Delta Basic Economy tips?

[robinb]

Hi there! I booked Delta Basic Economy for the first time using my DH’s miles since we’re paying for my DD’s boyfriend too. We are saving a whole RT in miles by booking Basic Economy. I understand we don’t get assigned seating until I check in and I understand that we may not be together and we may all be in middle seats. We leave on Saturday and when I look at the current seating charts I see a lot of open seats forward together with non-middle seats.

I’m fully ready for the worst case scenario of scattered middle seats. Are there any tips for getting a best case scenario? To get those better seats? Do I jump online and checking right away? Do I wait and let them assign seats at the gate? Other tips and tricks?

Thanks!

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Those seats you are looking at could be a higher fare class, and unable for you to even get. If you read terms your seats are assigned after check in.

 

[siren0119]

With delta basic economy, there's really nothing you can do to get a better chance at better seats, or seats together. Seat choice is a premium service that others paid extra for (even within the same seating area that you are in), so you kinda get what you get once you check in. Just try to be online the minute your check in opens, that's about the only "edge" you can get for seat selection.

 

[robinb]

That’s the thing. I don’t think that checking in right away ifs necessarily an ‘edge’ since I’ve read that they assign from the back of the plane forward.

 

[siren0119]

That’s the thing. I don’t think that checking in right away ifs necessarily an ‘edge’ since I’ve read that they assign from the back of the plane forward.

Not sure where you heard that, but the last time I flew basic economy with them (about 6 months ago) when I did online check in it took me to the seat selection page and I chose my seat.

 

[robinb]

Not sure where you heard that, but the last time I flew basic economy with them (about 6 months ago) when I did online check in it took me to the seat selection page and I chose my seat.

That would be cool! I thought your seat was assigned by the airline.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

That would be cool! I thought your seat was assigned by the airline.

Be prepared you might only view certain seats- meaning you wouldn't get to choose premium economy seats for free.

 

[siren0119]

Be prepared you might only view certain seats- meaning you wouldn't get to choose premium economy seats for free.

Exactly - what you get to choose from is the open Main Cabin seats...so basically whatever is left over from the people who paid the extra $15-20 per ticket for seat choice at the time they purchased the tickets. Nothing in the higher category seating.

It used to be that even with Basic Economy, you could see what seats were available, and decide to upgrade to "Main cabin" seats for the fee right up to check in. That was nice because if you saw the plane was filling up, you could secure your seats even a couple of months before your flight by paying the upgrade fee. They changed it earlier this year and now you have 24 hours to upgrade after purchasing basic economy seats, after that you're stuck until right before check in. I've heard that you are given the option to upgrade 7 days before your flight, but I haven't seen that myself yet. We are booked on Delta Basic Economy for our flight on 8/25, so I'll check this Saturday to see if we get the option to upgrade.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I booked delta basic economy 4 times. Twice I was assigned random coach seats, twice I got delta comfort. It’s a total crap shoot. All 4 times I was assigned a seat at the airport and I never noticed the option to select seats in advance although for full disclosure I never tried to either.

 

[Lewisc]

You want a hint. There is a chance the bins will be full by the time you board. Your bag will be gate checked, currently at no charge. You should put your essentials such as medicines and change of clothes (shorts/bathing suit) in your personal bag. Good strategy to have done that in advance. Otherwise be prepared to rapidly remove stuff from your bin bag.

Another hint. Make sure you put a DME luggage tag on your bag. You'll get to skip luggage claim and go directly to your resort.

 

[robinb]

Exactly - what you get to choose from is the open Main Cabin seats...so basically whatever is left over from the people who paid the extra $15-20 per ticket for seat choice at the time they purchased the tickets. Nothing in the higher category seating.

It used to be that even with Basic Economy, you could see what seats were available, and decide to upgrade to "Main cabin" seats for the fee right up to check in. That was nice because if you saw the plane was filling up, you could secure your seats even a couple of months before your flight by paying the upgrade fee. They changed it earlier this year and now you have 24 hours to upgrade after purchasing basic economy seats, after that you're stuck until right before check in. I've heard that you are given the option to upgrade 7 days before your flight, but I haven't seen that myself yet. We are booked on Delta Basic Economy for our flight on 8/25, so I'll check this Saturday to see if we get the option to upgrade.

I booked my DH in a Main Cabin seat because I can never be sure if he’ll be able to get home in time to leave on vacation of if he would have to meet us there. He is Diamond so we could cancel or change his flight up to 72 hours in advance. He has already been upgraded to Comfort Plus and he may still be upgraded to First. I can see the difference between First, Comfort Plus and Main Cabin and the sears that I see are in Main Cabin.

 

[writerguyfl]

...so basically whatever is left over from the people who paid the extra $15-20 per ticket for seat choice at the time they purchased the tickets.

FYI: Delta sometimes charges more than that for "upgrading" from Basic Economy to Main Cabin. Just today, I priced out a domestic ticket (Florida to California) and they were charging an extra $35 for Main Cabin. That was a one-way ticket.

 

[siren0119]

FYI: Delta sometimes charges more than that for "upgrading" from Basic Economy to Main Cabin. Just today, I priced out a domestic ticket (Florida to California) and they were charging an extra $35 for Main Cabin. That was a one-way ticket.

Oh I don't doubt it. Even Southwest has a variable rate for upgrading (for Early bird check in) and they used to be the one airline I could count on to keep things fairly steady. Times a'changing.

 

[boogiedownwanda]

I have booked basic economy on Delta many many times traveling with my DH and DS. They really try to keep your group together. Most times we’re all together or two together w one in front or behind. Only one time did we not have at least 2 seats together and all 3 of us had middle seats right behind the other.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

I have booked basic economy on Delta many many times traveling with my DH and DS. They really try to keep your group together. Most times we’re all together or two together w one in front or behind. Only one time did we not have at least 2 seats together and all 3 of us had middle seats right behind the other.

You do realize how lucky you were and this is not the norm. Basic Economy doesn’t guarantee you will sit with your family or even near them. It clearly states that when you purchase tickets.

 

[robinb]

I wanted to update this thread with my experience today. I logged into my Delta account shortly before my 24-hour window was to open. My family had already been assigned seats on the first segment. We are all together in the back of the plane and my DH was upgraded to first class. My second segment says that seats will be assigned at the gate. Interestingly enough, I can see where all of us are on the Upgrade/Standby lists for that second segment. My DH is 3rd for first class with only one seat, so he's staying put in Comfort Plus. We are 6, 7 & 8 on the standby list with along with 25 of our closest friends and 81 seats remaining. If they start at the back of the plane, we will probably get an aisle seat and we might even be in the same row or together. I guess I'll find out in Atlanta, but I plan to ask in Madison if they are able to assign our seats there.

In any case, I had no opportunity to select my own seats at check-in on either segment.

 

[robinb]

Another update, now that I'm home.

I checked in for my flights home about 23 hours in advance. We were placed in middle seats all over the plane. I checked in with the Delta app and I noticed that there was a button that said "seats". I tapped on that and I was able to reassign our seats. I put my DD's BF in an aisle seat, my skinny DD in a middle seat in front of him and I took a window seat a few rows behind them. Our second flight was assigned while we were in flight and we were all together.