Delta Air Lines will tweak its boarding process a bit as of late next week, with one change I wasn’t expecting to see.
In this post:
Delta will start boarding Delta 360s with Zone 2
Delta 360 is Delta’s invitation only elite status. It’s even more exclusive than American Concierge Key or United Global Services, with a pretty small membership base. The status comes with several perks, including better soft treatment across the board.
In May 2024, Delta overhauled its boarding process, and as part of this, the airline introduced pre-boarding for its Delta 360 members, which wasn’t previously offered. Specifically, under the current system, pre-boarding is available for customers needing extra time and assistance, active military members, and Delta 360 members, and then boarding for premium cabin passengers starts.
However, it seems that this didn’t last for long, as the policy will be changing after roughly a year. Starting on May 16, 2025, Delta 360 members will board in Zone 2, with Diamond Medallion members, after first class. The airline hasn’t given any reason for this policy change, other than to say that pre-boarding is being reserved for those who need extra time, and active duty military.
I’m curious what prompted this policy change
Each airline takes a slightly different approach toward boarding, so it’s not like there’s a right or wrong system. Here in the United States, boarding has largely become not just about efficiency, but about monetizing the process, and recognizing elites and credit card holders.
So it’s interesting to contrast the policies of the other two “major” US airlines when it comes to elite boarding vs. premium cabin boarding:
- American boards Concierge Key members, and then premium cabin passengers
- United boards Global Services members, then Premier 1K members, then anyone with a pulse, and then premium cabin passengers (okay, I’m kidding slightly on the pulse part, but United has a lot of pre-boarding groups)
Delta will be alone in not pre-boarding its invitation only elite members. And it’s not even that Delta 360 members will board with first class, but they’ll even board after first class.
One certainly wonders what is prompting this policy change. Did it just cause more confusion than it was worth, with many people not knowing what Delta 360 is? Or what other possible explanation is there?
Personally, I think the best solution is probably somewhere in the middle. I’m not a fan of endless boarding groups, though at least boarding Delta 360 members with premium cabin passengers seems fair, no?
Bottom line
As of May 16, 2025, Delta will be downgrading boarding for its Delta 360 members. While they can currently pre-board ahead of first class passengers, they’ll soon only be allowed to board after first class, with Diamond Medallion members.
I don’t have a terribly strong opinion on whether certain elite members should board ahead of first class, though I am a bit surprised to see this cut after just a year, since this priority boarding benefit was only added in May 2024. It’s quite a contrast to what you see at United, in terms of priority.
What do you make of Delta downgrading boarding for Delta 360 members?
I'm lucky to be in my second year as a 360. While early boarding is a nice benefit, I can honestly say that it was only called out maybe 50% of the time. Otherwise the GA's went straight from military to zone 1. Sometimes I'd ask the GA why it was missed. Many times they'd tell me the only board by zone numbers. Other times they apologized that they missed it. What made it stranger...
I'm lucky to be in my second year as a 360. While early boarding is a nice benefit, I can honestly say that it was only called out maybe 50% of the time. Otherwise the GA's went straight from military to zone 1. Sometimes I'd ask the GA why it was missed. Many times they'd tell me the only board by zone numbers. Other times they apologized that they missed it. What made it stranger is that nowhere on the boarding pass did it show 360, and the zone number always showed zone one, if in first, and zone 2 if in economy. When they scan the boarding pass, they see the 360 status, but not before. So, it was confusing all around. It was nice to never have to fight with anyone for overhead space, but weird to try and make it work like it was supposed to.
Presumably most of the time 360 members would be in first/business, particularly if it's the most exclusive of the US3. The issue has gotten to be with premium cabins IFFs that can afford to buy premium when they do travel that immediately get in the lanes with PreBoard and often the first to board and then you in row 2 with your bags over row 4.
The boarding should be, extra time, military, family small children.
Then first, business, followed by comfort, then all the status members (flying coach) after, then the general boarding zones.
Status is a perk, presumably, because you fly (or spend) alot.
Boarding in the 3rd group leaves plenty of overhead room.
Don't like it, pay for the front...
There are so few DL 360 members that it's not even worth calling them out. Just stick them in zone 1 or 2 and be done with it.
I have never really understood Delta360 and I fly Delta almost every week. It's just some super secret program that is invite only... Which made me not care.
Would not be surprised if this decision was quietly reversed.
Priority boarding for the military is insulting because it implies that service members are so fat and inactive that they are disabled. This is even more true since Delta 360 are not in group 1.
I would support moving military to group 2 or even eliminating it until there is an active major shooting war with a country.
To me it's not insulting. Military specially if the Service Member is moving or going on a deployment/vacation during deployment/of Military School away from his duty station, have extra luggage/maybe carry on and/or family members. It helps getting the seated so the rest of the boarding goes smoothly. Serving the country and getting a perk with flying is to me a kind thing to do. Like I mentioned Service members may have various reasons for flying.
It is not insulting. It shows respect for the men and women who have chosen to defend our country. I applaud Delta for boarding them when they do.
Don't forget to give Zelensky pre boarding and thank him for his service. He's even using his own people to defend our imaginary border thousands of miles away from our actual border.
Big thanks to the unknown people behind making the propaganda puppet works. You couldn't openly have pre boarding but you deserve to board with the pilots.
If 360 membership is by invitation only, I’m assuming there’s way less 360 members than diamond Status? So why not let them Pre board? You’re Deltas best customers! Plenty of people ‘Pre Board’ who are entitled!
Delta wants you to buy first-class or business-class airfares. I suspect this is part of the unbundled airfares that are rolling out later this year. As far as I know, 360s don't even (at least officially) get higher priority for upgrades.
“… anyone with a pulse” hahaha so true thanks for the laugh
As a 360 member; it was hit or miss at the gates for announcing 360 boarding so not a big loss.
I pay for F. Nobody not in a wheelchair should board before or with me.
What a stupid sense of entitlement.
You still depart the same time with that person in a wheelchair. The longer it takes for them to board the longer you're not departing.
I have this nagging feeling there are about to be quite a few more 360s. Why?
1. DL never talked about 360 but now there is quite a bit of chatter
2. Now 5 million milers (ok there are few) automatically get 360
3. The whole travel industry tends to canonize ‘everyone a diamond” to pull folks in (witness Hilton where top tier is just a credit card away)
4. UA...
I have this nagging feeling there are about to be quite a few more 360s. Why?
1. DL never talked about 360 but now there is quite a bit of chatter
2. Now 5 million milers (ok there are few) automatically get 360
3. The whole travel industry tends to canonize ‘everyone a diamond” to pull folks in (witness Hilton where top tier is just a credit card away)
4. UA has a slew of GS members…virtually a handful every flight I take
5. The requirements for status go up but the perks are mostly promissory and keep getting watered down. lol try using a DL upgrade certificate. Example, usually msp-Phx, a 3 hour flight, will set you back a Global upgrade certificate
I've been a diamond with Delta since 2015.
This is the fourth or fifth iteration of the boarding process in the last 10 years. I think it's the third or fourth since just before the pandemic.
Anyone remember Delta's brief experiment with Southwest-style boarding signs?
In my experience, about 60% of gate agents NEVER follow the prescribed boarding order. As it stands now, 360 is often not called first. Likewise, diamonds are often invited to...
I've been a diamond with Delta since 2015.
This is the fourth or fifth iteration of the boarding process in the last 10 years. I think it's the third or fourth since just before the pandemic.
Anyone remember Delta's brief experiment with Southwest-style boarding signs?
In my experience, about 60% of gate agents NEVER follow the prescribed boarding order. As it stands now, 360 is often not called first. Likewise, diamonds are often invited to board WITH first-class, not AFTER. Moreover, it's basically all on the honor system since Delta's technology allows a non-360 to board with 360s. It's not like the scanner rejects the boarding pass.
Despite whatever is codified, I suspect the gate agents will continue to do what they want to do. Especially in out-stations.
As a 360, I felt the announcement at the gate was making too big a deal about using the privilege anyway. Zone 1 or 2 is fine to get some overhead bag space. Once I used it to board with the military group and was heckled by someone. And once a well meaning redcoat at a small station called out for to me to board when I was just standing there, waiting to board with...
As a 360, I felt the announcement at the gate was making too big a deal about using the privilege anyway. Zone 1 or 2 is fine to get some overhead bag space. Once I used it to board with the military group and was heckled by someone. And once a well meaning redcoat at a small station called out for to me to board when I was just standing there, waiting to board with Zone 1. It was an awkward perk — I’ll take the Delta One lounge perk and the SIGNIFICANT increase in upgrade percentages any day.
With just about anyone coming up with a reason to be able to pre-board, it baffles me that they wouldn't tell 360s that they can board at their leisure at any time. Why not just do pre-board and then say "Delta 360s may board any time" and then move on to military and boarding groups. It's just a dumb slight that I would find annoying if I was one.
I’m totally with you on the whole pre boarding process. The number of people who “need” extra time boarding has become a total free pass. I recently watched a passenger walk in with a limp and a cane then miraculously strolled off the plane with the cane under their arm.
I've been a Delta frequent flyer since 1986. They are Leaps and Bounds ahead of the competition for taking care of their customers. Are they perfect, no, but in my experience, Delta has the best employees
The thing is, 360 is pretty hard to earn, so I suspect a lot of them are usually flying in F/J. So in practice they’re just getting bumped from pre-boarding to Group 1.
This!!! I was 360 for 2 years and don’t recall not being upgraded once when holding 360 so it makes kind of redundant as if you are 360 you are most likely flying first class.
Delta supposedly has a much lower Delta 360 membership than AA Concierge Key or UA Global Services, and is even stingier when it comes to handing it out. Presumably, it doesn't need to offer pre-boarding to 360, because it doesn't have that many in the end.
Maybe the visual of a certain, high profile, politician boarding before people in wheelchairs is the reason for the change.
(And while I have no idea if Delta grants 360 status to politicians, the person in question does come from a wealthy family which could be why the status was granted.)
Sounds like that's the cause, but it seems to me that gifting people like that politician a status like 360 would be very low return for the airline.
Just another one of Delta's degraded decision-making in the Bastian era.
Her family is wealthy so she may have the status irrespective of her political position.
But it could also be because of her status as a politician.