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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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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.

Secure a better seat: The ultimate guide to getting upgraded on Delta flights

D elta Air Lines' Medallion elite status has plenty of perks, including same-day confirmed changes, international lounge access and Choice Benefits . Still, one perk sits above all others when it comes to chasing status: the allure of a free seat upgrade.

There's nothing quite as magical as paying for one class of service and being upgraded into a superior cabin, be it premium economy, business class or first class. However, the upgrade process remains shrouded in mystery. For example, who is eligible for upgrades? When do these upgrades process?

From complimentary elite upgrades, SkyMiles upgrades and Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates to understanding the upgrade priority process, we're here to demystify it all. So, buckle up and keep reading to find out how you can snag a seat in the front of the Delta plane.

Complimentary Delta upgrades

All Delta Medallion elite members are eligible for day-of-departure unlimited complimentary upgrades to the Delta One experience on flights within the U.S., including flights to Hawaii.

While it pays to understand the intricacies below, it's worth mentioning that Delta is systematically selling more first-class tickets. Its revenue maximization models are pricing first-class tickets to encourage more people to buy them outright. Therefore, you may notice this when you view a Delta reservation and are offered a buy-up upgrade.

Unfortunately, the more first-class tickets Delta sells, the fewer are available for complimentary upgrades.

Below are the Delta products that are eligible for complimentary upgrades, including paid tickets, SkyMiles award tickets, Pay with Miles tickets and SkyMiles Companion Certificates:

• Delta Comfort+ (typically offered on Delta-operated flights and select international flights)
• First class (typically offered on Delta-operated domestic flights and flights to nearby destinations like the Caribbean and Central America)
• Delta One (typically offered on long-haul international flights and certain cross-country domestic flights)

Delta's top-tier Medallions (Diamond) get preference over lower-tier Medallions, and timing is everything. Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can immediately clear from Main Cabin into Comfort+ upon booking if space is available. At the same time, Gold members must wait until 72 hours before departure to clear into Comfort+, and Silver members must wait until 24 hours before departure.

For flights with heavy passenger loads — from New York to San Francisco, for example — the Comfort+ cabin is often full when Gold and Silver Medallions are eligible to clear. However, last-minute upgrades at the gate can happen.

Related: Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it

For Delta One domestic upgrades, Medallion members will clear on the day of departure following the same clearance priority hierarchy as with first-class upgrades, subject to upgrade availability.

Even if your upgrade doesn't clear in advance, you may still clear at the gate. If an upgrade is still not confirmed at your upgrade window or when you check in, your pending upgrade request will automatically be added to the airport standby list for a potential upgrade at the gate before you board. You may view your spot on the standby list in the "My Trips" section of the Delta app and at the gate information display at the airport.

Medallion members are also eligible for complimentary upgrades on Aeromexico-operated flights within Mexico and between Mexico and the U.S., Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia and Ecuador. Upgrades are available to all ticketed passengers except those seated in basic economy. Medallion members can be upgraded to Premier on Aeromexico flights but not AM Plus. Once a SkyMiles number is added to an eligible Aeromexico reservation, Medallion members will automatically be added to the upgrade list.

Complimentary upgrade hierarchy

Here's how Delta will determine your spot on the upgrade list:

• Medallion status
• Fare class groupings — higher-priced fares are ranked above lower-priced fares per the following order: B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X and V, then SkyMiles award tickets, then Pay with Miles
• Million Miler status
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card holders
• Delta corporate travelers (ticket must include your employer's corporate ticket designator)
• Medallion Qualification Dollars earned in the current calendar year
• Date and time of upgrade request

Related: Earn more SkyMiles with these current Delta Amex credit card welcome bonuses

If two members are identical at a given level, it goes down the above list until the tie is broken. For instance, if two Platinum Medallion members are traveling on K-fare tickets and one has a Delta Reserve credit card and the other does not, the card-holding passenger will be prioritized.

Diamond and Platinum Medallion members will clear first-class upgrades beginning 120 hours (or five days) before departure. Gold Medallion members will clear beginning 72 hours (three days) before departure, and Silver Medallion members will clear beginning 24 hours (one day) before departure, subject to upgrade availability.

It's also worth noting that upgrade certificates ( Regional Upgrade Certificates and Global Upgrade Certificates ) and upgrades with miles are prioritized ahead of these complimentary upgrades.

Exclusions and fine print on Delta upgrades

Unfortunately, not all tickets are eligible for complimentary upgrades — here's what's excluded:

• Basic economy (E) fares are not eligible for paid or Medallion complimentary upgrades, regardless of Medallion or other elite status.
• Delta Premium Select fares are not eligible for a complimentary Medallion upgrade outside of the U.S.
• Delta One seats on flights that start or end outside of the U.S. do not qualify for a complimentary Medallion upgrade.
• Complimentary upgrades are not available for selection by any passenger while aboard the aircraft, regardless of status or fare class.
• Except for eligible Pay with Miles tickets and eligible award tickets, complimentary upgrades are not available on basic economy fares.
• Companions who change their itinerary and no longer travel with the higher-tiered Medallion after the change are not eligible for a complimentary upgrade at the higher-tiered member's clearance window. If an upgrade were confirmed before the itinerary change, a reservation for a companion without Medallion status would be changed to reflect the original class of service for the new itinerary, and they would no longer be eligible for a complimentary upgrade. If the companion is a Medallion member, the reservation will be changed to reflect the original class of service. It will continue to be eligible for an upgrade at the companion's own clearance priority. If the Medallion or partner airline elite member is no longer traveling on their original reservation, the companion traveling on the original reservation will no longer be eligible for complimentary Delta Comfort+ seating. Their Delta Comfort+ seat assignment may be removed.

Improving your chances of a Delta upgrade

Beyond racing for a higher tier of Delta's Medallion status, you can better your chances of receiving a complimentary upgrade by opening a Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card . These cards also net you 15 visits per year (effective Feb. 1, 2025) to Delta's global network of Sky Club airport lounges . To earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter.

If possible, consider booking a corporate ticket through your employer. Also, if you're a Platinum/Diamond Medallion with free same-day change abilities, you can sniff around and change to a less popular route on your day of departure. ExpertFlyer — owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures — is an excellent tool for searching flights. You can use the "Flight Availability" functionality to understand how many seats remain open/unsold.

You'll often have a better shot at an upgrade if you avoid peak business travel periods. This lets you compete with fewer frequent flyers. Generally, this means avoiding flying on Sunday night, Monday morning and pretty much all day Friday if you want to sidestep top-tier business travelers.

Delta upgrade certificates

Delta offers two types of dedicated upgrade certificates, known as Global Upgrade Certificates and Regional Upgrade Certificates . The only way to get them is to earn Platinum or Diamond Medallion status and select them using your Choice Benefits .

Upgrade certificates have a higher priority than complimentary upgrades and may be requested and, subject to availability, cleared when you book your ticket. In other words, they're a hyper-exclusive and extremely powerful way to sit in the front of the plane.

GUCs, available exclusively for Diamond Medallion members, offer upgrades on both international and domestic flights with Delta, along with select flights with KLM, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air and Aeromexico. RUCs, available for Diamond and Platinum Medallion members, offer upgrades on the same routes as complimentary upgrades, including all flights with first class and the domestic Delta One experience.

Related: The ultimate guide to Delta Choice Benefits

As a Choice Benefits selection, Diamond Medallion members may choose any of the following three options:

• Four global upgrades
• Eight regional upgrades
• Two global upgrades and four regional upgrades

Platinum Medallion members may choose four regional upgrades as their single Choice Benefits selection.

So if you want one of the coveted GUCs, you'll need first to achieve Diamond status, Delta's highest published Medallion tier.

Related: Last-minute strategies for Delta Medallion elite status

Important notes about Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates

These certificates have several quirks and nuances you must know.

These certificates only offer confirmed upgrades for one cabin higher than originally purchased. Main Cabin tickets will upgrade to Premium Select on flights with a Premium Select cabin. Then, the elite member processing the upgrade will be placed on a Delta One upgrade waitlist 24 hours before departure. The good news is that there will be last-seat upgrade availability in Premium Select on international flights. Likewise, last-seat availability will be when you use your GUC to upgrade to a domestic flight, even on Delta One routes.

An RUC or GUC is for one-way travel, so you'd need to burn four to take you and a guest on a round-trip itinerary. You can apply an RUC or GUC to a paid ticket, a SkyMiles award ticket, a Pay with Miles ticket and a companion ticket. Crucially, you cannot apply an RUC or a GUC to a basic economy (E fare) ticket, regardless of your Medallion status level.

While these certificates are not fully transferable to others, Delta will allow you to apply your RUC or GUC to a guest's ticket if that person is traveling on the same flight as you. Even if you're booked on separate reservations (e.g., your company books your economy ticket, and you book your spouse's economy ticket later), you can use your upgrade certificates for both passengers.

Each GUC or RUC will expire at the end of the Medallion Year that was associated with the Choice Benefits selection. Each certificate may be used to upgrade flights operated by Delta Air Lines or Delta Connection booked in the P, A, G, W, Y, B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X or V fare classes, and may also be used to upgrade on SkyMiles awards, Pay with Miles tickets and companion certificates.

Upgrading on Delta partner flights with certificates

You can also use GUCs to upgrade select partner flights. GUCs applied to Air France and Virgin Atlantic flights will only move you from economy to premium economy unless you book a premium economy ticket outright. Note that all partner upgrades must be confirmed 24 hours before departure.

These are the rules for upgrading partner-operated flights:

Upgrading KLM flights

• Delta-marketed, KLM-operated flights: Main Cabin seats booked in Y, B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X or V to Z class (business class). This is because KLM does not offer a premium economy cabin on many flights.
• KLM-marketed, KLM-operated flights: Economy seats booked in Y, B, M, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R or V class can be upgraded to Z (business class).
• Air France-marketed, KLM-operated flights: Economy seats booked in Y, B, M, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R or V class can be upgraded to Z class (business class).
• For flights departing Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), Global Upgrade Certificates must be applied prior to check-in with a KLM ticketing agent or at a KLM Crown Lounge.

Upgrading Air France flights

• Air France-marketed, Air France-operated flights: Economy seats booked in Y, B, M, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R or V class can be upgraded to A class (premium economy) or from W, S or A class to Z class (business class).
• KLM-marketed, Air France-operated flights: Economy seats booked in Y, B, M, K, H, L, Q, T, N, R or V class can be upgraded to A class (premium economy) or from W, S or A class to Z class (business class).
• Delta-marketed, Air France-operated flights: Economy seats booked in Y, B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X or V class can be upgraded to A class (premium economy) or from W, S or A class to Z class (business class), or from P, A or G class to Z class (business class).

Upgrading Virgin Atlantic flights

• Delta-marketed, Virgin Atlantic-operated flights: Economy seats booked in W, S, Y, B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X or V class can be upgraded to P class (premium economy), or from P, A or G class to Virgin Atlantic's G class (business class).

Upgrading Aeromexico flights

• Delta-marketed, Aeromexico-operated flights: Economy seats booked in W, S, Y, B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X or V class can be upgraded to O class (business class).

Upgrading Korean Air flights

• Delta-marketed, Korean-operated flights: Seats booked in J class can be upgraded to Korean Air's A class, Y or B class booked can be upgraded to Z class, or if you're booked in M class, you can be upgraded to Korean Air's O class.

How to use a Delta upgrade certificate

Until recently, you had to call to apply a GUC or an RUC to a Delta-operated ticket. Now, you only have to do this for existing tickets, as new tickets can be upgraded online.

Upgrading a new Delta booking with a certificate

Delta allows you to upgrade new bookings online (but not on the Fly Delta app). You'll see the option to upgrade your ticket with a GUC or an RUC on the checkout page.

Look for the "Upgrade Certificate Request" box and select the flight you'd like to upgrade. Then, select the type of upgrade certificate you'd like to use.

The upgrade certificate will be automatically applied when you complete your booking.

Upgrading an existing Delta booking with a certificate

For existing bookings, you must dial the phone number given with your associated Medallion tier or the general hotline at 800-323-2323 and make the request. Be sure to call at least three hours before departure to apply your certificate, though 24 hours before departure is strongly recommended.

If you want to confirm an upgrade immediately, search for your flight on the Delta website. Upgrade availability is shown underneath the flight times. Make sure you're logged in to your Delta account, as upgrade availability only shows on elite accounts.

If you can avoid waitlisting, do so. Waitlist upgrades are not guaranteed to clear, and they're known to rarely clear on particular routes — such as West Coast gateways to Hawaii.

On itineraries with connections, ask the Delta agent to place upgrade priority on the leg that matters most to you. If you don't clarify this, upgrades can clear on relatively unimportant/short legs while you remain waitlisted on the long leg. The upgrade certificate is considered used if you don't prioritize the hard-to-get leg and the upgrade clears on any other leg of your itinerary.

For example, you don't want to burn a valuable GUC on a 45-minute domestic positioning leg when the leg that matters is the long-haul ride from the U.S. to Europe, Asia, Oceania, etc. Remember, there's no way to "undo" an upgrade clearing. Once it's burned, it's burned.

While upgrade requests on the waitlist can be cleared before you get to the gate, it is more likely that they will be cleared at the gate before departure. If your certificate doesn't clear, it will be automatically reissued to your account and can be used on a future flight.

Related: How not to 'waste' your Delta Regional and Global Upgrade Certificates

Delta SkyMiles mileage upgrades

While we typically recommend storing up SkyMiles until you can exchange them for a true award ticket, that's not always practical for infrequent flyers. Delta allows its passengers to upgrade their existing tickets with SkyMiles regardless of status.

You can use Delta's Upgrade with Miles feature to upgrade to Delta One, Delta Premium Select, first-class or Delta Comfort+ for eligible flights. If your reservation is eligible for an upgrade, you'll see the option to upgrade in your trip summary.

Delta typically prices mileage upgrades by placing a value of roughly 1.07 cents on each SkyMile. In other words, if Delta is charging $60 for a particular seat upgrade, it'll also allow you to part ways with roughly 5,600 SkyMiles to achieve the same upgrade. Just note that you may be able to achieve marginally higher value by booking an award ticket outright.

Buy-up upgrades can also come in handy if you're chasing elite status. You'll earn Medallion Qualification Dollars on the cash or SkyMiles you spend on an upgrade, boosting you toward the next status tier. If you use SkyMiles to upgrade, you'll earn MQDs on the award ticket based on the cash amount of the ticket purchased, excluding taxes and fees.

Related: How I used SkyMiles to upgrade my Paris flight from coach to Delta One

Bottom line

Getting upgraded for "free" is a glorious thing, and you can better your chances by climbing Delta's Medallion elite ranks and holding a Delta SkyMiles Reserve card or Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card . You'll also be wise to choose flights that aren't during peak business travel periods, and if there's a connection involved, avoid Delta's largest hubs like Atlanta, Minneapolis, New York (LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport) and Los Angeles.

Using a stash of SkyMiles to upgrade can be a great way to boost your flight experience. Still, you'll want to think carefully before using Upgrade with Miles — Delta will only allow you to extract roughly 1.07 cents per SkyMile via this method.

Upgrade certificates are the most exciting option, but you must reach Platinum or Diamond status to secure them. If you're fortunate enough to have a few in your account, you can strategically plan a dream trip, pay cash for an OK seat and fly there in a great seat.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Basic Economy Seat Assignment Purchase Option for International Itineraries   

Effective immediately, Delta is extending the option for customers who have purchased a Basic Economy fare to obtain a seat assignment prior to their flight for a fee, for international itineraries on Delta operated flights. Previously, this option was only available to customers with wholly domestic itineraries.

Additional Details:

• Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy fare will have the option to purchase a seat assignment from seven days prior to departure up until the check-in window opens, based on availability. 
• Seat assignments obtained within the check-in window will continue to be free.
• The fee is nonrefundable; however, seat assignments may be changed after purchase (i.e. from 30A to 25C).
• Seat assignment purchases may be made on delta.com or via Delta Sales Support or Delta Reservations. 
• Basic Economy seat assignment purchases are also available via Travelport (Worldspan, Apollo, Galileo) and Amadeus GDS.

When purchasing a seat assignment via this option, all other Basic Economy fare restrictions still apply, including the inability to make changes.

Additional information regarding  Basic Economy  is available on the Products & Services tab.

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Travelers with Disabilities   

Delta Air Lines provide all passengers the very best service, whatever their circumstances. Accessibility is a primary concern of ours. We're always available to help passengers who need it.

Delta’s Complaint Resolution Officials (CRO) have been specially trained and are aware of applicable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) disability regulations and are available at all airport locations. Customers can request the assistance of a CRO through our customer service personnel.

To learn more, download the Department of Transportation regulations on Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel in PDF format.

General Questions for Customers with Disabilities

Customers worldwide with general questions or concerns regarding services for those traveling with a disability can contact Delta at 404-209-3434.

Notice to Customers

If you would like to obtain a copy of 14 CFR Part 382 in an accessible format, you can contact the US Department of Transportation

• Via the DOT Hotline for calls within the United States: 1-800-778-4838 or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY)
• By telephone to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division: 1-202-366-2220 (voice) or 1-202-366-0511(TTY)
• By Mail: Air Consumer Protection Division C-75, US Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE West Building Room W96-432 Washington, DC 20590
• On the Aviation Consumer Protection Division's web site: airconsumer.ost.dot.gov http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/

Review Delta's accessibility & assistance features that are available for our customer's with disabilities at the airport and onboard our airplanes.

Seating Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities

Delta accommodates any request for seating that helps manage a disability. It is our responsibility to provide customers with a disability an applicable seat assignment in advance. Additional accommodation may be made for:

• Passengers who use an aisle chair to get on the aircraft and can't readily transfer over a fixed aisle armrest can be provided with a seat that has a moveable aisle armrest on aircraft equipped with this feature.
• Passengers traveling with an attendant helping them during the flight with be provided side-by-side seating.
• Passengers traveling with a service animal will be accommodated with any available seat but will be provided a bulkhead seat if requested. Please note: Service animals are not allowed in the exit row.
• Passengers with a fused/immobilize leg will be provided with any available seat they qualify for, on the side of the aircraft that appropriately accommodates their disability and if requested, a bulkhead seat.

To request a specific disability seat assignment, contact Delta Sales Support or Delta Reservations for assistance.

Service Animals

Delta welcomes service animals in the aircraft cabin, such as dogs and monkeys trained to assist passengers with mobility, visual, or hearing disabilities.

A service animal must be in the floor space where the passenger sits and may not get in the way of an aisle or any area that needs to remain clear for emergencies. (no exit row seating available.)

Some locations (Hawaii, Great Britain, etc.) have quarantine laws for animals, or restrictions for animals to enter the country. See Health Requirements for more information.

• Customers should always carry medication in carry-on luggage, and never in checked luggage.
• Delta aircraft do not have refrigerators onboard. Advise customers to plan accordingly.
• Customers that use needles or syringes to take medication, must have appropriate medical records to show their medical condition and need for the medical procedure, in case security officers have questions, or to satisfy foreign authorities when traveling outside the United States.
• Customers must tell the cabin crew if they have used any needles during flight. The crew will provide the customer with a disposal container.
• No intravenous devices can hang from the aircraft overhead, because they might interfere with emergency oxygen masks.

On Board Medical Oxygen

Delta allows passengers to use approved Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POC) with advance notification.

Assistive Devices

Delta will accept for transportation, without charge, any manually or battery operated mobility or assistive device.

Pregnant Travelers

Pregnant women do not need a medical certificate to travel. However, keep in mind that ticket change fees and penalties aren't waived for pregnancy.

If a customer is traveling after her eighth month, it's a good idea to check with a doctor to be sure it will be ok to travel.

Peanut Allergies

If you have a customer that has a peanut allergy, please contact Delta Sales Support or Delta Reservations in advance to have the peanut allergy information noted in the customer’s PNR. When Delta is notified that a customer has a peanut allergy, we’ll refrain from serving peanuts and peanut products onboard the flight. We'll also advise cabin service to board additional non-peanut snacks, which will allow flight attendants to serve these snack items to everyone onboard.

On the day of travel, customers should notify the airport gate agent of the peanut allergy, if they would like to requests to pre-board and cleanse the immediate seating area.

Unfortunately, even with all the above precautions, we still can't guarantee that the flight will be completely peanut-free.

Delta Connection Carriers

Please use the same policy guidelines as mainline Delta Air Lines.

Please note: Delta Connection Carriers do not accept incubators, oxygen, respirators, ventilators, or on board wheelchairs.

Special Needs FAQ

For additional information on Special Travel needs visit the Special Needs FAQ .

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For partner information, visit the respective partner airlines’ website:

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We value your time and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience if a schedule change has impacted your upcoming trip. While our goal is to always get you to your final destination on time, occasionally adjustments to our flight schedule become necessary and affect your itinerary creating a disruption. Rest assured, we are committed to helping you manage the disruption. 

Flights departing within 72 hours

If your flight departs in less than 72 hours, you may be experiencing a delayed or canceled flight. Please visit our Delayed or Canceled Flights page for more information on how to manage your trip. Otherwise, continue reading to learn about schedule changes and the options that you have to keep your trip on track.

Am I Experiencing a Schedule Change?

Schedule changes may include adjustments to arrival and departure times, updated routes or plane type. You may be experiencing a schedule change if:

• We notify you about an updated itinerary more than 72 hours before your departure. 
• A flight time change leads to a missed connecting flight. 

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If you experience a significant schedule change, we will do our best to notify you via 1 or more of the following methods: 

• The Fly Delta app

Where possible, Delta will automatically rebook you on an updated itinerary and provide you with the new schedule information. The next section will explain your options if we are unable to rebook your flight or if the automatically updated itinerary does not fit your needs.

In keeping with our longstanding policy, we will first attempt to rebook you on a new flight if your current flight is canceled, significantly delayed (> 120 minutes) or impacted by a qualifying significant schedule change.

If we cannot find an alternate flight for you and we cancel your ticket, or if you choose to cancel the new flight you have been rebooked on, you have the following options:

• Receive an eCredit for the value of the ticket, seat upgrade or Preferred Seat
• Adjust your itinerary in   My Trips
• Request a refund  to your original form of payment once your ticket is canceled

Voluntary changes to flights not impacted by a significant schedule change are subject to Delta’s change and cancellation policies and may result in paying the difference in price and additional fees.  

Ready to view alternate flights and select a new one?

There are times when you may have to reach out to us to manage a schedule change. 

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Watch CBS News

Delta is changing how it boards passengers starting May 1

By Megan Cerullo

Edited By Aimee Picchi

Updated on: April 12, 2024 / 12:35 PM EDT / CBS News

Delta Air Lines is changing its boarding process beginning May 1 in an effort to speed up loading passengers onto planes. 

If you're flying on the airline, you'll have to know what zone number you're in to board in the correct sequence. The move is hardly innovative, experts say, and instead reflects a return to the traditional way of boarding passengers followed by most airlines. 

That's because Delta is introducing numbered boarding zones for all flights, meaning that customers will have a zone number assigned to them instead of boarding groups labelled by airline status or fare class, such as "Sky Priority." The airline stressed that boarding orders will not change, but the group names will.

When Delta introduced its branded fare boarding process in 2018, it called zone boarding "a thing of the past." But the airline is now reverting to the traditional way of boarding people, in what some experts call an unusual move for an innovative airline.

Customers who need more assistance will still pre-board as usual before passengers in Zone 1, which will comprise Delta One and First Class customers. Zone 2 will include Diamond Medallion Members and Delta Premium Select ticket holders. 

Delta Comfort+ customers will board in Zone 3, followed by Sky Priority in Zone 4, according to a  chart  on the airline's website. Zone numbers will go up to 8, when basic economy passengers will board. 

Delta said the change is small, but could make the process easier for infrequent fliers and non-English speakers who only have to listen for a number to know when it's their turn to board. The change will also make the process less stressful for gate agents, Delta added. 

Still, some travel experts questioned whether the change would meaningfully speed up the boarding process. 

"They're not changing who boards when or the sequence," Clarkson University professor John Milne, an expert on airline boarding, told CBS MoneyWatch. "All they are changing is the names of what passenger group boards next." 

In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, Delta said the "simple change" will "provide customers more clarity into the boarding sequence and make the boarding process more intuitive—especially for infrequent travelers and/or customers who might face a language barrier at the gate."

Delta added, "Numbered zones will also align more closely with our joint venture and international partners, providing international customers a more simplified, consistent experience when traveling on mixed-metal itineraries. "  

CEO Ed Bastian addressed the change on the company's first quarter earnings call Wednesday. "When you have a number and you're standing in line, we are all trained to know when it's our turn," Bastian said.

Superficial changes?

The change is fairly superficial, Milne said, noting there are other changes Delta and its competitors could make to boarding processes that would make them more efficient. 

The airline still prioritizes passengers with airline status or who paid for a higher class fare on a particular flight. Instead, it would be more efficient to board passengers based on where on the aircraft they are seated, Milne said. 

For example, boarding window seat customers in the back half of the plane first would speed up the process. "That way you would minimize some of the congestion," he said. 

Delta instead assigns passengers to boarding groups based on their loyalty to the airline and ticket prices. 

Travel expert Scott Keyes also emphasized that the change does little to meaningfully improve or expedite the boarding process. All Delta is doing is reverting to the traditional way of boarding passengers and scrapping its branded boarding process that began in 2018, he noted.

"The fact that they've reverted to numbered zones, like those employed by virtually all other airlines, speaks volumes," Keyes said. "Traditionally, Delta has been seen as the innovative airline and others have followed suit. In this case, Delta's innovation didn't pan out, and they've been forced to once again mimic American and United's boarding processes."

To be sure, any move that would actually speed up passenger boarding could give an airline a leg up on competitors.

"Speeding up the boarding process by even 10 minutes can prevent delays, and if sustained, allow airlines to add an additional daily flight to the schedule," Keyes said.

The airline posted a $37 million first-quarter profit on Wednesday and said demand for air travel is strong heading into the busy summer travel season. Travelers are flocking to book trips despite a string of recent air safety incidents, including a panel blowing off a Boeing 737 Max aircraft during an Alaska Airlines flight.

• Delta Air Lines

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 Streaming to discuss her reporting.

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The Last Flight out of Moscow

Sep 15 2015.

When Delta ended its direct route to JFK, it represented the end of an era for longtime Russia expats like Resa Alboher

Earlier this year, Delta Airlines announced that it would be discontinuing its direct flight to Moscow from JFK this September through to at least the end of the year. I had taken that famed flight back and forth so often that Delta had become another home to me. First in the old business class configuration where my husband John and I most often sat in our favorite seats—row 5, seats A and B—and then when all the frequent flier miles ran out, in any exit row seats we could muster. The last direct Delta flight I took out of Russia in the spring of 2014 was on a ticket purchased at the very last minute in panicked response to an emergency.

At that time, John was in the U.S. after having been laid off from a position he had held for ten years. I was still in Moscow, pretty broke and teaching American writing at the Humanities University, when I found out that John was being rushed to the hospital in New York City. You should come here right away, my nephew texted to my Russian cell phone.

A friend in New York bought me a $600 ticket on Delta. I chose an emergency row seat with a lot of legroom. A Russian dude—beefy, attractive, with light blue eyes—was next to me in the window seat. Across the aisle was a kindly babushka who rarely flew and was afraid of flying.  Ya baius’,  she said to me—I’m scared—and reached across the aisle so I could hold her hand during takeoff.

At Sheremetyevo and at most airports in Russia, there are kiosks where you can buy Russian Orthodox icons. For a long time I would carry an icon or two whenever I traveled anywhere. Russia can make you superstitious. After two decades of living there, I cannot kiss or shake hands across a threshold or forget to look in the mirror before I go out, and it is physically impossible for me to go on a trip without sitting for a moment with my suitcase before I leave. In fact, it is only by living in Russia that I finally understood the poignancy of the scene at the end of Chekhov’s  The Cherry Orchard  when Lubov Andreyevna and her family leave their ancestral house for the last time. They sit for a moment with their suitcases, then linger, knowing they will never return. That is my fear about leaving Russia. Or leaving anywhere. Armed with icons, I am still afraid.

This last Delta flight had something of the epic to it. As the flight progressed, I was worried about John in the hospital. I paced out of anxiety and had an argument with him in my head.  You are always stubborn and wait till you are near death to see a doctor,  I said to John. I had been up all night on the phone with relatives and ambulance drivers, arguing with the real John who didn’t want to go to the hospital. I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was walk up and down the aisles having my imaginary argument with John until the plane landed. But in the section right before Business Elite a guy with a shaved head and what looked liked prison tattoos blocked my way. He wore military fatigues and was harassing a woman who was pointedly ignoring him as he said to me:

Where are you going? Where is there to go? Don’t go up there. Don’t you see that curtain? That is where the bluebloods sit. All the rich oligarchs and Jews. Don’t oligarchs have their own planes?  Good point,  he said,  but I don’t even want to talk with you. You are an American. Good you are going home. I want all the foreigners to go home.  Then why are  you  leaving the Rodina?  He was surprised.  How is it you know the concept of Rodina?  He paused, standing unsteadily on his feet.  The Motherland. Nothing in your English invokes this Russian word. You are a young country, a bunch of babies, what the hell do you know from Rodina? I lived in the Rodina over twenty years. Twenty years—twenty years are you telling me? How is that possible, your Russian totally blows. How is it you aren’t ashamed of yourself?  Actually I am,  I said.  I want to speak better Russian.  Well, we are speaking it now, and while your Russian sucks, I do sort of understand what you are saying, even though you have the accent of a Jew.

I met a man in the early 1990s who had been tortured by Russian speech therapists when he was a boy to roll his r’s so he didn’t sound like a Jew. He told us the story one night at a Russian banya party while we ate iced watermelon and drank horseradish vodka.  Oh it was awful,  he said.  The teacher stuffed pencils in my mouth. Now say reka. Ryba. Roman. But I could hardly say anything at all with all those pencils in my mouth.  He remembered spitting and nearly choking on pencils. He remembered the taste of lead.

The Russian nationalist continued speaking. You are a short woman. I am not attracted to you at all. You are my age, and might be even older. What are you, 48, 49? Something like that. I only like younger women and don’t like wrinkles and well, in this light, I can see you are starting to get some. I am not available anyway. Oh good. I don’t want to offend you. You don’t?  You know though, you  look  like a Jew . That’s OK, I  am  a Jew. You are a  Jew? He paused, then with a flourish said,  I am an anti-Semite. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Anti-Semite.  There was an uncomfortable silence, then something in his face softened as if he had made a decision. I like you,  he said. How could you? I am a Jew.  He laughed. Flying over Iceland, the Jew and the anti-Semite were on their way from the old world to the new.

John and I moved to Russia over two decades ago. He had studied Soviet Foreign Policy when there was still a Soviet Union. A few months after our first trip together to Moscow in the summer of 1990, the old empire began to collapse. John felt he couldn’t sit idly by in the U.S., watching the news on CNN. He wanted to be there in the midst of change.

While Moscow was the center of unfolding events in Russia, the first city we lived in was St Petersburg. Even with the post-Perestroika economy imploding, shops empty and people’s pensions wiped away, there was still a fervor in the St Petersburg arts and culture scene—an excitement I had never witnessed before and will probably never get to see again. Piter seemed central enough to me.

IN RUSSIAN SLANG IT TRANSLATES TO SOMETHING LIKE DORMITORY SHITHOLE

We were broke and living in the faculty side of a dormitory, called an  obshaga in Russian slang, which translates to something like “dormitory shithole.” Our  obshaga  rooms were nicer than the rooms the students got, but you had to tape up the windows from early autumn to the hesitant summer which began a month later than Moscow’s summer (we were so close to the Arctic Circle) to keep out the icy wind blowing in from the Gulf of Finland.

At some point, not the single year as planned, but maybe six limping years later, John got completely fed up. We were doing our laundry in the bathtub and the water was a perennial rusty brown. We had no kitchen and even with the taped up windows the cold wind cut through in a constant slow whistling howl. As I hung the laundry all over the room, John was cutting carrots on top of the Belarusian mini fridge that kept icing over no matter how many times we tried to defrost it. That’s it, he said, I’m outta here.

We returned to New York, but not long afterwards John was offered a position in Moscow. He came to Moscow first to find us an apartment, and I followed several months later. I remember that flight to Moscow as one of the most comfortable I had ever taken—I stretched out and slept across the Atlantic. John’s new job paid for business class tickets and sometimes we could upgrade to first. So for a while we flew British Airways in splendor back and forth. I drank smoothies and watched British comedies. In first class, they would give us pajamas and our choice of DVDs. I felt someone had made a big mistake letting us fly in such grandeur.

The other day I asked John, When did it shift? When did we start flying Delta? At that time in the mid nineties, Delta was the only U.S. carrier that offered nonstop service to Moscow. He thought for a moment: 1998. The financial crash. When the Gekko markets fell. You know, when everybody blamed George Soros. And when expats left in droves?

I remember the bank runs. I watched them from our windows that looked over the Garden Ring Road across to a bank on the other side, the desperate crowds outside the building trying to withdraw their funds. I thought of my parent’s childhood memories about living through the Great Depression. I was witnessing something like that as we continued living a normal life in Moscow.

We had the fortune of being able to escape and return more or less as we pleased. We ate ice cream sundaes on Delta Business Elite, watched movies and after a few runs across the planet and back found that we had our favorite and habitual row—row 5 seats A and B. As the plane took off, I would say Buddhist sutras quietly to myself and hold John’s hand. I love you, I’d say as the plane ascended. If the plane were to crash, I wanted him to know this. Everything’s OK, he’d say, but a few minutes into the flight when we had reached cruising altitude, almost like clockwork he’d turn to me and say, I’m bored. Shouldn’t they be bringing drinks and warmed mixed nuts by now?

Not all our comings and goings from Russia were in such luxury or with such ease. When John and I departed the first time, after traveling with a student group in the summer of 1990, we left by train from the Finland Station, where Lenin arrived to start the revolution. I was having trouble carrying my suitcases through the crowded streets and something in me gave way. I threw down the bags and wept. Something about the weight of our possessions made me snap. It was like I felt the burden of all those before us who had to leave Russia and could bring only a few suitcases with them.

Maybe my grandfather felt that way when he left. I never met him since he died before I was born, so I can only imagine what he went through when he travelled by ship from Odessa (in his time part of Russia) to Ellis Island. My mother felt like she belonged in Russia on her one trip to St Petersburg in the mid 1990s. I feel closer to my father here, she said with a kind of longing. Her side of the family wasn’t as happy I was living in Russia, always reminding me of the pogroms and anti-Semitic persecution that forced my grandfather to flee.

In my mind, I felt that my living in Russia could be a sort of reconciliation with the horrific bigotry my ancestors once faced. The simple fact of my residence in Moscow would be an act of forgiveness, wiping the slate clean. Whenever the plane began its descent into Moscow, I always felt like I was returning to holy ground.

I would argue with a friend about the soulfulness of Russia. That is such a myth, she once told me, the myth of the  rodina , of the Russian soul. I would insist that Russia is mythic, that there is something to the Russian soul. My friend would sigh and shake her head. You are deluding yourself, she said. Lately I have started to wonder what it would be like to put down roots. I thought I was putting down roots in Russia, but I was always a foreigner there. At times a welcome one, but a foreigner all the same.

Flying on Delta, I once had a memorable and heart-stopping arrival. We were about to land at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport one January morning. I felt the wave of relief I usually feel especially in winter when I see the frozen Moscow River below and the city as a kind of snowy topographical map, its white geometrical shapes forming a Malevich-esque painting.

As the falling snow pelted the windows, the plane suddenly heaved up in a dramatic rush. We all fell backwards and heard carry-on bags crashing from the overhead compartments and a huge bang when a service cart fell out of its storage area and went flying down the aisle. People around us screamed. I don’t remember if I screamed too, but I remember clutching John’s hand. And then we were horizontal again, back up in the clouds. The pilot made an announcement. Sorry about that, folks. We were almost there, but there was an unscheduled plane on the runway. Our pilot had avoided a collision. I saw passengers crossing themselves as his announcement was translated into Russian.

Now on my last direct Delta flight back to JFK, the Russian nationalist and I both looked out the window over the head of the woman who he had been harassing. The sun was creating a blinding glare and I thought: We are doing a form of time travel, flying backward in time from the Moscow late afternoon, toward what was morning now in New York City. The woman was pretending to sleep. And everyone else in this forward cabin, this cabin behind where the bluebloods ate their ice cream sundaes and reclined on their flatbed seats, was looking pointedly away from us. The nationalist was drunk. He wasn’t the first nationalist or anti-Semite I had met in my life. But he was the one blocking me from pacing back and forth.

So, do you think I am attractive?  You’re OK,  I said, and he said  you’re OK too . And then he moved in closer, I could feel his hot breath as he whispered: Can you believe it, this young girl Masha—she was all of 18—we sat on a bench in Sokolniki Park and kissed half the night. Do you know what an 18-year-old kisses like? Then we walked all over the city and at dawn went along the river toward the Kremlin—have you seen our Kremlin? Come on, that’s ridiculous how can you ask that?  He apologized and seemed even more unsteady on his feet.

You could hear the bells of the Spassky Tower. We looked at our Kremlin, and I almost missed this flight.  Can you imagine, 18… I am a Nationalist. We were at the Kremlin. I saw the Kremlin this morning. And kissed a girl of 18. I am proud to be Russian.

The plane went through a bit of turbulence. There was an announcement in English then in Russian for us to take our seats. The Nationalist took my arm, maybe to steady himself.

I don’t need to take my seat,  he said,  a little turbulence doesn’t scare me at all. But are you scared,  he asked. I was scared of so many things.  You know,  he said,  actually, it is good talking with you. I will find you again. I’ll come visit you later in the flight. I know where you are sitting. I know your row. You have a lot of room around you. How did you get that seat?

I held on to the backs of seats to steady myself through the turbulence as I walked back to my exit row and felt a deep exhaustion. The beefy dude was resting his head on a pillow against the windowsill. You could see pure sky and clouds. Were we still somewhere over Iceland? In 2005, soon after my father died, I saw the wonder of the northern lights over Iceland and John and I watched the dazzling green flashes igniting the dark as the rest of the plane slept all around us in their flatbed seats. I wept then for my father, but now I worried for John. The plane was flying into more daylight, and when I got to NYC it would be more daylight still, and I would sit in a hospital as I had sat in so many these past few years.

What was I doing with my life? I had been in the Rodina twenty years and still could hardly speak passable Russian—the Nationalist was right. I was a foreigner. Always would be one. I thought about other foreigners and their miserable fates. Rastrelli came to mind; his architecture gave Petersburg its character, yet he died penniless and forgotten. I thought of how in the novel  Honey for the Bears  a British antiques dealer is done in by Russia. Has Russia done me in? I wondered. I will never quite belong in Russia, but it is difficult to live anywhere else.

The other day, I felt a wave of relief going to a Russian store in the United States. They had Chudo Yagoda juice and cranberry  mors . They had Russian chocolates— Mishka—my favorite kind. But these are meager symbols to carry such a heavy sense of belonging. When the Nationalist came to my seat to find me, I pretended I didn’t see him. He lingered for a moment and then walked on by.

I plan to go back to Russia. I keep telling myself there is a lot left unfinished. Lectures I am supposed to give, museums I still need to visit, didn’t I want to see the Marina Tsvetaeva house, and in twenty years in Russia I have yet to visit Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy’s country estate. John and I spent twenty years talking about going there. I’ll only agree to see Yasnaya Polyana if I can see it with him.

With the ruble unstable, and sanctions and tensions over Ukraine, the flights on Delta lately have had too many empty seats—a logical reason for their cancellation—but I hope that Delta revises this decision. There is only one Delta flight:  The  Delta Flight as expats call it. And on that flight, those few hours in the air were a kind of freedom, a relief from the confusions of a life abroad. On the Delta flight I was more at home than in either country the plane would take me.

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Hi everyone,

Now I don't mind where I sit as long as I get to the destination. But I am concern that it might be overbook and I get bumped off, as I have something booked in Geneva that I cannot miss. The next category up is quite a bit more expensive.

Is it worth the risk? Is seat assignment possible through online check-in 24 hours ahead as some had suggested on another thread.

Thanks for any feedback.

> I am concern that it might be overbook and I get bumped off

Never happened in my lifetime, it's not the US. I wouldn't worry.

> Is seat assignment possible through online check-in 24 hours ahead

I believe it is but not 100% sure.

<Is seat assignment possible through online check-in 24 hours ahead >

Yes thank god it's not United. :)

> Any suggestions?

Pay attention next time.

David O, have you tried Aeroflot website? Online services -> Change/refund my ticket

If you don't have anything constructive to say then don't say anything.

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Hi everyone,

Now I don't mind where I sit as long as I get to the destination. But I am concern that it might be overbook and I get bumped off, as I have something booked in Geneva that I cannot miss. The next category up is quite a bit more expensive.

Is it worth the risk? Is seat assignment possible through online check-in 24 hours ahead as some had suggested on another thread.

Thanks for any feedback.

> I am concern that it might be overbook and I get bumped off

Never happened in my lifetime, it's not the US. I wouldn't worry.

> Is seat assignment possible through online check-in 24 hours ahead

I believe it is but not 100% sure.

<Is seat assignment possible through online check-in 24 hours ahead >

Yes thank god it's not United. :)

> Any suggestions?

Pay attention next time.

David O, have you tried Aeroflot website? Online services -> Change/refund my ticket

If you don't have anything constructive to say then don't say anything.

• Train Booking Moscow to St. Peter 01:31
• Planning trip to Russia 09 April 2024
• SIM card. Russian SIM cards, do they still work in the UK? 09 April 2024
• Union Pay debit card 27 March 2024
• Russian trying to book a hotel in Jerusalem 14 March 2024
• Dual Citizen Arrested in Russia 12 March 2024
• about clothes 27 February 2024
• NOTE - border crossing from Finland into Russia closed 09 February 2024
• Snow boots in Red Square 04 February 2024
• Travelling to Moscow & Murmansk with toddle in winter 02 February 2024
• Anyone traveling from London to Moscow this week ? 27 January 2024
• Booking accommodation 11 January 2024
• Traveling friends (Designers preferred) :) 05 January 2024
• Are shops and things closed during Christmas and New Week ? 15 December 2023
• Where can I get initial answers to ANY question?