Delta-Seats

[NotUrsula]

My wife and I are both Gold Medallion on Delta (50,000 plus miles a year) and we think Delta is the best airline out there. We love their service and free upgrades to first class. The flight attendants are alway super. Take it from someone who really does fly.

And here is the root of the perception issue. IME, Delta is a wonderful airline when you have status with them, but sometimes, well, NOT so wonderful when you don't. The price that is paid for all that bending over backward for status customers is that sometimes the occasional flyers end up getting rather fewer of their choices honored, especially on the domestic routes where there is no FC.

One thing that Delta is known for is a habit of changing equipment, and when that happens, seat assignments tend to get vacated. IME, *this*, more than any other thing, is the most important issue to the infrequent flyer, more important than on-time status, seat pitch, change fees, or interline agreements.

I've been told that status plays no part in system-generated re-assignments, but quite frankly I'm not sure that I believe it. IME, status passengers consistently seem to get reassigned to comparable seats to those that they originally had, but non-status passengers seem much more likely to end up all over the plane. (I've seen it happen with separately-booked business parties that started out seated together near the front of the Coach cabin. The folks in the group who have status end up with assignments that are nearly identical to what they had before, but the non-status folks seem to invariably end up reassigned way behind the wing.)

 

[Tara]

And here is the root of the perception issue. IME, Delta is a wonderful airline when you have status with them, but sometimes, well, NOT so wonderful when you don't. The price that is paid for all that bending over backward for status customers is that sometimes the occasional flyers end up getting rather fewer of their choices honored, especially on the domestic routes where there is no FC.

One thing that Delta is known for is a habit of changing equipment, and when that happens, seat assignments tend to get vacated. IME, *this*, more than any other thing, is the most important issue to the infrequent flyer, more important than on-time status, seat pitch, change fees, or interline agreements.

I've been told that status plays no part in system-generated re-assignments, but quite frankly I'm not sure that I believe it. IME, status passengers consistently seem to get reassigned to comparable seats to those that they originally had, but non-status passengers seem much more likely to end up all over the plane. (I've seen it happen with separately-booked business parties that started out seated together near the front of the Coach cabin. The folks in the group who have status end up with assignments that are nearly identical to what they had before, but the non-status folks seem to invariably end up reassigned way behind the wing.)

I've never once had status on Delta until about 3 months ago.

 

[brianm27]

Back to the OP's original question:

Check the web site a couple of times a day. As the flight draws near, elite members may be upgraded, and passengers on full business fares may chage their plans. I frequently change my seat at the last minute to get an empty middle seat next to me.

 

[tkldisney]

Go for the earlier flight that they can put you on without seats next to each other. Try to get the best seats you can - ask for 2 aisle seats. With any luck, you can change your seat assignment on the day of the flight because some seats are blocked for assignment at the airport. If not, with 2 aisles, you very well might be able to get someone to switch with one of you. I know if I'm flying alone, I'll gladly give up a middle seat in exchange for an aisle seat.

I agree with this one. Take the earlier flight, and most likely you can get someone to switch seats with you (especially if you have and aisle) so you can sit together.