Delta has made it easier for customers to buy premium
products after their original ticket purchase.
Under a new policy, customers who have a ticket can purchase
upgrades to Comfort Plus, first class or Delta One for any segment of an
itinerary. Previously, such purchases had to be made for the entire inbound or
outbound half of a trip.
For example, under the change, a customer flying through
Atlanta en route from Los Angeles to Savannah could upgrade to Comfort Plus for
only the Los Angeles-Atlanta portion of the inbound or outbound journey.
Delta also will make it easier for customers to complete the
upgrade. They can now use a different payment method than the original purchase
method. And they can purchase the upgrade at Delta.com or by calling Delta's
reservations line, regardless of the channel they used to purchase the original
ticket. Such purchases will soon be available in the Fly Delta app. Only
itineraries wholly operated by Delta are eligible for post-purchase upgrades,
subject to availability.
"This is all about consumer choice," said Rhonda
Crawford, Delta's vice president -- global distribution and digital strategy. "This
flexibility is what our corporate travel customers, in particular, have told
Delta they want because it lets them select their desired experience,
regardless of how or where their ticket was bought."
Delta also said Wednesday that it would give SkyMiles
Medallion members more upgrade control. Along with the current automatic
upgrade process, Medallion members also have the option to self-select upgrade
seats from a seat map. The members can then choose not to accept an upgrade if
they aren't happy with their seat assignment. Delta says the change is designed
for customers who value exact seat assignment over ease of automation.