A Delta Air Lines elite member reports that they were flying out of Detroit, 5 empty seats remained on the first class upgrade list (they were number one of the list and should have been upgraded), but the gate agent didn’t bother with upgrades.
I walked to the boarding door and called for the [gate agent] on the jetway, and said look, there’s 5 empties in first and 12 people on the list, are you just going to leave them hanging? Without hesitation they said “Yes,” but then said to me, “feel free to take any open seat in F.” What about the other 4 people? “Sorry,” and they walked away.
I hear from readers all the time that this happens with Delta, and I don’t hear about it the same way with United, American or Alaska Airlines.
Occasionally I will see U.S. airlines with first class seats empty with the doors close, with passengers still on the upgrade list. However, this is usually because:
- The cabin was full, but someone didn’t make the flight at the last minute. Usually this means that they misconnected.
- And the gate agent doesn’t come on board to bring someone up from coach, worried that the time it takes at the last minute could make the flight late by a minute or two (or they’ve simply chosen not to bother with it).
Either way, “D0” exact on-time departures is the excuse. But here, with Delta, it seems to be something different.
Readers tell me about first class cabins going out with empty seats with passengers still on the upgrade list – starting at empty seats up front that they’re entitled to.
Delta says only about 12% of their first class seats go to upgrades, while 15 years ago, 81% of first class seats went to upgrades, awards and employees.
American, Delta and United have all become adept at selling coach passengers upgrades to first class for tens of dollars, sometimes as little as $40. Delta will even sell long haul business class for as little as $299 more than coach.
For the most part, upgrades have been tough to get because (1) premium demand has grown while the supply of premium seats hasn’t kept up, and (2) airlines have shifted their merchandising to take less money for those seats from any willing buyer rather than honor frequent flyer upgrades.
However part of the reason why Delta’s upgrade percentage is so low, it seems, is because gate agents at Delta just don’t process upgrades as reliably as they do at other airlines. Last month I wrote about several instances.
1st class seats sitting empty despite my husband putting in a regional certificate?
byu/a-a-a-ronica indelta
Meanwhile, another flyer wrote:
As if upgrades aren’t terrible enough this year, the flight I’m currently on I was number 1 on upgrade list, 2 open seats available in first and they boarded everyone and did no upgrades…
It’s from Miami to Atlanta so it’s not that long… but what’s even the point of this status if it’s so junk. Decided I’m just fully canceling my reserve card at the end of the year.
And I recently pointed to one Delta gate agent who confesses that they won’t bother to check if passengers traveling together want to be split up when there’s just one first class seat available – and just skips over them instead.
Delta promises unlimited complimentary upgrades into available first class seats. At the corporate level they hate upgrades and maybe that flows down to the rank and file?
Douglas and Tyrone
This site blows EVERYTHING out of proportion
I flew Delta with my wife week of Christmas. I’ve been flying Delta for years and inquired if any upgrades were available. I was told by the gate agent there were not. I’ve been told that before and made a bit of a stink about it. Not to loud but I let it be known that if those doors closed I would be calling a.corporate friend of mine the next day. One of the flight attendants heard me and knew me from other previous flights. Well, the doors closed and there were 4 seats available. She came up to my wife and I said., “The captain would like to invite you up to first class. I will take your carry on up as well.” Sometimes you have to say something with confidence and not take no for a answer
I thought we were well past the point of pretending that Delta actually cares in the least about engaged loyalty members.
Very good post Gary. Thank you for this. Transparency is increasingly key in these programs. And some of the comments your posts like this generate are helpful too. Some.
It’s time to start firing lazy employees. My company has a 5% rif every year to ensure alignment and reduce complacency. That should be standard everywhere. Get off your lazy a$$ and work. Or, don’t work and don’t get paid.
I have never ever seen an empty biz class seat on Delta .
I wish this occurred. I’ve never seen an empty F seat on DL (or AA or UAl since I started paying for F.
Delta has become The Marriott of the Sky…Ed Bastian shame on you for disrespecting the folks that are loyal to your brand.
I bet most of these complaints are BS. I may end up waiting to last to upgrade on my upgrade certificate but the first class are always filled so I agree with Brian’s early post. I do find that frequently my name gets moved down once I am in the airport even though platinum members are eligible to upgrade if there is available 5 days before take.
On a recent trip I was in FC and had a change in Seattle. Only had a short layover and was in FC to Orlando. We arrived a bit late and as I entered the jetway and agent met me and my wife. Took us down the stairs to a waiting Porsche, drove us to the next gate. Took us up the stairs and we did not even have to go into the gate agent. He did it for us.
For me Delta is far better even though Status is harder to gain. (Likely won’t have status next year due to the changes to mqd from mqm) Refuse to fly United or American The simply seem plain dirty when I board. True story
I’ve been loyal to Delta for a long time ( 12 years) I’m only a leisure traveler however I’ve flown over 500k mi on delta tin in those 12 years . After several instances of watered down customer service I’ve let go of my paid lounge access last year. And I’ve already had 4 flights this year on tin that isn’t Delta . I’m disappointed in what has happened.
I used to always fly delta now delta comfort and you cannot even get a soda. Getting an upgrade is a joke. Going to be changing airlines after this trip.
For all the negatively that American gets, their GAs almost always clear upgrades, including onboard just before pushback.
It’s clearly a part of the training that AA has emphasized.
I recently was #1 for an upgrade out of Detroit. Suddenly my name was missing from the upgrade list . When I asked what happened I was told there was nothing that could be done. I am not to upset but then again I wonder what Diamond status really means.
Firstly, it is a privilege, not an entitlement.
2. You did not pay for it, so you are not entitled.
3. To upgrade or not, it is the boarding agent and attendants’ whim. Again, no one is entitled
3. Empty seats coukd be reserved for pilots to rest, don’t make assumption
4. Even if you paid for the seats, you may still be bummed down if there are none available for long haul flight pilots to rest
5. No one is entitled, except to their own views
My wife and I have flown Delta exclusively and have the upgraded credit cards to ensure upgrades. Multiple times we’ve flown delta with empty 1st class seats and we haven’t been upgraded. They’ve started to really go down hill.
Diarrhea Delta sucks.
Diamond status is worthless. Always has been. I’m forced to take this crap airline because they have a monopoly on routes out of Atlanta—a third-world “town” I am sorry to call home. I’ve been a Diamond miler for years, never used the millions of accrued crap miles, and I don’t intend to. I hate airplanes and travel but I have to for business.
There is an easy way to get First Class: Buy it like everybody else!
Stop complaining about your entitlements. You’re entitled to nothing. You sound like a frikin’ Social Security recipient at McDonalds demanding your free senior citizen coffee.
Now, sit back in your narrow Economy seat with no legroom and eat your free bag of chips!
And curse Ed Bastian and Diarrhea Delta.
None of this matters now that pilots for mainline US carriers get non rev F class seats as part of their contracts. Free agency rules.
We flew Delta first class in December. It was dirty. The foldaway armrest tray tables were DISGUSTING. Look down in there . Their boarding process is horrible. We will never fly Delta again.
I just pay for the seat i want. Its easier. Im not wealthy. Im 6ft4/235. Absolutely no way i can fly if not 1st class. I need the room.
Airlines that are willing to sell upgrade from economy to Business for as little as 40 or 200 while offer zero operational upgrade to frequent flyers in the long run will will lose out as frequent flyers are not that ignorant anymore. We will only be loyal to airlines who reciprocate and will only buy their tickets if there is no alternative!
This is a big reason I am Gold Medalliin in 2025 after 20 years of earning Diamond Medallion on Delta (through tons of flying and using their credit cards). I quit my Amex Delta Reserve card and Delta Platinum Amex too. Not worth it. If/when it’s convenient to fly Delta I’ll buy first class or use some of my many miles. Not worth all the effort to fly Delta all the time anymore. I’m maximizing flights on United to earn GS status now, it’s actually worth something and upgrades are plentiful.
Did you pay for First Class? What is this entitlement? And to think you actually took the time to count the empty first class seats wow!
If passenger is on board then they have a seat in whichever class was paid for. Why should Delta or any airline anyone upgrade them just because there were empty seat in the higher class?
We should make it more simple.
Reserve 1st class seats for those who purchase it in full and give remaining 1st class seats to nonrev employees and active military that have a deployment on their ERB or ORB.
And raise the price on 1st class Buis class Primum economy and coach seats by75 percent too.
That will eliminate the riffraf we see going viral on YouTube.
Then no one catches hurt feelings because they don’t understand their loyalty club agreements.
I am nearly always pleased when an upgrade comes my way but realize the only real need to offer is to fill my cheaper seat with another passnger. If I had paid for the premium seat, which I could have, why would I want crowded by those who did not unless the flight is near full?
Non unión staff!
Want first? Buy First.
Delta really sucks – they do NOT care about their passengers, they fly some of the oldest broken planes in the world and the pilots they have flying, especially the new pilots are NOT prepared. Just ask the senior pilots that are scared to death about these young pilots with no experience. And, after my last flight with delta this past summer, and as an experienced pilot – I will NEVER fly delta again!
I usually fly business and pay for it. I don’t care to have the poor who can’t afford it up there with me. Stop waiting for some gate agent to kiss your butt. Pay for the seat
If Delta had to fire “ Lazy Employees “, in Atlanta, they would lose 95% of their workforce.
Empty, as in available to switch into it at the gate and unsold, first class on the way too MSP from Grand rapids last week and they let 12 on the list wish for it. This is, I’m sure, a ploy to get elites to also purchase upgrades. Especially those that AREN’T diamonds or 360s.
@C Wilson
Non-revs should never get a FC upgrade over a paying customer. Without us paying the airfare, they don’t have a job.
For those who keep saying this is a privilege and not an entitlement, I have to respectfully disagree. Listed in the benefits for your medallion level are your benefits. These benefits are a contract between you and the airline.
I do understand that some of the seats might be reserved for crew but completely empty seats should be filled with those on the upgrade list.
Eventually the airlines are getting rid up upgrades and you FF kill me u pay very little for your tickets or your company pays for it and u want your free upgrade my advice you want first class do what I do and buy it and instead sounding like a whiny little 8 yr old boo hoo I didn’t get my upgrade
Occasionally I will see U.S. airlines with first class seats empty with the doors close, with passengers still on the upgrade list.
=
Occasionally, I will see U.S. airlines with first class seats empty with the doors closeD (or when the doors close), with passengers still on the upgrade list.
Some FA’S are lazy incompetent and ignorant, as are some of these responses.
While I don’t necessarily care for the entitled person “calling their friend at corporate ,” certain locations are worse and certain ethnic groups. I fly every week and change at times and have experienced shenanigans from agents, from skipping folks on the lists, to not aaking couples and not following procedures.
I’ve been passed over for standbys, upgrades and even had a nasty GA put me in the last seat when there were other seats available. At least twice I was on the phone with an agent so the response I received was recorded so the nasty one got his due reprimand. I sent in my complaint from the plain as we were taking off from Atlanta.
While Delta is not the only company forced to hire lazy, ignorant employees who don’t deserve the jobs they have, they are in roles that have a larger impact than a cashier at McDonald’s. I do appreciate though getting the stellar service I received from the MSP based FA’S this week so all is not lost.
A lot of whining coach ff paxs. If you want J or F pay for it. You can’t complain that carriers are selling upgrades for “tens of dollars” but then don’t want to pay and then complain. I hope the airlines remove this as a FF perk and just give points and lounge access.
.
@AngieK most paxs are connected to a certain airline based on where they live. Someone who lives in Northern NJ is going to Newark and someone in Atlanta is flying DL. If you value frequencies and non stops, there is not as may choices as you think. Hub cities dominate which airline a ff will take.
You waive your upgrade once you board.
@Brian Agreed!
@Dan, which aircraft was it? and how much were they asking for the bump?
A recent flight, DTW-SFO Main to C+ was under 7000 SM, but Main to FC was $700 each way, 69k SM. I took the C+, scored an aisle seat with an empty middle on the way out, window on the way home…
Better yet was the complete lack of service “due to turbulence.”
Flying isn’t the luxurious event it used to be, if it ever was. Luxurious flying domestically in the US? Fuggedaboutit
Why does the first person quoted keep calling the gate agent “they”? Could he not determine her sex or were there multiple agents?
It’s intriguing that so many commenters say “you aren’t paying for first class, don’t whine about not getting an upgrade into first class when there are empty seats.” That is objectively only half-true. If you have achieved some type of status on any airline which is sufficient to qualify you to be upgraded into first class, you have, in fact, paid in full for that upgrade opportunity. You paid by spending your dollars or your company’s dollars to travel on that airline over some other airline enough times to reach that status, or (more likely, nowadays) you chose to put many thousands of dollars of spending on a credit card hawked by that particular airline, as opposed to using some other credit card company from which you might have received cash back or free hotel nights, etc. So while it is certainly true that the airline customer with a coach class seat and some precious mineral status did not pay the higher price for a first class seat on that given flight, they most assuredly did pay for the right to receive an upgrade from their coach seat into one of those empty first class seats. And of the myriad ways that airlines regularly convey to their “status” customers that the “status” they worked so hard to achieve actually isn’t really worth the money they diverted to the airline to get there, flying routes with empty first class seats and folks who qualified to upgrade into those seats back in coach tops the list for most folks.
United absolutely does this as well.
In these times the bottom line has become more important than the company’s mission statement. I would bet Delta’s mission is to provide a great flying experience, but the folks who check folks in don’t get more pay for spending the time upgrading folks. Leadership is not there instilling them with the importance of their mission. And so they don’t.
It’s happened to me a few times.
You want to sit in that first class seat then pay for it. Don’t think that they owe you that seat that you didn’t pay for for any reason at all You’re not entitled to anything.
I call BS on this. It may happen from time to time but rarely does any of my flights go out with empty FC seats. They are are all full and upgrades have been processed. Even seen gate agents come onboard and tell person they have been upgraded. While there are gate agents still out there that don’t care I do not see the rampant suggestion of this article
@ Brian
The article has nothing to do with non-revs getting upgraded or not. It’s about gate agents not processing upgrades at all. Please reread it and then feel free to comment intelligently.
I fly American. They ALWAYS process upgrades. I’ve twice been boarded and asked if I wanted to move up because someone missed the flight. My wife had it happen twice as well.
Considering one of the largest benefits of status is the chance for upgrades, I have been happy with American’s commitment to them. If I don’t as on the list and the plane left with empty upgrade seats, I would be absolutely livid. Thankfully, never once happened in my several dozens of flights over the past few years.
It’s not just Delta.