was named the Top U.S. Airline of 2022 by the Wall Street Journal in its annual airline scorecard rankings released Wednesday.
- Rollover Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) – a Delta Exclusive.
- Earn More Miles at Each Tier.
- Choice Benefits – a Diamond & Platinum Medallion Exclusive.
- Flight Benefits.
- Fee Waiver Benefits.
- Airport Benefits.
- Customer Service Benefits.
- Partner Benefits.
Delta has been recognized as the best U.S. airline and most reliable airline for 2021 by the consumer website WalletHub. The rankings, announced Tuesday, determined that Delta had the lowest rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings among U.S. carriers.
For a fee, any passenger can upgrade their eligible flight if space is available. You may see this option at check-in or you can ask about it at the departure gate. Same-day standby upgrades are available between select markets in North America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
To apply an upgrade certificate to a booked ticket, call the Delta reservations line at 800-323-2323. While using a certificate prioritizes your request over a complimentary Medallion upgrade, it doesn't guarantee you'll receive an upgrade.
How to get a free upgrade at the airport?
- Earn airline elite status. ...
- Fly with someone who has airline elite status. ...
- Ask an elite member for their unused upgrades. ...
- Volunteer for an oversold flight. ...
- Purchase upgrades with the right credit card. ...
- Use miles to upgrade. ...
- Pay for a last-minute upgrade.
The Wall Street Journal ranked Delta Airlines as its best airline in the United States for 2022.
Delta Air Lines (DAL) competes with United Airlines Holdings, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines Group for domestic and international airline travel business in the United States.
Why is turbulence a problem for airlines? While some passengers may be more comfortable on an airline that claims to have less turbulence, few passengers will likely determine the carrier they book with solely based on turbulence. Instead, Delta itself will benefit from less turbulence affecting its aircraft.
If you are committed to getting the cheapest airfare possible, what time of the day to buy your ticket also matters. Online research has shown that the answer to when are flights cheapest to book on any given day is around 05:00. So, set the alarm, and get up early for that flight deal.
Since Wednesdays tend to be the cheapest day to fly, see if you can tweak your travel plans so you depart and fly home during the week instead of on weekend days. Set price alerts.
The site is good at tracking down an affordable fare, and it shared its expertise on what time of year you might find flights at their most affordable. It says the cheapest time of year to fly is January and February. (Well, less that little bit at the beginning of January after New Year's Day.)
2023 FLIGHT PRICES FAQS;
The main reasons why flights are so expensive in 2023 are post-pandemic high demand, inflation, and high fuel prices.
If you're choosing between Delta and Southwest
When you factor in earnings rates, basic economy considerations, in-flight entertainment and pet friendliness, Southwest just edges out Delta. (See our annual best airline comparison.)
Passengers buy a ticket, but everything else comes at a cost. This includes things like seats and bags. Onboard, food and beverage, even small snacks, come at a cost. Delta Air Lines does sell unbundled fares, but its primary focus is on consumers who choose not based on price, but choose based on product.
Is it better to upgrade at the airport?
Realistically, it's a gamble and getting upgraded to business class at the airport is pretty rare. If luxury and extra legroom is really important to you, book it in advance. However, if you're perfectly willing to fly economy class, and willing to roll the dice, a last-minute upgrade can be the cheapest option.
With most airlines, there's no difference between the actual seats in the main cabin versus basic economy. But the policies outside of your seats — like how much luggage you can bring and how easy (and cheaply) you can change your flights — can be significantly different.
Delta allows free cancellations and changes on most main cabin tickets, but not on basic economy. Baggage rules are generally the same between the two fares (carry-ons are free with Delta Basic economy). Basic economy fares don't include seat assignments, which makes them less than ideal for groups and families.
Unless you pay for a seat, you'll be assigned one either at check-in or at boarding time. You are, however, guaranteed a seat as much as with any other ticket. Lounges: As you might have guessed, a basic economy ticket doesn't grant any lounge access.
Skipping seat selection doesn't mean you won't get a seat on the flight. You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don't pay for one. Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the "upgrade hack” below).
- Book your flight early.
- Pick a better airline.
- Watch where you buy your ticket.
- Avoid basic economy.
- Check in early for your flight.
- Upgrade your seat (for cheap)
- Check the seat map often in the last 24 hours.
- Ask an agent.
Travelers have four options to get priority boarding when flying on Delta. You can pay a fee, carry one of the best airline credit cards from Delta, earn elite status, or upgrade your ticket.
Customers can go to My Trips and look for the upgrade offers banner located at the top of their trip to purchase a Delta One, Delta Premium Select, First Class or Delta Comfort+ seat upgrade as an add-on if available.
Delta Comfort+ seats are extra legroom seats within the Main Cabin that also feature an enhanced refreshment service.
You can use travel agents, the true champions of negotiations, to fetch the best deals for you. You can even try bargaining directly with the airline's representative on the toll-free number. Be patient and polite, and ask them about the possibilities of getting the flight at a lower fare.
How far out should you book a flight?
Generally, you should book domestic flights one to four months in advance. For international flights, you should book at least six months in advance. You'll want to give yourself more time for research for the latter than when traveling on domestic itineraries.
The airlines update fare information 3 times a day. They do not necessarily change airfare prices all three times, but they certainly can, and often do.
Delta charges less baggage fees and makes basic economy more tolerable for a frugal traveler. United, on other hand, has a stronger loyalty program, cheaper award prices and a stronger presence when it comes to global connections.
- Earn Airline Elite Status.
- Redeem Miles and Points.
- Volunteer to be bumped on overbooked flights.
- Use an airline-branded credit card.
- Buy a last-minute upgrade.
- Follow The Crowds.
- Fly With a Generous Elite Friend.
- Travel Alone.
Delta has been named the World's Most Admired Airline by Fortune, with the company ranking No. 1 across the board in the industry for values including innovation and people management. Delta also rated higher than any other airline on the overall list of Most Admired Companies, climbing to No. 12 this year.
When you purchase a Delta deal, you are stuck in economy class. The airline can give you the cheaper ticket price because they offer so many of these seats. So, you can expect to be sitting close to other passengers. In economy class, the seats are not just small, there is little legroom, and the seats barely recline.
According to one recent study, 16 percent of regular marijuana users also use delta-8. Some claim it's the next big thing in cannabis: a gentler and, perhaps more crucially, legal high that offers relaxation and pain relief without the anxiety or fuzzy-headedness of regular weed.
The Full Rankings of Best and Worst Airlines
Here are the Wall Street Journal's full rankings of the Best and Worst Airlines of 2022, in order of ranking: Delta Airlines. Alaska Airlines. Southwest Airlines.
Winner for most options: American
American flies to more destinations on its own metal, but Delta is part of a bigger airline alliance, so it has a larger network of international destinations.
First Class is Delta's premium product on domestic and short-haul international flights; seats are not flat-bed.
What is the safest airline?
- Qantas.
- Air New Zealand.
- Etihad Airways.
- Qatar Airways.
- Singapore Airlines.
- TAP Air Portugal.
- Emirates.
- Alaska Airlines.
Delta Air Lines has been named the best U.S. airline by The Points Guy for the fourth year running, with the online travel platform noting Delta's excellence in on-time reliability from April 2021 to March 2022, a customer-centered experience and an extensive global network.
Delta topped the list for the fourth year in a row. And although the other airlines like JetBlue and Spirit didn't come in first place on the overall list, they did win titles in categories like reliability, experience, and cost.
Delta ranks higher than United overall in The Wall Street Journal's well-regarded annual airline scorecard and is more reliable—and slightly more post—overall.
Category | Airline |
---|---|
Best Airline Overall | Delta Air Lines |
Most Affordable Airline | Spirit Airlines |
Most Reliable Airline | Delta Air Lines |
Most Comfortable Airline | JetBlue Airways |
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