Achieve a better seat: Your comprehensive guide to securing upgrades on Delta flights

Delta Air Lines' Medallion elite status offers numerous benefits, such as same-day confirmed changes, access to international lounges, and Choice Benefits. However, the most coveted perk remains the possibility of a complimentary seat upgrade.

There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as purchasing one class of service and being elevated to a higher cabin, whether it's premium economy, business, or first class. Yet, the upgrade process is often filled with uncertainties. Who qualifies for upgrades? When are these upgrades processed?

From complimentary elite upgrades, SkyMiles upgrades, and Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates to grasping the upgrade priority system, we’re here to clear the fog. So, fasten your seatbelts and continue reading to learn how you can secure a spot at the front of the Delta aircraft.

Free upgrades on Delta flights

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

While it’s beneficial to grasp the details outlined below, it's important to note that Delta is actively selling more first-class seats. Their revenue strategies are pricing first-class tickets to encourage more direct purchases. As a result, you might observe this when checking a Delta reservation and see options for buy-up upgrades.

Sadly, as Delta increases the sale of first-class tickets, the number of seats available for complimentary upgrades decreases.

Here are the Delta offerings that qualify for complimentary upgrades, including paid tickets, SkyMiles award tickets, Pay with Miles tickets, and SkyMiles Companion Certificates:

• Delta Comfort+ (generally available on Delta-operated flights and select international routes)
• First Class (usually offered on Delta-operated domestic flights and nearby destinations like the Caribbean and Central America)
• Delta One (commonly found on long-haul international flights and certain domestic cross-country routes)

Delta's highest-tier Medallion members (Diamond) receive priority over lower-tier members, with timing being crucial. Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can clear from Main Cabin to Comfort+ at the time of booking if space permits. Meanwhile, Gold members must wait until 72 hours before departure to clear into Comfort+, and Silver members must wait until 24 hours prior.

On heavily booked flights — such as from New York to San Francisco — the Comfort+ cabin is often full by the time Gold and Silver Medallions are eligible to clear. Nevertheless, last-minute upgrades at the gate can still occur.

For domestic Delta One upgrades, Medallion members will be cleared on the day of travel following the same priority order as first-class upgrades, depending on upgrade availability.

Even if your upgrade isn’t confirmed in advance, you might still get cleared at the gate. If your upgrade hasn’t been confirmed by your upgrade window or during check-in, your pending request will automatically be added to the airport standby list for a chance at an upgrade before boarding. You can check your position on the standby list in the "My Trips" section of the Delta app and on the gate information display at the airport.

Medallion members are also entitled to 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 for all ticketed passengers, except those in basic economy. Medallion members can receive Premier upgrades on Aeromexico flights, but not AM Plus. Once a SkyMiles number is attached to an eligible Aeromexico booking, Medallion members will be automatically added to the upgrade list.

Hierarchy for complimentary upgrades

Here’s how Delta will determine your position on the upgrade list:

1. Medallion status
2. Fare class categories — higher-priced tickets take precedence over lower-priced ones in this order: B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, and V, followed by SkyMiles award tickets, then Pay with Miles
3. Million Miler status
4. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card holders
5. Delta corporate travelers (your ticket must include your employer's corporate ticket designator)
6. Medallion Qualification Dollars earned during the current calendar year
7. Date and time of upgrade request

If two members are equal at a certain level, the hierarchy will continue down the list until the tie is resolved. For example, if two Platinum Medallion members are on K-fare tickets, the one who holds a Delta Reserve credit card will be given priority over the other.

Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can begin clearing first-class upgrades 120 hours (or five days) before their flight. Gold Medallion members will start clearing 72 hours (three days) prior, while Silver Medallion members can clear starting 24 hours (one day) before departure, depending on upgrade availability.

Additionally, upgrade certificates (Regional Upgrade Certificates and Global Upgrade Certificates) and upgrades using miles take precedence over these complimentary upgrades.

Limitations and details regarding Delta upgrades

Unfortunately, not all tickets qualify for complimentary upgrades — here’s what’s excluded:

• Basic economy (E) fares are ineligible for both paid and Medallion complimentary upgrades, irrespective of any Medallion or elite status.
• Delta Premium Select fares do not qualify for complimentary Medallion upgrades outside the U.S.
• Delta One seats on flights that either start or end outside the U.S. are not eligible for complimentary Medallion upgrades.
• No passenger can select complimentary upgrades while on board the aircraft, regardless of their status or fare class.
• Except for qualifying Pay with Miles tickets and eligible award tickets, complimentary upgrades are not offered on basic economy fares.
• Companions who alter their travel plans and no longer fly with the higher-tier Medallion member are not entitled to a complimentary upgrade at that member’s clearance priority. If an upgrade was confirmed before the itinerary change, a companion without Medallion status will have their reservation adjusted to reflect the original service class for the new itinerary, making them ineligible for a complimentary upgrade. If the companion is a Medallion member, their reservation will still reflect the original service class and they can still receive upgrades based on their own clearance priority. If the Medallion or partner airline elite member is no longer on their original booking, the companion on that original reservation will lose eligibility for complimentary Delta Comfort+ seating, and their seat assignment may be revoked.

Enhancing your chances of receiving a Delta upgrade

In addition to striving for a higher tier in Delta's Medallion program, you can improve your odds of getting a complimentary upgrade by acquiring a Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or a Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. These cards also provide you with 15 visits per year (effective Feb. 1, 2025) to Delta's extensive network of Sky Club airport lounges. To unlock unlimited visits each year, your total eligible purchases on the card must reach $75,000 or more from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024, and each year thereafter.

If feasible, think about booking a corporate ticket through your employer. Additionally, if you are a Platinum or Diamond Medallion member with free same-day change privileges, you might explore shifting to a less popular route on your departure day. ExpertFlyer — owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures — is a fantastic tool for searching flights. You can utilize the "Flight Availability" feature to see how many seats are still open or unsold.

You’ll usually increase your chances of receiving an upgrade by steering clear of peak business travel times. This allows you to face less competition from frequent flyers. Typically, this means avoiding flights on Sunday evenings, Monday mornings, and essentially all day Friday if you want to evade top-tier business travelers.

Delta upgrade certificates

Delta provides two types of specialized upgrade certificates, known as Global Upgrade Certificates and Regional Upgrade Certificates. The only way to obtain them is by achieving Platinum or Diamond Medallion status and selecting them through your Choice Benefits.

Upgrade certificates take precedence over complimentary upgrades and can be requested and, subject to availability, confirmed at the time you book your ticket. In other words, they are an exceptionally exclusive and potent means of securing a seat at the front of the plane.

GUCs, available solely to Diamond Medallion members, allow upgrades on both international and domestic Delta flights, as well as select flights with KLM, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, and Aeromexico. RUCs, accessible to both Diamond and Platinum Medallion members, permit upgrades on the same routes as complimentary upgrades, covering all first-class flights and the domestic Delta One experience.

As part of the Choice Benefits, Diamond Medallion members can select from the following three options:

1. Four global upgrades
2. Eight regional upgrades
3. Two global upgrades along with four regional upgrades

Platinum Medallion members are eligible to select four regional upgrades as their sole Choice Benefits option.

To obtain one of the sought-after GUCs, you'll first need to reach Diamond status, which is Delta's top Medallion tier.

Key points regarding Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates

There are several important details and peculiarities regarding these certificates that you should be aware of.

These certificates only guarantee upgrades to one class higher than the one originally purchased. For instance, Main Cabin tickets can be upgraded to Premium Select if available. The elite member managing the upgrade will be added to a Delta One upgrade waitlist 24 hours prior to departure. Fortunately, there will be last-seat upgrade options available in Premium Select on international flights. Similarly, last-seat upgrades are possible for domestic flights when using your GUC, even on Delta One routes.

An RUC or GUC is valid for one-way travel, meaning you would need to use four for a round-trip journey for yourself and a companion. These certificates can be applied to a paid ticket, a SkyMiles award ticket, a Pay with Miles ticket, or a companion ticket. Importantly, you cannot use an RUC or GUC for a basic economy (E fare) ticket, regardless of your Medallion tier.

While these certificates aren’t fully transferable, Delta permits you to apply your RUC or GUC to a ticket for a guest traveling on the same flight as you. Even if you have separate reservations (for example, if your company books your economy fare and you later book an economy fare for your spouse), you can still utilize your upgrade certificates for both tickets.

Each GUC or RUC will become invalid at the conclusion of the Medallion Year linked to the Choice Benefits selection. These certificates can be utilized to upgrade flights operated by Delta Air Lines or Delta Connection booked in fare classes P, A, G, W, Y, B, M, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, or V, and are also valid for upgrades on SkyMiles awards, Pay with Miles tickets, and companion certificates.

Upgrading with certificates on Delta partner flights

GUCs can also be employed to upgrade certain partner flights. When applied to Air France and Virgin Atlantic flights, GUCs will only allow upgrades from economy to premium economy, unless you book a premium economy fare directly. Be aware that all partner upgrades must be confirmed at least 24 hours prior to departure.

Here are the guidelines for upgrading flights operated by partner airlines:

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 are eligible for upgrades to Z class (business class), as KLM lacks a premium economy cabin on many routes.
• 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 class (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 are upgradeable to Z class (business class).
• For departures from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), Global Upgrade Certificates need to be applied before check-in with a KLM 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 are eligible for upgrades 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 Air-operated flights: Seats booked in J class can be upgraded to Korean Air's A class, while those in Y or B class can be elevated to Z class. If you're in M class, you may upgrade to Korean Air's O class.

How to Utilize a Delta Upgrade Certificate

Previously, you needed to call to apply a GUC or an RUC to a Delta-operated ticket. Now, this is only necessary for existing tickets; new tickets can be upgraded online.

Upgrading a New Delta Reservation with a Certificate

Delta now allows you to upgrade new bookings online (though not via the Fly Delta app). The option to use a GUC or RUC will appear on the checkout page.

Find the "Upgrade Certificate Request" section and choose the flight you wish to upgrade. Next, select the type of upgrade certificate you want to apply.

The upgrade certificate will be applied automatically upon finalizing your booking.

Upgrading an Existing Delta Reservation with a Certificate

For existing reservations, you need to call the number associated with your Medallion tier or the general hotline at 800-323-2323 to make your request. It’s important to call at least three hours before your departure, although calling 24 hours in advance is highly recommended.

To confirm an upgrade right away, check your flight on the Delta website. Upgrade availability will be displayed below the flight times. Ensure you are logged into your Delta account, as upgrade options are only visible to elite members.

If possible, avoid being placed on a waitlist. Waitlisted upgrades are not guaranteed to go through, and they often do not clear on certain routes, such as those from West Coast gateways to Hawaii.

For itineraries with connecting flights, ask the Delta agent to prioritize upgrades on the leg that is most important to you. Without this clarification, upgrades might clear on less significant or shorter segments while you remain waitlisted for the longer one. If an upgrade clears on a different segment of your trip, the upgrade certificate will be considered used.

For instance, you wouldn’t want to waste a valuable GUC on a short 45-minute domestic flight when the key segment is the long-haul journey from the U.S. to Europe, Asia, or Oceania. Remember, there’s no way to reverse an upgrade once it clears; once it's used, it's used.

Although upgrade requests on the waitlist can be processed before reaching the gate, they are more commonly cleared at the gate prior to departure. If your certificate doesn’t clear, it will be automatically returned to your account for use on a future flight.

Delta SkyMiles Mileage Upgrades

While we usually suggest accumulating SkyMiles to exchange for a genuine award ticket, this isn’t always feasible for occasional flyers. Delta allows all passengers to upgrade their current tickets using SkyMiles, irrespective of their status.

You can utilize Delta's Upgrade with Miles feature to elevate your travel experience to Delta One, Delta Premium Select, first-class, or Delta Comfort+ on eligible flights. If your reservation qualifies for an upgrade, you'll find the upgrade option in your trip summary.

Delta generally values mileage upgrades at about 1.07 cents per SkyMile. This means if an upgrade costs $60, you can use approximately 5,600 SkyMiles for the same upgrade. However, keep in mind that you might get slightly better value by booking a direct award ticket instead.

Buy-up upgrades are also beneficial if you're aiming for elite status. You'll earn Medallion Qualification Dollars on the cash or SkyMiles spent on an upgrade, helping you progress to the next status level. If you opt to use SkyMiles for your upgrade, you'll receive MQDs based on the cash value of the original ticket, not including taxes and fees.

Bottom Line

Securing a "free" upgrade is fantastic, and your chances improve by advancing in Delta's Medallion elite tiers and holding either a Delta SkyMiles Reserve card or a Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card. It's also advisable to avoid booking during peak business travel times and, if connecting, steer clear of Delta's busiest hubs such as Atlanta, Minneapolis, New York (LaGuardia and JFK), and Los Angeles.

Utilizing your SkyMiles for an upgrade can significantly enhance your flying experience. However, consider this carefully before opting for Upgrade with Miles — Delta typically offers a value of around 1.07 cents per SkyMile through this route.

Upgrade certificates are the most appealing option, but you'll need to achieve Platinum or Diamond status to obtain them. If you're lucky enough to have a few in your account, you can strategically plan an ideal trip, purchase a basic seat, and enjoy a premium seat on the flight.