seat assignment on delta flight

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Other Seat Information

With Basic Economy please remember refunds and upgrades are not available at any time. Basic Economy is best for those traveling by themselves with firm travel plans. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the restrictions so you know if Basic Economy is right for you.

• No seat(s) assigned until after check-in, not together
• No changes allowed*
• Cancelable for partial eCredit in most cases (cancellation fee applies)**
• Last to board & not eligible for upgrades
• No miles earned; no credit toward SkyMiles Medallion Status***

*Ticket changes or refunds not allowed after the Risk-Free Cancellation period. **For tickets issued for travel originating in Korea, tickets will be refunded to the original form of payment after deducting the cancellation fee. Check your ticket along with the Baggage & Travel Fees page to view any fees that apply to Basic Economy tickets. Tickets issued for travel originating in Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa cannot be canceled.

***Not eligible for MQD earn, paid or complimentary access or upgrades to premium seats, including to Delta Comfort+® or Preferred Seats; and no paid access to Priority Boarding.

If you are unable to sit in your seat without encroaching into the seat next to you while the armrest is down, please ask the agent if they can reseat you next to an empty seat. You might also consider purchasing an upgrade to First Class/Delta One®.

If you would like to book an additional seat in order to ensure your comfort during your travel, please click the " Message Us " button on the Need Help page for assistance.

Preferred Seats include:

• Exit row seats
• Bulkhead window and aisle seats
• Window and aisle seats in the front of Main Cabin

These seats are available to eligible customers on Delta and Delta Connection aircraft. Preferred Seats are available for purchase up until the check-in window closes on most Delta operated flights. Keep in mind that Preferred seats are non-changeable, non-refundable and cannot be transferred to a new flight or itinerary. In the event of a cancellation, you may receive an eCredit for the value of your Preferred Seat if you cancel your flight before the 24-hour check-in window opens.*

Basic Economy: Customers who purchase Basic Economy tickets are not eligible to purchase Preferred Seats.

Medallion Members: Members are eligible for Complimentary Upgrades to Preferred Seats upon request and subject to availability.

SkyMiles Members: Earn miles, including Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) toward Medallion Status with the SkyMiles Program, for Preferred Seat purchases.

*Applies to Delta-operated flights canceled prior to the 24-hour check in window only.

Using the My Trips seat map or the offers presented on the Trip Details page, you can select a seat and pay to upgrade your trip to Delta One®, Delta Premium Select, First Class or Delta Comfort+® on eligible flights within the U.S. and Canada, from the U.S. to international destinations and on most exit-international flights to the U.S. after purchasing a ticket.*

Paid upgrade seats are: 

• Typically changeable and refundable, depending on the fare rules of the original booked ticket
• Not eligible to be transferred to a new flight or itinerary
• Unavailable for purchase once the check-in window for the flight has closed

If you need to cancel, you may receive an eCredit for the value of your paid upgrade if you cancel your flight before the 24-hour check-in window opens.**

In some cases, customers with Special Service Requests (SSR) on their reservation are not eligible for post-purchase upgrades such as exit row seating, to ensure they are assigned to a seat that meets the needs of their request.

*Excludes tickets booked in Basic Economy. **Applies to Delta-operated flights canceled prior to the 24-hour check in window only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can't find the answer to your question? Check out our top seat Q&As for more information.

If you voluntarily change or cancel your flight before the 24-hour check-in window opens, you may receive an eCredit for the value of your seat purchase.* Currently, eCredits may only be applied toward future travel, but this is the first step in the direction of offering you more flexibility with eCredits in the future.

Any time after a ticket is issued until 90 minutes prior to departure or until the check-in window has closed, customers can upgrade from Main Cabin to Delta One®, Delta Premium Select, First Class or Delta Comfort+®, or from Delta Comfort+ to Delta One®, Delta Premium Select or First Class.

Customers may use a different method of payment than the method used to purchase the original ticket. Upgrades are add-ons to your purchase and will not require a new ticket to be issued to you.

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.

Post-purchase upgrades are sold for individual flights and all customers in the reservation must upgrade for the selected flight.

Currently, some Special Service Requests (SSR) are not eligible for post-purchase upgrades such as exit row seating, to ensure that customers are assigned to a seat that meets the needs of their request.

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The Delta Seat Selection Guide

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Table of Contents

How Delta seat selection works

Delta seat selection fee, ticket types and seat selection rules, delta air lines seats for elite members, delta plane seating chart, how to pick seats on delta, final thoughts on selecting a seat on delta air lines.

Booking a Delta Air Lines flight and wondering about Delta’s seat selection? It’s no wonder — with differing benefits for elite members and strict restrictions on basic economy tickets, figuring out how and when to choose your Delta seat can quickly become overwhelming.

Here's a look at Delta seat assignments, how Delta Air Lines’ seating system works and the costs of choosing a seat.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards

Delta operates a variety of cabin classes on its aircraft, including economy, Premium Select, first class and Delta One seats.

Like most airlines, Delta will allow you to select your seat when booking, though the cost to do so and any upcharges will vary depending on the flight you’re taking. Those flying with families and wondering “does Delta seat families together?” are in luck. Delta does its best to seat families together, even after check-in.

» Learn more: Delta vs. United, which is best for you?

According to an analysis of airline fees by NerdWallet, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines charge the least for seat selection, while budget airlines Frontier and Spirit charge the most.

Delta sits in the middle, charging an average of $15-plus for each flight that you'd like to select a seat for. The cost will vary depending on the type of ticket you book with the airline — which we'll discuss next.

» Learn more: How to navigate costly airline seat selection fees

How much is seat selection on Delta Air Lines? That will depend on the ticket type you’re purchasing, be it basic economy, main cabin, Premium Select (premium economy), first class or Delta One.

Basic economy

Basic economy tickets have the most restrictions of any Delta ticket, and this extends to seat selection. Those who book basic economy tickets won't be able to select seats; instead, a seat will be randomly assigned to each passenger after check-in. This includes families and groups who are traveling together — expect to be split up when booking a basic economy ticket.

If you reserve a basic economy ticket, it’s possible to purchase a specific seat starting seven days before departure. Pricing for this varies by trip and is priced by segment.

Main cabin seating, also known as regular economy, includes complimentary seat selection. As a main cabin customer, you also have the option to purchase an upgrade to preferred or Delta Comfort Plus seats while remaining an economy class passenger.

You can also book upgraded economy tickets with additional seat selection perks:

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. These are the least expensive upgrades from standard economy seating.

Comfort Plus: When available, a Delta Comfort Plus ticket can be purchased directly while booking and the price will include seat selection. The cost to upgrade is higher than for a preferred seat in main cabin. Comfort Plus features more legroom than main cabin and offers passengers dedicated overhead bins. In addition, Comfort Plus guests will receive complimentary beer and wine on all domestic and short-haul international flights.

Main cabin passengers can also choose to upgrade to a Comfort Plus seat either before or after purchasing their ticket.

Premium Select

Premium Select is Delta’s version of premium economy, with larger seats and better recline, two free checked bags, earlier boarding and premium extras. Those who book Premium Select can choose any seat within the cabin for no additional fee.

Delta One and first class

Both first class and Delta One ticket holders can choose any seat within their cabin for free. These spacious seats come with two free checked bags, premium snacks and meals, priority boarding, and a dedicated flight attendant.

GET MORE MILES, MORE BENEFITS WITH A DELTA CARD

Regardless of where you sit once you're on the plane, a Delta-branded credit card can make your trip go a little smoother. Most include free checked bags and priority boarding, and some really stack up the perks. Among options:

on American Express' website

$0 intro for the first year, then $150 .

• 2 miles per $1 on purchases made directly with Delta and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• 2 miles per $1 on purchases made directly with Delta and at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.).

• 3 miles per $1 on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on hotel purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.).

• 3 miles per $1 on eligible purchases made directly with Delta.

• 1 mile per $1 on other eligible purchases.

• No foreign transaction fees.

• First checked bag free.

• Priority boarding.

• Companion certificate (main cabin).

• Airport lounge access.

• Companion certificate ((first class, Delta Comfort+ or main cabin).

• Credit for application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card , see this page .

Those who have joined the Delta SkyMiles program and earned Medallion elite status will receive seating benefits on their flights.

Main Cabin Preferred

When booking main cabin tickets, all four tiers of elite status members can select main cabin preferred seats for no additional charge.

» Learn more: The NerdWallet guide to earning Delta SkyMiles

Comfort Plus

Platinum and Diamond level elite members (the two highest tiers) can choose Comfort Plus seats shortly after ticketing for free. Mid-tier Gold members, meanwhile, will be able to select these seats starting 72 hours prior to departure, and low-level Silver members can pick from available Comfort Plus seats starting 24 hours before departure.

Delta elite members will also receive upgrades on select first class and Delta One flights depending on their elite status.

You can find Delta Air Lines seating without needing to book a flight. To do so, you’ll want to first search for your preferred route on Delta’s website. On the search results page, you’ll find a variety of flights from which to choose.

Each flight presents a seat map, which you can preview by selecting "Seats."

Once you’ve picked "Seats," you’ll be taken to a new page that shows a live preview of your aircraft’s seats.

You’ll also be able to view the seat map during the booking process. Once you’ve selected your flight, you’ll be taken to another page prompting you to pick a seat.

How do I choose my seat on Delta?

During booking

The process for reserving a Delta seat is fairly simple. As we mentioned above, you’ll be able to pick seats when booking your flights on the website; Delta will automatically prompt you to do so before checkout.

You may not be able to select seats on codeshare flights, which are operated by Delta’s partners . In this case, you’ll want to go directly to the other airlines’ webpage to manage your seat selection.

After booking

If you need to choose or alter your seat after you’ve booked your flight, go to "My Trips" on the Delta homepage.

If you’re logged in already, you’ll be able to view all the trips you have booked with Delta. You’ll find seat selection options by going down to the "Passenger Information" section.

» Learn more: 6 ways to save on Delta flights

Delta has a variety of ticketing options available for every type of passenger. This includes the highly restrictive basic economy class ticket as well as main cabin tickets for those who prefer certainty with their seats.

Upgrading to Main Cabin Preferred and Comfort Plus seats offers better benefits for those in economy. Loyal members of Delta’s SkyMiles program can also expect to receive complimentary access to these seats and upgrades to higher classes depending on their level of status.

Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines.

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Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Delta Check-in

• Planes & Seat Maps

How can I check in for my Delta Air Lines (DL) flight?

You may check-in for your Delta Air Lines (DL) flight with the following options:

• Online check-in (Web check-in)
• Mobile check-in
• Curbside check-in at the airport
• Self-service kiosk check-in at the airport
• Ticket counter check-in at the airport

Does Delta Air Lines (DL) have online web check-in?

Yes, you may check-in for your Delta Air Lines (DL) flight online starting 24 hours and ending 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time (depending on your departure city and destination) to receive a mobile boarding pass on your mobile device or a printable boarding pass. You may use this option if:

• you have an electronic ticket and the first flight is on Delta Air Lines (DL)
• you may access your reservation with your confirmation code, e-ticket number, or frequent flyer account
• you are not a special needs passenger (for example an unaccompanied minor or traveling with a pet)

Can I check bags with the Delta Air Lines (DL) online web check-in? : Yes, you may check bags but you must drop them at the airport baggage drop before the check-in deadline for your flight.

Can I pay bag fees with the Delta Air Lines (DL) online web check-in?: Yes

Can I select or change my seat with the Delta Air Lines (DL) online web check-in? : Yes

Does Delta Air Lines (DL) offer mobile check-in?

Yes, you may check-in for your Delta Air Lines (DL) flight with your mobile device starting 24 hours and ending 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time (depending on your departure city and destination) to receive a mobile boarding pass on your mobile device. You may use this option if:

• you are not a special needs passenger (for example, an unaccompanied minor or traveling with a pet)
• you are departing from an airport which accepts mobile boarding passes (if not, then you may check-in and print a boarding pass at the self-service kiosk or ticket counter).
• you are not traveling with an infant (a printed boarding pass is required)

Does Delta Air Lines (DL) offer curbside check-in? (US Carriers only)

Yes, you may check-in for your Delta Air Lines (DL) flight curbside at most U S airport locations from 30 minutes to 4 hours before the scheduled departure time (depending on your departure city and destination). You will need your photo ID and also your flight reservation code, flight number destination, or electronic ticket number to check-in. Please check Delta Air Lines (DL) website for an exact list of participating airports.

Does Delta Air Lines (DL) offer self-service kiosk check-in?

Yes, you may check-in for your Delta Air Lines (DL) flight at the airport self-service kiosk from 30 minutes to 4 hours before the scheduled departure time and receive a printed boarding pass.

Can I check bags with the Delta Air Lines (DL) self-service kiosk check-in?: Yes

Can I pay bag fees with the Delta Air Lines (DL) self-service kiosk check-in?: Yes

Can I select or change my seat with the Delta Air Lines (DL) self-service kiosk check-in?: Yes

Does Delta Air Lines (DL) offer ticket counter check-in?

Yes, you may check-in for your Delta Air Lines (DL) flight at the airport ticket counter from 30 minutes to 4 hours before the scheduled departure time and receive a printed boarding pass.

Can I check bags at the Delta Air Lines (DL) ticket counter check-in?: Yes

Can I pay bag fees at the Delta Air Lines (DL) ticket counter check-in?: Yes

Can I select or change my seat at the Delta Air Lines (DL) ticket counter check-in?: Yes

Does Delta Air Lines (DL) charge a fee for a seat assignment?

Delta Air Lines (DL) does not charge a fee for selecting a standard seat assignment.

When do I need to check-in for my Delta Air Lines (DL) flight?

The minimum time to check-in for an Delta Air Lines (DL) flight is:

• 30 minutes before scheduled departure time for US domestic flights
• 60 minutes before scheduled departure time for international flights to/from the US

When do I need to arrive at the airport for my Delta Air Lines (DL) flight?

Suggested arrival time:

• 2 hours before scheduled departure time for US domestic flights
• 3 hours before scheduled departure time for international flights to/from the US

Minimum required check-in time with carry-on baggage:

Minimum required check-in time with checked baggage:

When do I need to be at the boarding gate?

Boarding closes at the following times for Delta Air Lines (DL) flights:

• 15 minutes before scheduled departure time for US domestic flights
• 30 minutes before scheduled departure time for international flights to/from the US

SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

Delta now has 'dynamic' seat maps that automatically block rows for families

Throughout the pandemic, Delta was one of the major U.S. carriers to guarantee flyers extra space by blocking the middle seat for additional social distancing and passenger comfort .

While that policy is now history, the Atlanta-based carrier has implemented a new type of seat blocking. This one, however, is designed to make it easier for groups of travelers to sit together.

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free new biweekly Aviation newsletter .

Specifically, the carrier is blocking a handful of rows in the main economy cabin for those traveling as part of a group. These seats are not assignable to solo travelers, nor to those traveling with just one additional person on the reservation.

They'll instead be available for selection by those who have reservations with three or more travelers on a single reservation. (They'll also be available to Medallion elite members traveling with one or two passengers.)

Delta's "dynamic seat-map algorithm," as the airline calls it, first started rolling out quietly in 2019 and now uses historical booking and seat assignment data to determine how many rows to hold back on a given flight. For instance, a search for flights between New York and Fort Lauderdale — a leisure-heavy route — shows that the airline is holding back five rows.

Meanwhile, on a more typical business route frequented by solo travelers, say from Chicago to Boston, the airline is holding back just two rows.

In the most extreme example of seat-blocking that I could find, Delta is holding back a whopping eight rows, or 48 seats, on a Christmas Eve flight from New York-JFK to Cancun.

The seat-blocking varies by aircraft, route and other factors, a spokesperson confirmed to TPG. The logic incorporates many factors, and there's no definitive "rule" as to how many seats will be held back on a given flight. For now, Delta is only blocking the last few rows on any given plane, though that logic could theoretically change over time.

Related: How to make sure your family can sit together on a plane

In fact, the airline will update the algorithm in real-time, and it'll release seats if it determines that there are more solo travelers than groups or families on a given flight compared to the algorithm's original prediction.

In confirming the move to TPG, Delta said that "being a customer-centric brand means we're constantly working to offer optimal experiences across travel. Taking a dynamic approach with our seat map displays is one way of doing that by providing preferred seating choices in all cabins – at the time of booking or at the gate when working with an agent – for customers traveling alone or with a group."

How to find Delta's blocked seats

To determine if Delta is blocking seats on your flight, you can perform two searches during the booking process — one with just a single passenger in the reservation, followed by a second search for the same flight with three or more passengers.

If you take a look at the seat map in both cases, you should be able to identify which seats Delta is blocking for groups. For example, in the screenshot below, you can see that Delta is holding back rows 29 through 31 for bookings of three or more passengers. (Rows 32 and 33 remain blocked for all passengers, and they're only available for assignment at the airport.)

Bottom line

Delta's move is interesting as it's one of the first attempts we've seen from a major network carrier to provide dedicated seating areas for groups.

Of course, if seats closer to the front of the plane are available, you don't necessarily "need" to select a row in the back. This initiative just provides another option should adjacent seats closer to the front of the plane be unavailable.

In the end, this should also help minimize the number of times a family needs to scramble at the gate (or onboard) to find passengers willing to play musical chairs to accommodate them sitting together. The move will likely be applauded by families, especially those traveling with young children.

In fact, the dynamic seat blocking might lead to a faster boarding process , especially on flights with lots of families and groups traveling together. One big downside is that solo flyers booking at the last minute could end up being stuck in a middle towards the front, as opposed to a window or aisle in the back.

Either way, it'll be interesting to see how Delta's seat-blocking algorithm evolves over time — and whether any of its competitors implement something similar.

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Yes, Airlines Do Have the Right to Change Your Seat Without Warning

Here's what to do when it happens.

When right-wing pundit Ann Coulter resorted to complaining on Twitter about having her seat moved on a 2017 Delta flight, she gave the world a golden example of how not to behave.

Perhaps she wasn’t fully aware of her rights — or the airline’s — but the tweetstorm that unfolded reminds us why it’s always important to know your rights as a passenger.

When you purchase an airline seat, you are required to acknowledge that you agree to the contract of carriage, a legally binding agreement between you and the airline, usually by checking a box next to the phrase “I agree to the terms and conditions of the contract of carriage” or some variation thereof.

Delta’s contract of carriage states : “Delta may substitute alternate Carriers or aircraft, change its schedules, delay or cancel flights, change seat assignments, and alter or omit stopping places shown on the ticket as required by its operations in Delta’s sole discretion.”

When you buy a plane ticket, the airline is only obligated to get you from point A to point B. Everything else that comes with it (reserved seating, overhead bin space, baggage allowance, and food and beverage service) is at the discretion of the airline. Because you’re not buying an actual seat — you’re purchasing transportation.

What to Do When an Airline Moves Your Seat

When you’re asked by a flight attendant or gate agent to change seats, it’s usually to help families sit together, allow caregivers to sit next to patients, or accommodate an air marshal or other airline employee. They also might ask you to move for safety reasons or to help redistribute the weight balance of the aircraft, especially on smaller planes.

If it happens to you, respond politely and graciously. Over the years, I’ve been asked countless times to move seats and have done so without complaining. Nearly every time, the flight attendant thanked me for my willingness to be flexible with free bottles of wine or a snack.

Your Boarding Pass Is Your Assigned Seat

If a gate agent comes onboard and hands you a new boarding pass, that is the seat you are required to sit in, regardless of how much you paid for your ticket or the class of service you purchased. The gate agent has supreme power of seating assignments for every flight and dictates who sits where. If they ask you to move, do it.

You May Be Entitled to a Refund

If you’re downgraded from a seat with extra legroom to a regular economy seat, the airline will reimburse you the difference. In Coulter’s case, Delta refunded her the $30 extra fee she paid for the Delta Comfort+ seat that was given to another passenger.

The contract of carriage for American Airlines , as another example, states that you can request a refund for a variety of reasons , including getting re-booked on a flight that causes you to miss a connection, or if you get moved from a preferred seat to a non-preferred seat or a preferred aisle/window seat to a preferred middle seat. Those “preferred” seats refer to the coveted seats near the front of the economy cabin or in emergency exit rows that typically cost extra.

If your seat gets moved and you feel you are owed a refund, contact the airline’s customer service department to request one.

Related Articles

Please enter the date, origin, destination, and flight number of a Delta Air Lines flight. Press View Seat Data , and you can see the flight's availability of seat assignments. Data is thanks to delta.com .

This system uses a publicly-available interface on the delta.com web site to obtain current seat availability on Delta Air Lines flights. I determined the parameters of this interface solely by inspecting publicly-available HTML source code, and I believe Delta Air Lines has no reasonable basis to oppose the use of the system here. All the usual disclaimers apply -- I'm certainly not a Delta Air Lines employee or representative; these pages are only as accurate as the content on delta.com; I made this system initially only for my own convenience, and I offer it to the Internet community purely to enhance collective enjoyment of Delta Air Lines' service.

Known anomalies: 1) Disregard the stated time at origin and destination as well as the stated date at destination. 2) I'm still working on some way to automatically properly scroll the Business/First cabin maps, but IE's security model actually explicitly prohibits Javascript scrolling for IFRAMEs retrieved from different hosts than their parent pages, preventing the obvious approaches here. 3) Other anomalies? Send trouble reports to the address below.

See also Flyertalk discussion about this site .

Questions and comments to me, Ben Edelman ( email ).

A few users have expressed interest in sending gifts in thanks for use of this system. This was quite unexpected and is of course wholly unnecessary, but I nonetheless graciously welcome whatever is offered, whether travel-related or not. Please send me an email if you need my mailing address for this purpose.

Want to help sponsor my efforts in developing and maintaining sites like these? You can do so at no cost to yourself while making your ordinary purchases from Delta Air Lines. Just follow this link to Delta's web site . Purchases made through this link will yield small periodic payments to me via Delta 's Affiliate Marketing program. You'll still earn the ordinary 1000 bonus SkyMiles for every round-trip ticket purchase at delta.com, but you'll simultaneously help defray my hosting and other costs of running this site.

Thanks to all the Flyertalk users who suggested improvements and debugged existing features. A special thanks to Scott Rankin for JavaScript tips and to Miro for flight schedule extraction tips.

How to Upgrade Your Airline Seat Without Breaking the Bank

F lying in first or business class might seem like it’s a privilege reserved only for ultra-wealthy travelers. But plenty of ordinary people fly in premium airline seats all the time. If you’re savvy about how you pursue an upgrade on a flight, you can score a spot in the front of the plane without paying exorbitantly.

Of course, many travelers cash in credit card points or airline miles to sit in business and first class, or receive a complimentary upgrade for being a frequent flier and having elite status. But what if you don’t have a travel credit card or status with an airline? Flying premium might still be in reach—and within your budget. 

There are a few strategies you can try to upgrade your seat without shelling out too much extra money. Some tactics require extra planning before your trip, while for others, getting to the airport early is essential. Here are several ideas on how to upgrade your airline ticket without breaking the bank.

Be strategic

Want an upgrade? You’ll want to put yourself in the best position to score, especially if you aren’t a frequent flier or don’t have an airline’s credit card in your wallet.

One simple way to try for an upgrade: Check how full your flight is , which you can do directly on your airline’s website. Some really savvy travelers go further than that and specifically search for tickets on emptier flights to have a better chance at getting upgraded.

For example, say you wanted to fly United Airlines from Newark to Boston , and the airline operated 10 flights to Boston on the day you wanted to travel. If your travel plans are flexible, you would want to avoid booking the most full flight or ones with United MileagePlus elite members waiting for upgrades, as the likelihood of getting a free upgrade is slim.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll get an upgrade on an emptier flight or one that’s departing late at night or early in the morning, but you have a better shot than on a completely full plane, especially without elite status .

The myth that dressing nicely can score you an upgrade is just that: a myth. So you can leave your three-piece suit at home, but make sure to pack your manners.

You won’t know unless you ask, and that can also apply to scoring an upgrade. Some seasoned travelers have gotten upgraded during check-in at the airport or at their gate.

There’s no easy way to do this and no guarantee it’ll work. It’s also a lot less likely on popular routes like New York to Los Angeles and on international flights. But if you’re looking for a sample script, here’s one I’ve found has worked for me in the past:

“Hi, I noticed some seats open on today’s flight and wondering if those upgrades have cleared. If they have, and there’s still room, I’d love to be considered for an upgrade.” It's simple and straightforward.

Remember that gate agents have pretty stressful jobs dealing with harried travelers all day, so don’t be too put out if you get a no. But if you get a yes, rejoice and then relax in your more comfortable seat!

Pay for more legroom

If none of these options work out, you aren’t doomed to a cramped seat near the lavatory at the back of the plane. Several major airlines in the U.S., and even some low-cost carriers, have cheap premium seats you can pay for in cash or with a small amount of miles. Here are a few:

Not only does Delta’s Comfort+ seat offer up to three inches of extra legroom to stretch out, but travelers also get a dedicated overhead bin to place their bags. That means no more jostling with economy passengers for the last bin to place your suitcase in. What’s great about Comfort+, and makes it popular among even frequent fliers, is how cheap seats can be. Even if you don’t have tens of thousands of miles in your Delta account, you can still fly Comfort+, with some short-haul routes (typically between the same region of the US) for as low as 5,000 Delta SkyMiles each way.

American’s Main Cabin Extra includes more legroom and earlier boarding. A traveler in Main Cabin Extra can also enjoy beer, wine, spirits in addition to the free Biscoff cookies or mini pretzels and soft drinks served in regular coach. Seats start at just $20.

If you’re tired of having your knees jammed against the seat in front of you, JetBlue’s Even More Space is the way to go. JetBlue already has a reputation for having the roomiest economy seats among US airlines, but travelers who want extra space can book an Even More Space seat. These seats offer up to 38 inches of legroom—perfect for stretching out—and a few cool perks like early boarding and access to a priority security lane at a handful of airports, which will certainly make your travel companions who didn’t book the seat jealous.

While it's not an airline that has the best reputation for its service, Spirit's Big Front Seat is a pretty comfortable upgrade. The Big Front Seat measures 36 inches in pitch and 18.5 inches in width, giving travelers six inches of additional legroom compared to Spirit’s standard seats. And as the name suggests, these seats are located at the front of the plane. Depending on which aircraft you’re on , there are between four and 10 seats, so make sure you purchase ahead of time as the BFS has proven pretty popular among budget travelers.

Breeze Airways

Budget carrier Breeze Airways is known for connecting smaller regional airports across the country. If you’re flying in Breeze’s cheapest economy seat—called “Nice”—it could be worth it to pay a bit extra for the “Nicer” fare class, which is roomier and has more perks. “Nicer” seats have extra legroom (up to 39 inches in pitch, depending on the plane). Upgrades usually cost about $100, which might sound steep. But they also come with a free checked bag, a free carry-on bag, priority boarding, and a complimentary drink and snack, making the fare well worth the cost.

Alaska Airlines

Seattle-based carrier Alaska Airlines offers up to four inches of extra legroom in its Premium class. Passengers in Premium on flight routes of 350 miles or longer will also score free beer, wine, and spirits. Plus, upgrades from regular economy start at just $15.

Get up to six inches of extra legroom in United’s Economy Plus class. The roomier seats are at the front of the economy cabin and are relatively inexpensive, with upgrade fees starting at about $20. If you’re a frequent United flier, you could spring for the annual subscription to Economy Plus—it’s $599 and allows unlimited upgrades on any flight for a year. 

Consider premium economy

Although more expensive than buying an extra legroom seat, sometimes upgrading to premium economy is worth the price (which is usually about double the price of an economy seat, on average). If you’re flying long-haul or on an international route, research if your airline has a premium economy cabin. Typically, on these longer routes, premium economy seats are much more spacious and more comfortable, with full leg rests and deeper reclines. There are other perks too, like priority check-in and boarding, as well as more upscale food and beverage service. If your airline offers all of these bells and whistles in the premium economy cabin, paying for the seat would be a good investment.

Watch CBS News

How airline "drip pricing" can disguise the true cost of flying

By Megan Cerullo

Edited By Alain Sherter

Updated on: April 24, 2024 / 2:47 PM EDT / CBS News

With many airlines now hawking "unbundled" fares, it's easy for travelers to mistake low advertised prices for cheap plane tickets . But for consumers eager to get the best deal on flights heading into the summer travel season, it pays to learn how "drip pricing" can make airfare more expensive.

Indeed, selecting the cheapest base fare is no longer the best way to get a good deal, according to travel experts. That's because airlines now routinely charge more money for "extras" such as seat assignments,  checked bags , snacks or wifi. 

"Nobody likes feeling nickel-and-dimed, like the price they saw for a flight was a bait and switch," Scott Keyes, founder and CEO of travel site Going.com, told CBS MoneyWatch.

Here's what to consider. At first glance, the initial pricing for a flight you find on an online travel site might seem temptingly low. But after factoring in the cost of selecting your seat, checking bags and other add-ons, the fare can end up being much higher — as much or more than an all-inclusive fare.

This model, commonly referred to as drip pricing, can certainly boost an airline's revenue, and proponents say it benefits consumers by allowing them to pay only for the perks they truly value. For their part, critics say it makes it harder to determine the true cost of flying and to compare prices among airlines.

Keyes traces drip pricing back to 2008, when airlines began charging passengers to check second bags. That allowed full-service carriers to offer a lower-cost, no-frills ticket in order to compete with budget carriers.

"That lower headline price brought people in — then they started adding seat-selection fees," Keyes said. "It's an innovation from the budget airlines that the entire industry has copied and that full-service airlines have adopted for themselves."

"It makes it very difficult"

For consumers, however, the problem with unbundling fares is it makes it trickier to compare what different airlines charge for tickets, experts told CBS MoneyWatch. 

"It makes it very difficult to find out what the all-in price will be," said Columbia Business School marketing professor Vicki Morwitz, who authored a  report on how consumers react to drip pricing.

Her research shows that consumers tend to book the ticket option that looks cheaper upfront, but costs more once add-ons are factored in.  "Consumers make a mistake and spend more money than they needed to spend," she explained. 

Jay Sorensen, president of IdeaWorks, a consultancy that has advised U.S. airlines, agrees that drip pricing makes comparing airline ticket prices more complicated. But he still thinks it can benefit consumers by letting them pay for the extras they want, while leaving behind those that aren't important to them. 

"The outcome is of course that it's more difficult to compare between different products and airlines," he said. "While that's true, airlines, as profit-seeking companies, are under no obligation to make it easier to compare with their competitors."

Sorensen compared the experience of booking airfare today to shopping for groceries.

"You roll in with your shopping cart, and as you walk through the aisles you toss stuff in your cart," he said. "You buy a base fare, and as you go through the booking path you add things to the cart, like a checked bag, seat assignment, or pay to book a meal or other services," he said. "That's dramatically different from the way travel was once sold in U.S."

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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Simple Flying

Could low demand be why delta reduced lax service to new zealand from regular to seasonal.

In the first three months of service, Delta filled an average of less than 67% of seats.

• Delta Air Lines is shaking things up by reducing LAX to Auckland service seasonally due to competition and changing demand.
• Delta to resume flights in October after suspending in August & September.
• USDOT data shows Delta's LAX-AKL route improved its load factor over time.

Delta Air Lines is reducing its services from Los Angeles to Auckland this summer (Southern Hemisphere winter). It may be transitioning the route to operate seasonally instead of year-round, as initially announced.

Shaking things up

Delta Air Lines was the first United States carrier to announce flights to Auckland from Los Angeles following the pandemic. In January 2023, the Atlanta-based airline announced that flights would be launched on October 28 and the airline’s Airbus A350s would serve the route. Delta did not fly to New Zealand, and there was no service from Los Angeles to Auckland from an American carrier, so this was a perfect opportunity to offer a new service. The carrier was ambitious, saying it would operate year-round.

Delta Air Lines To Launch Flights From Los Angeles To Auckland

It turns out that Delta would not operate flights without competition, as both United Airlines and American Airlines announced later in 2023 that they would begin flying the route. United launched its flights on the same day as Delta but only operated four times weekly. American announced it would resume flights on the LAX-AKL route in December, having stopped its service in 2020. Like Delta, American planned to operate its flights daily but not year-round. Daily flights would only be during the peak season, and by February, it dropped to thrice weekly before ending in March.

According to data from Cirium , an aviation analytics firm, Delta will temporarily suspend flights to Auckland in August and September before picking back up again in October. As the Southern Hemisphere is halfway through fall, demand has dropped, and Delta is only connecting Los Angeles and Auckland thrice weekly this month. Air New Zealand is operating daily, making its seat offering nearly three times greater than Delta’s.

When things pick up again, and Delta resumes daily flights, it will continue operating its Airbus A350s on the route, but in December, it will switch up the aircraft configuration and deploy its economy-heavy A350 with no premium economy cabins. It currently offers 306 seats per flight, but the other A350 will allow the airline to carry 339 passengers.

Delta's Airbus A350-900 Fleet: A Complete Guide

Could demand be the reason delta is reducing operations.

United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) data shows that Delta’s LAX-AKL route had a rough start but improved with time. The first two flights only had a load factor of 62.61%, and November, the first full month of operations, only had 53.83% of seats filled. By December, nearing the start of summer in New Zealand, Delta filled 70.13% of seats, and by January, that number rose to 76.56%, giving Delta the second-best load factor of the four airlines operating that month. Between October and January (data is not available past then), Delta operated 94 flights with an average load factor of 66.88%.

When asked about the changes, Delta told Simple Flying,

“To better fit our schedule to the seasonal demand environment, Delta will suspend nonstop service between Los Angeles (LAX) and Auckland (AKL) from August through September, before resuming on October 2. Customers with impacted travel will be proactively notified by Delta and re-accommodated on alternate arrangements. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers."

United operated half the number of flights Delta did and had worse load factors than its competitor. It is important to note that United does have daily flights from San Francisco International Airport and that Los Angeles is its secondary route. The Chicago-based carrier was off to a worse start than Delta, with only 38.82% of its seats filled in November. Things improved significantly after that, and United managed to fill 60.85% in December. In January, 70.93% of seats were filled, bringing the average for October-January to 58.4%.

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Types of Seats on JetBlue

Wondering where to sit? We've got you covered.

Core (preferred)

Even more® space, even more® space seats.

Even More Space is available for an extra charge, which varies by seat and route. Even More Space seats include up to 38” of legroom, early boarding, and priority security at select airports.  

You can select Even More Space seats when you book your reservation or any time before your flight departs. Even More Space seats must be purchased by flight and seat assignments don’t carry over for connections. 

If you’ve already booked, use the Manage your trip  to retrieve your reservation and select any available Even More Space seat for your flight. The price is displayed when you click the seat. Once you’ve made your selection(s), review your seat assignments, enter your payment info, and you’re all set. 

Booking Extra Seats

Want more elbow room? Booking an extra seat can be done with a couple extra clicks.

Individual Seat Details

seats AC: 18.5” 

seats DEF: 19” 

Core: 143 

Mint: 16 

Core: 3x3 

Mint: 2x2 

Mint Suite: 1x1  

Core: 144 

Core: 114 

Mint: 24 

Mint: 1x1 

Seats with Limited or No Recline

Limited recline.

Rows 17, 29

Rows 12, 13

Disability Seating

Fixed armrests, reserved rows.

Row 1: seats D, E, F 

Row 5 

Row 6 

Row 7: seats D, E 

Row 7: seats A, B, C, D, E 

Row 1: seats A, F 

Row 2: seats A, F 

Row 3: seats A, F 

Row 4: seats A, F 

Row 5: seats A, F 

Row 19: seats D, E, F 

Row 7: seats D, E, F  

Row 11 

Rows 1, 24 

Row 25: seats A, F 

Row 6: seats A, B, C, D, E 

Row 9: seats D, E, F  

Row 16 

Row 15: seats D, E, F  

Row 18 

Row 1: seats C, D 

Row 2 

Are upgraded seats refundable?

Seats are refundable to the original form of payment if the booking is cancelled prior to the scheduled departure. 

What are my seat options with a Blue Basic fare? 

• You may select seats for Blue Basic booked on or after September 24, 2023 at any time for a fee. If you don’t, your seats will be assigned before departure. 
• Travelers that combine a Blue Basic fare with Even More Space (on all legs, if connecting) will get to board early and bring a carry-on bag. 

Can I use JetBlue Travel Credits on seat upgrades? 

Travel Credits cannot be used on direct seat fees. You may use your Travel Credit on a fare that includes your desired seat type. 

Mosaics Seat Selection Information 

• Mosaics and anyone traveling on the same PNR (up to eight companions) will be entitled to preferred or Even More Space seats as part of their loyalty benefits, according to tier levels.
• Mosaic 1 Customers may select Core (preferred) at booking at no extra charge except when traveling on a Blue Basic fare, pending availability. 
• For all fares, Mosaic 1 Customers may select Even More Space or Core (preferred) seats at no extra charge within 24-hours of travel, pending availability. 
• Mosaic 2 Customers & above may select Core (preferred) or Even More Space seats at no extra charge at or post booking, pending availability. 

I already selected a Core (preferred) seat, but I want to change. 

If you selected your seat prior to January 29, 2024, you will not be charged to remain in that seat. Any voluntary seat changes in a Core (preferred) seat on or after January 29, 2024 will incur the applicable fee. 

Is there a family seating guarantee?

We will always do our best to seat children with an adult family member. Our  family seating guarantee  includes auto-seating families in adjacent seats, fee-free, when you travel on the same booking and we have the seats to accommodate you. Blue Basic Customers are included in auto-seating. If you change those seats, applicable fees apply.

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• Based on avg. fleet-wide seat pitch of U.S. airlines. 
• Fly-Fi and live television are available on all JetBlue-operated flights. Availability and coverage area may vary by aircraft. See details on inflight wi-fi and entertainment. DIRECTV service is not available on flights outside the continental U.S.

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Southwest Airlines is considering changes to its quirky boarding and seating practices

FILE - Southwest Airlines plane prepares to land at Midway International Airport, Feb. 12, 2023, in Chicago. Flight attendants at Southwest Airlines on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, ratified a contract that includes pay raises totaling more than 33% over four years, as airline workers continue to benefit from the industry’s recovery since the pandemic. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

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DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines is studying changes to its quirky boarding and seating policies as it searches for ways to raise more revenue .

Airline officials say they are studying possible changes but won’t have anything to announce until September. That tease is leading to speculation about whether Southwest might ditch some longstanding traditions, including the practice of passengers picking their own seats only after they board a plane.

CEO Robert Jordan says he is proud of Southwest’s “product,” but it was developed when flights weren’t as full as they are today, and customers’ preferences change over time, prompting the “deep dive” into “transformational options” in boarding and seating.

“Early indications, both for our customers and for Southwest, look pretty darn interesting,” he told analysts and reporters Thursday.

Every other major U.S. airline sells first- or business-class seats with more room and amenities. They assign seats long before passengers arrive at the airport. And increasingly, they charge extra if economy-class passengers want to pick a particular seat, such as one in an exit row or near the front of the cabin.

Those policies generate significant “ancillary revenue.” Delta Air Lines took in $4.4 billion in “premium products” during the first quarter.

Southwest doesn’t have a first-class cabin or assigned seats. Passengers line up in the gate area in an order determined partly by who checked in first and – increasingly – who paid extra to move up in line . The lucky or high-paying ones get in the “A” boarding group, followed by the middling “B” crowd and finally the dreaded “C” group, whose unfortunate inhabitants usually wind up in a middle seat, maybe in the back of the plane.

Over the years, Southwest customers learned to check in online exactly 24 hours before departure to get the best shot at grabbing the seat they wanted. In 2009, the airline began charging an extra fee — called EarlyBird — to move up in the boarding line. The fee starts at $15 per flight but goes up when planes are full.

Jordan said any changes must generate significant new revenue and can’t slow down flights . Beyond that, he was deliberately and repeatedly vague, but executives did indicate that two possible changes have been ruled out already.

Ryan Green, Southwest’s chief commercial officer, said the airline won’t impose baggage charges — it’s the only U.S. carrier that lets passenger check one or two bags for free. He said Southwest also won’t install curtains like those that separate premium cabins from the economy-class section on other airlines.

Savanthi Syth, an airlines analyst with Raymond James Financial, said the lack of assigned seating is “a huge pain point for passengers,” although a shrinking contingent still likes it. Syth thinks passengers would prefer the ability to select a seat in advance to trying to get a better spot in the boarding line.

“More importantly, I think it opens you up to a greater pool of passengers that would not consider (Southwest) because of the stress of the current process,” she said. “This is particularly important now that Southwest has lost the differentiation of no change or cancellations fees.” Southwest’s closest rivals dropped change fees too during the pandemic.

Syth is less convinced that Southwest needs a first-class cabin, but she thinks adding extra-legroom seats could be attractive. “There are plenty of tall people who could use the extra space,” she said.

Southwest executives are frequently asked about changes in their policies around baggage, seating and first-class cabins. At an industry conference in November, Jordan said there was nothing in the works.

What changed?

Southwest’s financial results have become more dismal. The company reported Thursday that it lost $231 million in the first quarter, which was worse than analysts expected and a wider loss than a year ago.

The Dallas-based airline faces sharply rising labor costs — up 19% or $462 million from a year ago, and that was before flight attendants ratified a new contract with sharply higher wages. Spending on maintenance and airport fees are rising by double-digit percentages. And Southwest can’t add as many flights as it would like because a production crisis at Boeing means there are fewer new planes.

The company is freezing hiring other than critical positions, and it will take the rare step of pulling out of four airports in August to cut costs. Even with revenue rising on strong travel demand , the airline needs more to offset inflation.

The airline promises that whatever it decides, it won’t change Southwest’s unique character. That could be a tricky balancing act in the view of its many loyal customers. They must wait out the next several months.

“We are committed to a set of new strategic initiatives. I have hinted at boarding and seating and the cabin, and we’re going to share those with you at investor day” in September, Jordan told analysts.

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Is Southwest about to end its free-for-all seating?

The company says it is ‘very seriously studying’ alternatives to its signature open-seating system

Southwest Airlines fans know the drill: Check in to your flight exactly 24 hours in advance and secure your spot in line to board the plane. What seat you’ll end up in? That’s a mystery until the last minute.

A puzzle to some and an invigorating challenge to others, Southwest’s unique boarding process and one-class cabin are now under the microscope as the airline looks for ways to prop up its financial performance. In a call with investors Thursday, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said executives are “very seriously studying” seating and the way passengers board the planes.

“It’s been several years since we last studied this in-depth, and customer preference and expectations change over time,” Jordan said. “We are also studying the operations and financial benefits of any potential change.”

Unlike most airlines, Southwest doesn’t have a premium section on its planes that commands higher fares. Where other carriers might charge extra for a cushy seat in the first few rows or an extra-legroom option near the front, Southwest customers can grab whatever seat is open. A spot near the front won’t come with any additional frills, however.

In a news release announcing quarterly earnings, a conference call discussing those results and an interview with CNBC , representatives said they were taking a deep look at customer preferences around seating and boarding. The current open-seating system was put in place when airliners were generally less full, the company said, noting that preferences change as planes fill up.

“There’s no decision, there’s nothing to report other than we are seriously looking at this,” Jordan said in response to a question about seating. “But early indications both for our customers and for Southwest look pretty darn interesting.”

While Southwest has contemplated the possibility of assigned seating for nearly two decades at least , the review has accelerated over the past six months, the CEO said. Jordan said the company will say more during an event for investors in September. The company has also recently said that it is preparing to add red-eye flights in the next couple of years.

Today, Southwest passengers can pay more to end up in a better seat, even without picking that seat in advance. Upgrades that provide priority boarding and early check-in give customers the first pick of spots. The airline makes “hundreds of millions of dollars” from those upgraded boarding options, executives said last year.

“They’re in kind of a pickle regarding revenue generation, so they’re looking at everything,” said Robert W. Mann, a consultant and former airline executive. “I think what they have seen is that when they’ve tweaked their existing cattle call … they find it to be very lucrative.”

He said that if the airline could deliver a more “pleasant” boarding process, or seat selection for a fee, it would probably be attractive to travelers.

“There’s nothing about their boarding process that they couldn’t improve,” Mann said.

Travel analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group , said he did research more than a decade ago that found a large number of people avoided Southwest because it did not offer extra-legroom seats, assigned seats or a premium business-class cabin. He said that the airline could make “an enormous amount of money” by adding assigned seating — and that travelers would probably welcome knowing what seat they would end up in.

“I think it could be an incredibly positive thing for the airline, but I recognize that Southwest has a more-than-50-year history of being egalitarian, of having open seating and being different from other airlines,” he said.

More on air travel

Leave flying to the pros: Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Experts say you’re wrong . Here’s what you should actually do if something goes awry during a flight .

Pet peeves: Why do “gate lice” line up early for a flight ? Psychologists explained for us. Another move that annoys airline workers: abusing the flight attendant call button . For more on how to behave on a flight, check out our 52 definitive rules of flying .

Plane mess: Stories about extremely disgusting airplanes have been grossing out travelers. The question of plane cleanups became the subject of a recent debate after a flight attendant allegedly told a pregnant passenger to pick up the popcorn spilled by her toddler.

Frequent flying: Airline status isn’t what it used to be, but at least there are some good movies and TV shows to watch in the air. And somewhere out there, experts are trying to make airline food taste good.