Delta Comfort Plus: What to Know Before You Book

Delta Air Lines' Comfort Plus product is a step above main cabin, the airline’s name for economy class. Comfort Plus passengers get more legroom, amenity kits, free booze and early boarding.

• Boarding: Delta Comfort Plus passengers receive an early boarding call — before main cabin — and have dedicated overhead bin space, which can sometimes be tough to come by in economy.

• Premium food: Starbucks coffee, beer and wine (offered to flyers over 21) are provided on flights of at least 251 miles, and complimentary liquor is available on flights of at least 500 miles. Premium snacks are served on flights of 900 miles or longer when there is no meal service.

• Seats: Delta Comfort Plus seats offer about 34 inches of seat pitch. That means if you measure the distance between any point on one seat and the same point on a seat directly in front of or behind it, there will be 34 inches in between. That's several inches more than a standard economy seat.

• Onboard amenities: You will receive a pillow, a blanket, earbuds and an amenity kit if you fly on a long-distance international flight.

Unless you have Medallion status, a Delta co-branded credit card or active military status, there’s no free checked bag allowance on domestic Delta Comfort Plus. For domestic flights, you will have to pay $35 for the first checked piece of luggage and $45 for a second piece. Passengers flying on international flights can check one piece of luggage weighing up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms) at no cost.

If you want to be in a separate cabin from the main cabin, look for Premium Select, which is the name of Delta’s premium economy on some international flights. Premium Select is its own cabin in front of the economy cabin and offers larger seats with a footrest, accelerated check-in, security and baggage handling and enhanced onboard amenities and meal service.

» Learn more: Delta Comfort Plus vs. Premium Select

Whether you’re redeeming Delta SkyMiles or paying cash, you can book Delta Comfort Plus tickets directly on the airline’s website.

On Delta’s homepage, select your departure and destination cities, dates of travel, and the number of passengers. When the search results pop up on the next page, each class of service is clearly marked: Basic, Main, Comfort + and First.

On select international routes, you’ll see the Premium Select cabin in addition to Comfort Plus, which is an even more expensive fare type with additional perks.

» Learn more: Basic economy vs. main cabin

The Delta Comfort Plus change fee and cancellation policy depends on your origin. Tickets for domestic and international travel originating in the U.S., Canada, Europe, India, Africa and the Caribbean are eligible for free changes and cancellations, but you might have to pay for the difference in price if the fare changes.

Unless you booked a refundable ticket, you will receive an eCredit for the original amount you paid for the ticket that you can use to pay for a future Delta flight. The eCredits usually expire within a year of the date you bought your ticket.

So is Delta Comfort Plus that much better than a standard economy ticket? Take a look at some of the differences.

When comparing Comfort Plus seats with main cabin, you typically get an extra 2 to 3 inches of room in Delta Comfort Plus. Delta’s economy class seats have 31 to 32 inches of pitch (varies by aircraft), and Comfort Plus seats measure about 34 inches.

As mentioned above, Comfort Plus passengers receive a premium snack selection and complimentary alcoholic beverages on select domestic flights. Main cabin passengers get a smaller snack selection and have to pay for premium drinks.

As for checked luggage, travelers in both classes of service will have to pay for bags, with exceptions for elite status, certain credit card holders and military.

» Learn more: Delta Comfort Plus vs. main cabin

To truly experience premium economy on Delta, consider Premium Select. Depending on the aircraft, Delta Premium Select seats have a pitch of 38 inches, a width of at least 18.5 inches and an adjustable footrest, leg rest and headrest.

Compared to 34 inches in Comfort Plus, the increase in seat pitch and width is an upgrade. Additionally, Premium Select seats can feature a recline of up to 7 inches.

On planes with both Premium Select and Comfort Plus seats, like the Airbus A350 and A330-900neo, Premium Select is located between Delta One and the Comfort Plus area of the main cabin.

On Premium Select seats, passengers can watch movies on a seatback screen up to 13.3 inches and charge their devices using an in-seat power outlet.

On the ground, Premium Select passengers experience SkyPriority benefits, such as a priority check-in lane, expedited baggage delivery and premium boarding. Two free checked bags are also included on international flights, one more than those flying Comfort Plus.

» Learn more: How to get free upgrades on flights

Comfort Plus is more expensive than a standard economy ticket, so you have to decide whether the upcharge is worth having more legroom, access to complimentary premium beverages and a designated overhead compartment. Especially if you're flying domestically, the extra cost for a short flight may not be worth it.

If you’d like a true premium economy experience, you could consider upgrading from Comfort Plus to Premium Select. This cabin can be found on select international routes to Europe or Asia, and it offers even more comforts such as a reclining seat with a footrest, a large entertainment screen and an amenity kit.

(Top photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines)