For years, airline passengers have faced a conundrum when booking a flight: Do they pay for a standard ticket or face the constraints of basic economics to save some money?
Get ready to make a lot more decisions like that, even if you’re not flying coach.
Last week, Delta Air Lines officially brought the no-frills “basic” concept to its Delta Comfort cabin with extra legroom.
On select flights you can now book a reduced “Delta Comfort Basic” ticket.
It will continue to offer access to the airline’s most spacious rows, early boarding and in-flight benefits such as free alcoholic beverages.
But you’ll also have to deal with some new, basic economic restrictions.
For example, Comfort Basic passengers will not be able to choose which Comfort seat they will sit in. They will earn less SkyMiles than passengers paying a full-fare “Comfort Classic” ticket. And ruffles with elite status medallion can forget about a first class upgrade when they book one of these rates.
This is the latest in a series of measures Delta has taken in recent months to Dramatically expand your range of ticket options – each with their own price, travel benefits and loyalty considerations.
The Atlanta-based airline has framed this as a way to offer customers more options.
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But it also means more complexity when deciding which rate is right for you.
Here’s what you should know about these latest changes.
Delta Comfort Basic: What you need to know
Delta officially launched Comfort Basic on November 19 as a slimmer version of its Comfort cabin with additional legroom.
Right now, it’s only available on “very select” domestic flights, so you may not see it on your next booking.
Delta Comfort Basic passengers will continue to have access to the airline’s extra legroom seats, complimentary alcoholic beverages, dedicated overhead bin space, and Zone 3 boarding.
But there are also some new restrictions you should be aware of.
How Delta Comfort Basic is similar to Basic Economy
Some of these restrictions are reminiscent of what you’d see with Delta’s basic economy fares (now “Main Basic”):
| Benefit | Delta Comfort Basic Restraint |
|---|---|
|
Seats are assigned after check-in, so you could be stuck in a middle seat and won’t be able to sit next to your travel companion. |
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Even if you are an elite Medallion member, you will not be eligible for first-class upgrades. |
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Changes are not allowed on the same day. |
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Fees apply if you wish to cancel a ticket, just as they would with a basic economy fare. |
Read more: Delta to update its planes with more Comfort seats
How Delta Comfort Basic is different from Main Basic
Meanwhile, some of the other restrictions are a little more lenient than what you’d find on a basic bus fare; after all, this is a more premium ticket.
| Benefit | Delta Comfort Basic Restraint |
|---|---|
|
SkyMiles and Medallion Qualification Dollar Earnings
|
Unlike Delta Main Basic, you willpower earn SkyMiles and MQDs.
But it will be a reduced earning rate of 2 miles per dollar spent. |
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Delta Comfort Basic flyers with Sky Club access willpower They will be able to access the airline’s VIP lounges.
Main Basic passengers cannot enter Sky Clubs. |
Plus, unlike Delta’s simple bus ticket, Comfort Basic reservations are No Currently available for prize reservations.
Read more: Delta’s new Sky Club access restrictions are now in effect: what to know about the changes
Who is Comfort Basic suitable for?
At its core, Comfort Basic is a way to access the airline’s most spacious Comfort cabin at a (theoretically) lower price, but you’ll sacrifice some flexibility and the loyalty benefits of SkyMiles.
Book a Delta Comfort Basic ticket
When you go to book a Delta Comfort ticket, this new option may appear as one of the three available options (Comfort Basic, Classic and Extra).
As shown above, Delta’s Comfort Extra fare includes additional benefits:
- Fully refundable
- Additional SkyMiles and MQDs Earned
- Higher upgrade priority than passengers with a Comfort Classic fare
- Free Same Day Confirmed Exchanges
An ever-expanding menu of fare types
For those keeping track, this gives Delta a whopping 12 fare products across its various cabins.
| Cabin | Tariff products |
|---|---|
|
Basic, Classic, Extra |
|
|
Basic, Classic, Extra |
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First (Delta domestic-style first class cabin)
|
Classic, Extra |
|
Premium Select (premium economy)
|
Classic, Extra |
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Delta One (the airline’s flagship business class experience)
|
Classic, Extra |
More ‘basic’ on the horizon
Delta isn’t stopping with its Comfort seating section.
Expect to eventually see the “Basic, Classic, Extra” configuration in even their most luxurious cabins.
Yeah, that could mean a “basic business” ticket in the future; Delta executives have said that the variety of fare types the airline offers in economy class (including its Basic option) could be a model for its forward cabin in the future.
“I think the segmentation that we’ve done in the main cabin is kind of a model that we’ll carry to all of our premium cabins over time,” Delta President Glen Hauenstein said in July. “It’s about giving people more choices, more pricing options and more products and services in every cabin.”
Of course, it also means a lot more decisions to make when booking a flight.
What about other airlines?
To date, major competitors American Airlines and United Airlines have not implemented similar “basic” options for their extra legroom seating sections: American’s Main Cabin Extra and United’s Economy Plus.
But United this summer dropped his own clues about expanding the menu of ticket types offered. So don’t be surprised to see a similar approach from other airlines in the future.
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