UNLIMITED COMPLIMENTARY MEDALLION® UPGRADES

Complimentary Upgrades  

We know, as a Medallion Member, you want to sit up front. Here's how the Medallion Complimentary Upgrade program works.

WHAT'S NEW WITH COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADES

Doing our best to bring you more upgrades: We have improved our policy for clearing upgrades at the gate prior to each flight’s departure to ensure that more Medallion Members are getting the upgrades they deserve. We’ll start clearing upgrades at the gate ten minutes earlier than before, to allow more opportunity to secure an upgraded seat before Members board. Plus, through the coordination of our gate agents and flight attendants, if the next Medallion Member on the list has already boarded when an upgrade becomes available, we will do our very best to upgrade them before takeoff, when possible.

Starting June 15, 2017, Medallion Members traveling alone who are not opted in to receive automatic Delta Comfort+ upgrades will now have the ability to request a Delta Comfort+ upgrade to any available seat or only a window/aisle seat when checking in for a flight at delta.com or at an airport kiosk.

Starting May 24, 2017, Medallion Members will have two new ways to manage their Complimentary Upgrades. Using the preferences feature in My Profile, Members can decide whether they would prefer to opt in and receive automatic First Class and Delta Comfort+ upgrades or opt out and instead self-select an available* seat through the seat map** during their eligibility window by using the Fly Delta App or going to delta.com.

Not sure which option to choose? Use the examples below to better understand the benefits of opting-in or opting-out.

  • Opt-in for automatic Complimentary Upgrades knowing you can move yourself to a different seat after your upgrade automatically clears if you:
    • Prefer to maintain top upgrade priority within your Medallion eligibility window
    • Prefer the ease of automation
    • Are comfortable self-selecting to an available seat if you get upgraded into a seat you don’t prefer
  • Opt-out to self-select your upgrade if you:
    • Prefer to choose the seat you are upgraded into so you don’t get automatically upgraded into a seat you don’t prefer
    • Will remember to upgrade yourself through the seat map during your eligibility window
    • Don’t mind receiving lower priority within your eligibility window, in order to choose the seat you prefer

Medallion Members who chose to opt-in to Complimentary Upgrades will receive top priority within their eligibility window.

*When using the seat map, Medallion Members may see First Class Upgrades available for purchase within their eligibility window and can choose to purchase the upgrade or wait for their Complimentary Upgrade to clear, if these seats go unsold.
** Seat map upgrade functions will be coming soon to the Delta-operated segments of itineraries that include both Delta-operated and partner airline-operated segments.

Starting April 6, 2017, a companion, who is a SkyMiles Member, traveling with a Medallion Member in the same reservation will be eligible for Complimentary Upgrades not only on paid tickets but also on Award Tickets, Miles + Cash tickets, Pay with Miles tickets and SkyMiles Companion Certificates.

Both service between DCA-LAX and new service between BOS-SFO, which begins June 8, 2017, will offer Delta One® instead of First Class. Medallion Members will be eligible for Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Comfort+, but not our Delta One cabin, on these routes. Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates selected as Choice Benefits may be redeemed, subject to availability; please visit Upgrade Certificates to learn more.

Medallion Members are not eligible for Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Premium Select, a new class of service on select long-haul international flights, beginning with flights between Detroit (DTW) and Narita (NRT) on October 30, 2017. Diamond Medallion Members can redeem Global Upgrade Certificates selected as Choice Benefits, subject to availability; please visit Upgrade Certificates to learn more.

CABIN ELIGIBILTY

The chart below shows which cabins are eligible for Medallion Complimentary Upgrades.

Cabin

Complimentary Upgrades Eligibility

Delta One®

No

Delta Premium Select

No

First Class*

Yes

Delta Comfort+®

Yes

*Eligibility subject to regional restrictions. See Unlimited Complimentary First Class Upgrades for details.

UPGRADE CLEARANCE PRIORITY

Our upgrade clearance priority recognizes the loyalty of our Medallion Members, SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express Card Members and Delta Corporate Travelers, as we strive to offer the best elite travel experience. Delta Corporate Travelers eligible for higher upgrade clearance priority are SkyMiles Medallion Members traveling on a ticket that includes their eligible employer's Corporate Ticket Designator.

Once your reservation is ticketed, your upgrade will be cleared based on the following:

Priority

UPGRADE HIERARCHY

1

Medallion Status

2

Fare Class Groupings

3

Delta Reserve Credit Card Members

4

Delta Corporate Travelers*

5

Card Members who earned the Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) Waiver in the current calendar year1

6

Date and time of upgrade request

*Delta Corporate Travelers must be SkyMiles Medallion Members and traveling on a ticket that includes their eligible employer's Corporate Ticket Designator

For more details on when your upgrade will clear:

  • For First Class upgrades, Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members will clear beginning 120 hours (5 days) prior to departure, Gold Medallion Members will clear beginning 72 hours (3 days) prior to departure and Silver Medallion Members will clear beginning 24 hours (1 day) prior to departure, subject to upgrade availability.
  • For Delta Comfort+® upgrades, Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members will be upgraded to Delta Comfort+® immediately after booking, if available. Gold Medallion Members will clear beginning 72 hours (3 days) prior to departure and Silver Medallion Members will clear beginning 24 hours (1 day) prior to departure subject to upgrade availability.

Upgrade Priority:

  • Medallion Tier is the most important factor in upgrade clearance priority, starting with Diamond Medallion Members, then Platinum, Gold and Silver.
  • Members at the same Medallion Tier will be cleared in order of fare class groupings for revenue tickets, Award Tickets and Pay with Miles2 tickets, with higher fare classes among all ticket types holding higher priority.
  • Partner airline elite members and SPG® Platinum Preferred members will be eligible for day-of-departure upgrades only.
  • Y class fares are no longer upgraded at booking.

Improving your priority:

  • Delta Reserve Credit Card Members will have a higher prioritization within their Medallion group for upgrades.3
  • Delta Corporate Travelers4 traveling on a Delta corporate ticket for business will now have a higher prioritization within their Medallion group for upgrades.
  • If all else is equal, Card Members who earned the MQD waiver in the current calendar year will enjoy higher priority1.
  • Date and time of upgrade request will be used as a tie-breaker.

1 Effective January 1, 2018, the MQDs requirement to reach Diamond Medallion Status for 2019 and beyond during the qualification year will be waived if you make $250,000 or more in Eligible Purchases during the calendar year with your Eligible SkyMiles Credit Card. The MQDs requirement to reach Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status during the qualification year will remain the same and be waived if you make $25,000 or more in Eligible Purchases in that year with your Eligible SkyMiles Credit Card. Upgrade clearance priority for all Medallion Tiers will continue to be based on spending at least $25,000 in the current calendar year on all Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards from American Express that count toward the MQD Waiver regardless of the increase in the Diamond MQD Waiver requirement. Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards from American Express that count toward the MQD Waiver include: Delta SkyMiles Credit Card, Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card, Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card, Delta Reserve Credit Card, Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card, Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card, Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card, Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card from American Express, and Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card (through December 31, 2017). Effective January 1, 2018, the Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card will no longer be eligible for the MQD Waiver. However, if you have another Delta SkyMiles Credit Card with the MQD Waiver benefit in addition to your Delta Blue SkyMiles Credit Card, Eligible Purchases made on the Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card will continue to count towards the MQD Waiver.  

2All Pay with Miles terms and conditions apply. To review the rules, visit Pay with Miles.

3 Upgrade Priority within the same Medallion Tier and fare class grouping is applicable only to Basic Card Members.

4 To be eligible for the Corporate Upgrade benefit, Corporate Travelers must be SkyMiles Medallion Members and traveling on a ticket that includes their employer’s eligible Corporate Ticket Designator. When certain conditions are met, customers traveling on Corporate Ticket Designators will receive priority over similarly situated customers not traveling on Corporate Ticket Designators when standing by for a Medallion Complimentary Upgrade.

All SkyMiles Medallion terms apply. To review the rules, visit Medallion Benefits Terms & Conditions. Benefit subject to change at any time without notice.

UNLIMITED COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADES

  • We know, as a Medallion member, you want to sit up front. Those cushy leather seats are, well, cushy. So here's how the Medallion Complimentary Upgrade program works.

    The following markets are eligible for Medallion Complimentary First Class Upgrades:

    Regions
    Medallion Complimentary
    Upgrade Eligible

    U.S. 48
    check

      Between Hawaii and LAS, LAX, SEA, SFO, or SLC
    check

      Between Hawaii and all other nonstop domestic destinations

      Between JFK and LAX or SFO

      Between DCA and LAX

      Between BOS and SFO

    Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Bermuda
    check

    Central America
    check

    Northern South America

    Excludes Delta One™

    Southern South America

    Excludes Delta One™

    How It Works

    When you make your reservation and provide your SkyMiles number at delta.com, over the phone, at the airport, or through a travel agent, Members will receive an automatic Complimentary Upgrade request.

    Once the upgrade window opens, the automated upgrade processing will continue to clear upgrades as availability changes, up to three hours prior to departure. When your upgrade clears, if you've provided us with contact information, we'll automatically notify you via email. Please make sure you have updated your profileopens in a new window to include your email address.
     

    If your upgrade is still not confirmed when you check in, your pending upgrade request will be automatically added to the airport standby list.

    Complimentary Companion First Class Upgrades


    A Medallion Member and a traveling companion may both enjoy a Complimentary Upgrade to our First or Business Class cabins when traveling on Delta and Delta Connection carriers, as long as that companion is a General SkyMiles Member, Medallion Member, or partner airline elite member*, and traveling on the same flight with matching itineraries.

    Companion upgrades must be requested. If you and your companion are in the same reservation you can request your companion upgrade at delta.com during the booking process, afterwards in My Trips, or during check-in prior to departure. Otherwise, requests must be made over the phone with Reservations or at the airport. Companion upgrades are available for travel on revenue tickets, Award Tickets, Miles + Cash tickets, Pay with Miles tickets and SkyMiles Companion Certificates.

    *Partner airline elite members are only eligible for Companion Upgrades on revenue tickets and SkyMiles Companion Certificates.

    HOW IT WORKS:

    TRAVELING WITH ONE COMPANION:
    If you and one companion are in the same reservation: your upgrades will clear based on the status of the higher-tiered Member, if available. This applies to companions who are Medallion Members themselves as well as General Members who do not have Medallion Status and partner airline elite members. For example, if a Diamond Medallion Member and General Member are traveling together, both upgrades will clear at the Diamond window, if available.

    If you and your companion are in different reservations: your upgrades will clear based on your individual member status and confirmation windows, if available. For example, if a Platinum and Silver Medallion Member are traveling together, the Platinum Medallion Member will clear at the Platinum window and the Silver Medallion Member will clear at the Silver window. If your companion is a General Member who does not have Medallion Status, their upgrade will clear no sooner than 24 hours prior to departure.


    TRAVELING WITH TWO OR MORE COMPANIONS:

    If you and two or more companions are in the same reservation: all Members must have Medallion Status or be a partner airline elite member in order for any Members to be eligible for Complimentary First Class Upgrades. Each Member should check in separately and they will clear for their upgrade at their respective clearance priorities. If the party is comprised of all Medallion Members and everyone checks in together, then the party will be eligible for upgrades at the lowest tiered Medallion Member's  clearance priority. If there are any General Members in the reservation, and everyone checks in together, no one in the reservation will be eligible for Complimentary First Class Upgrades.

    Complimentary First Class Upgrade Terms & Conditions

    Availability:
    Medallion Complimentary First Class Upgrades are subject to availability and may not be available on all flights or in all markets. Medallion Complimentary First Class Upgrades are not valid for travel on:

    • Any flights that are serviced with our Delta One® product
    • Transatlantic and Transpacific flights
    • Nonstop travel between New York/JFK and Los Angeles or San Francisco
    • Nonstop travel between Washington D.C./DCA and Los Angeles
    • Nonstop travel between Boston and San Francisco
    • Nonstop flights between Hawaii and Minneapolis, Atlanta or New York
    • Basic Economy (E) fares are not eligible for paid or Medallion Complimentary Upgrades, regardless of Medallion or other elite status. 

    Ticket Changes:
    Changes in reservations on ticketed itineraries are permitted only pursuant to the rules of the original Main Cabin fare purchased. Where permitted, changes may require payment of a change fee and/or any difference in the applicable fare.

    Mileage Accrual:
    Except for eligible Pay with Miles tickets and eligible Award Travel tickets, upgrades are not eligible on fares that do not allow mileage accrual. Upgrades do not affect SkyMiles mileage accrual. Mileage accrued is based on the original fare purchased. All SkyMiles program rules apply. To review the rules, see Membership Guide & Program Rules.

    Fees:
    Tickets purchased from Delta over the telephone or at an airport or city ticket office will incur a direct ticketing charge when issued in select European countries. Charges are waived for all other points of origin. Travel agents may impose an additional service charge for ticketing.

    Miscellaneous:
    Flight cancellation, substitution of equipment, or other irregular operations may result in the cancellation of confirmed upgrades. Delta's liability, if any, in the event of irregular operations is governed by the terms of its Contract of Carriage and shall be based upon the original fare purchased.

    Companion First Class Upgrade Terms & Conditions


    Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Members with Companion Certificates:

    Both the paid primary passenger and the companion passenger traveling on a SkyMiles Companion Cerfiticate are eligible for complimentary First Class upgrades.

    Ticket Changes:
    Companions who change their itinerary and are no longer traveling with the higher-tiered Medallion Member after the change are not eligible for a Complimentary First Class Upgrade at the higher-tiered member’s clearance window. If an upgrade was confirmed prior to the itinerary change, a General Member companion’s reservation will be changed to reflect the original class of service for the new itinerary and they will no longer be eligible for a Complimentary Upgrade. If the companion is a Medallion Member, their reservation will be changed to reflect the original class of service, and they will continue to be eligible for an upgrade at their own clearance priority.

    Miscellaneous:
    Both passengers must be ticketed, and upgrades must be requested at least three hours before the scheduled departure of the flight. Except as stated in this section, the rules governing complimentary Medallion Member upgrades also apply to companion upgrades.

    Medallion Members and their companions must be booked in a revenue class of service: Y, B, M, W, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, or V.

  • Medallion Members are eligible to request automatic Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Comfort+ on:

    • all flights within the U.S. 50 and Canada
    • all flights within Latin America/Caribbean and Asia Pacific markets, including China and Hong Kong

    For flights that depart January 22, 2018, and beyond, Medallion Members will also be eligible to request automatic Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Comfort+ on all Delta flights to/from Europe, Africa, India, and the Middle East.

    If opted out of automatic Complimentary Upgrades, Medallion Members will still be able to upgrade to Delta Comfort+ by selecting an available Delta Comfort+ seat via the seat map during their eligibility window. For flights out of Paris (CDG) and Amsterdam (AMS), Medallion Members will not be able to select an upgrade or change seats within the seat map beginning 48 hours prior to departure.

    How to Opt In

    TO REQUEST A COMPLIMENTARY DELTA COMFORT+ UPGRADE AT BOOKING:


    1. Log in at delta.com, then select a Main Cabin ticket and proceed with booking.

    2. On the Passenger Information Screen, look for the REQUEST UPGRADE section.
    If you keep a stored method of payment in your profile, you will bypass the Passenger Information screen to Express Checkout. Return to the Passenger Information screen by clicking “EDIT PASSENGER INFO.”

    3. Check the box to request a Complimentary Delta Comfort+ Upgrade.
    All seats in Delta Comfort+ are part of our premium experience. Aisle, middle or window seats will be assigned based on availability.

    4. If a Complimentary Delta Comfort+ Upgrade is available, Medallion members will be notified:
    - Diamond and Platinum Medallion members, directly after ticketing.
    - Gold Medallion members, 72 hours before departure.
    - Silver Medallion members, 24 hours before departure.

    TO REQUEST A COMPLIMENTARY DELTA COMFORT+ UPGRADE AFTER BOOKING:


    Once you’ve booked a Main Cabin ticket, you can always request a Delta Comfort+ upgrade by locating your reservation in “My Trips.” You can also opt in for Complimentary Upgrades at check-in and starting June 15, 2017, if you are a Medallion Member traveling alone, you will now have the ability request a Delta Comfort+ upgrade to any available seat or only a window/aisle seat when checking in for a flight at delta.com or at an airport kiosk.

    Starting May 19, 2017, if you choose to opt out of Complimentary Upgrades, you may select an available* Delta Comfort+ seat through the seat map** by using the Fly Delta App or going to  delta.com as long as you are within your eligibility window. You will be eligible to select a Delta Comfort+ seat after Members in your same eligibility window who have opted in for automatic upgrades have cleared.

    *When using the seat map, Medallion Members may see First Class Upgrades available for purchase within their eligibility window and can choose to purchase the upgrade or wait for their Complimentary Upgrade to clear, if these seats go unsold.
    **Seat map upgrade functions will be coming soon to the Delta-operated segments of itineraries that include both Delta-operated and partner airline-operated segments.

    WHAT TO KNOW ONCE YOU’VE OPTED IN:


    • If you have selected upgrade eligibility for both First Class and Delta Comfort+, you will be upgraded to the most premium option available. If you’re upgraded to Delta Comfort+, you’ll still be on standby for First Class upgrades.

    • If no upgrades to Delta Comfort+ are available, you’ll be placed on standby for an upgrade. You may view your spot on the standby list in My Trips, in the Fly Delta App upon check-in, and on the Gate Information Display screens at the airport. 

    • Following an upgrade, you can always select another available seat in the same class of service via the seat map at delta.com or within the Fly Delta App. And starting May 19, 2017, you can revert back to a Main Cabin seat via the seat map**, if available.


    • Medallion Members will continue to enjoy access to Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Comfort+ while maintaining the same clearance priority.

    More questions? Visit our FAQs.

    **Seat map upgrade functions will be coming soon to the Delta-operated segments of itineraries that include both Delta-operated and partner airline-operate segments.

    COMPANION ACCESS


    You and a traveling companion may both enjoy a Complimentary Upgrade to Delta Comfort+ when traveling on Delta and certain Delta Connection carriers, as long as that companion is a General SkyMiles Member, Medallion Member or partner airline elite member*, and traveling on the same flight.

    Companion upgrades must be requested. If you and your companion are in the same reservation you can request your companion upgrade at delta.com during the booking process, afterwards in My Trips, or during check-in prior to departure. Otherwise, requests must be made over the phone with Reservations or at the airport. Companion upgrades are available for travel on revenue tickets, Award Tickets, Miles + Cash tickets, Pay with Miles tickets and  SkyMiles Companion Certificates.

    *Partner airline elite members are only eligible for Companion Upgrades on revenue tickets and SkyMiles Companion Certificates.

    HOW IT WORKS:

    TRAVELING WITH ONE COMPANION:

    If you and one companion are in the same reservation: Upgrades will clear based on the Status of the higher-tiered Member, if available. This rule applies to companions who are Medallion Members themselves as well as General Members who do not have Medallion Status or who are not partner airline elite members. For example, if a Diamond Medallion Member and General Member are traveling together, both upgrades will clear at the Diamond window, if available.

    If you and one companion are in different reservations: When traveling with a companion in different reservations, General SkyMiles Members are not eligible for Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Comfort+. The Medallion Member will clear for their upgrade at their respective window.

    TRAVELING WITH TWO OR MORE COMPANIONS:

    If you and two or more companions are in the same reservation: All Members must have Medallion Status or be a partner airline elite member in order for any Members to be eligible for upgrades to Delta Comfort+. Each Member should check in separately and they will clear for their upgrade at their respective clearance priorities. If the party is comprised of all Medallion Members and everyone checks in together, then the party will be eligible for upgrades at the lowest tiered Medallion Member’s clearance priority. If there are any General Members in the reservation and everyone checks in together, no one will be eligible for Complimentary Delta Comfort+ Upgrades.

    DELTA SKYMILES CREDIT CARD MEMBERS WITH COMPANION CERTIFICATES:

    Both the paid primary passenger and the companion passenger traveling on a SkyMiles Companion Certificate will be eligible for Unlimited Complimentary Delta Comfort+ Upgrades.

    OPT IN ONCE TO REQUEST UPGRADES FOR EVERY FLIGHT

    You can set your Upgrade Request preferences for both Delta Comfort+ and First Class within your profile. They will be the default for all flights booked. But even with default settings, you can still opt in or out of Complimentary Upgrades for any individual reservation during booking or in “My Trips.”

    Visit My Profile
    Go to Flight Preferences
    Update Upgrade Requests

    COMPLIMENTARY DELTA COMFORT+ UPGRADE TERMS & CONDITIONS


    Unlimited Complimentary Delta Comfort+ Upgrades are subject to availability. SkyMiles Medallion Members and select partner airline elite members and up to one companion traveling on the same reservation may be eligible for complimentary Delta Comfort+ access within a specified time prior to departure based on the applicable complimentary window of the highest SkyMiles Medallion Member in the same reservation. Complimentary Delta Comfort+ seats are not available for selection by any passenger while onboard the aircraft regardless of Status or fare class. Basic Economy fares are not eligible for paid or complimentary Delta Comfort+, regardless of Medallion or other elite status. 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, and their Delta Comfort+ seat assignment may be removed.  

    Delta Comfort+ Companion Upgrade Terms & Conditions

    Ticket Changes:
    Companions who change their itinerary and are no longer traveling with the higher-tiered Medallion Member after the change are not eligible for a Complimentary Delta Comfort+ Upgrade at the higher-tiered member’s clearance window. If an upgrade was confirmed prior to the itinerary change, a General Member companion’s reservation will be changed to reflect the original class of service for the new itinerary. If the companion is a Medallion Member, their reservation will be changed to reflect the original class of service, and they will continue to be eligible for an upgrade at their own clearance priority.

    Miscellaneous:
    Both passengers must be ticketed, and upgrades must be requested at least three hours before the scheduled departure of the flight. Except as stated in this section, the rules governing Medallion Complimentary  Upgrades also apply to companion upgrades.