Guide To Delta Comfort+: Is It Worth It?

In TPAC market, JV partner Korean air offers 33-34 inch seat pitch for ordinary economy class seat, while Delta only offers 34 inch seat pitch for Comfort+. So it would be a no-brainer to choose flight operated by Korean air if flying in economy, IMO. Random search suggests DL-KE JV is pretty metal-neutral in terms of pricing, still Delta Comfort+ charge not insignificant premium.

One benefit of Comfort Plus is you can sit together with your significant other without a random third person next to you like you would have in economy. Not on the 737's but it is a great benefit on a longer flight on an A220 for example. Plus lots of good overhead bin space vs economy. But Ben is right about going up to first class. I just booked a domestic first class that was only a little more than Comfort+ pricing.

I've recently stopped purchase W on DL, because the premium has gotten so insane. On a recent purchase, it was close to double (!) the regular economy fare. For all of three extra inches of space.

Look, DL, very much to Ben's point: I can be sold. But that's not how to do it.

I was under the impression this is just a normal 3 - 3 row with all three seats being marketed, how does comfort+ preventing a random third person to sit with you?

I just flew JFK-PHX. No status on DL and I had booked an economy ticket. It was $95 to upgrade to comfort+, or a ridiculous ~$1,000 for first class. It ended up being one of those brand new A321NEO and comfort+ was worth every penny. Free beer, seats were spacious, and the plane in general is a joy to fly domestically. First class was also very nice despite not being lie-flat.

I fly DL a lot out of MSP. The premium quite often depends on the when and where. Sometimes it’s a lot, mostly i’ve found it reasonable. Only $200 more fore RT to SJU during holidays was totally worth it. But, yes, sometimes for another $150 you can snag first.

"That way you can also state that you’d like to reject an upgrade in case you’d only clear into a middle seat."

this comes with a catch. Apparently setting the preference only works for automatic in-advance upgrades - but not for upgrades at the gate.
On a recent flight from SLC I was "upgraded" at the gate from a beautiful aisle exit row to a middle seat in W - despite the preference being set.
I did write Delta - and got a response stating exactly that: gate agents do not follow preference. If you did not get upgraded in advance, take yourself off the list.

Ben, you raise a good point. Why should someone pay the same for a middle seat in C+ as an aisle or window?

I will also mention that on the regional fleet (i.e. E-175), passengers in Comfort+ also get power outlets. Economy passengers don't get this amenity.

Because no other seat is empty or they travel with someone and want to sit next to each other? There are middle seats in J for some airlines that do not cost less.

It's also worth noting that starting in January 2024, the new complimentary upgrade priority considers purchased Comfort+ higher priority for complimentary upgrades over any elite at the same level who purchased Main Cabin: a Diamond who pays for C+ will get upgraded to F or Delta One before the Diamond sitting next to them who took complimentary C+. So, especially on JFK-LAX, part of the Comfort+ upcharge is a bet that you clear to an aisle-access lie-flat.

I also didn't see it noted that on most domestic flights operated by widebodies, if the plane has Premium Select seats (i.e. domestic F seats), rather than selling a Premium Select class of service, those seats are sold as Comfort+. We're likely to see more flights offer Premium Select domestically: for those flights, buying Comfort+ improves the chances of an upgrade to PS (and infinitesimally improves the chances of a double upgrade to D1).

The A220 is 3-2 in economy.

The A220 is 3-2 in economy.

Well, I recently flew from PHL with just a 44-minute layover slated in always busy ATL. So I was happy to pay $53 extra to deplane ahead of at least 200 others. The free gin & tonic was a nice bonus.

Last August I took DL flights from EWR to ATL with an $350 E-credit, with Main cabin that still leave about $70 balance. Noticed Comfort+ available with only $30 on top of my E-Credit. I snatched it without hesitation. Not sure if do it again without E-credit.

It sorts of beating the purpose of providing complimentary access to C+ for being a Platinum/Diamond elite. Those elites will have to think twice if they are willing to pay a premium for a “better” chance to skip the line to score domestic First upgrade. Spoiler alert: They might not score one. I would be pissed if I have complimentary access to C+ but opted in to pay for it and yet not clearing the upgrade due to excessive of Diamond elites also opted in to buy out supposed to be free C+. Being a Delta elite is much worse than being one with AA, Alaska or United right now. For God’s sake, they don’t even get SkyClub access when flying internationally without booking a Premium Economy Class while other sky team elite plus could. Credit card access doesn’t count, it doesn’t even give you 1 companion access like other alliance elite does.

yes, the smaller jets are setup 3-2 and the A220 is super to fly. So you could book the 2 seats out of the 3-2. The 737's are 3-3 so no benefit there.

Don't AF Platinums also get complimentary access to Comfort+ seats at booking?

Beer and wine is complimentary on flights greater than 250 miles. The article says its 500miles plus. That's only booze.

Just fly a European airline if flying internationally. Wine in beer in all classes, and economy plus much better than "comfort" which is the equivalent of a European coach seat. Delta: corporates don't give a damn about you, European airlines: there's still a modicum of respect...

Absurdly expensive is an understatement......... No wonder Delta has the highest profits of all Legacy Carriers!!