Back in 2012, Delta Air Lines became the first major US airline to introduce basic economy fares. In this post, I’d like to go over the details of the SkyTeam carrier’s most restrictive ticket types. What restrictions are there when booking basic economy fares, and are these tickets worth it? Let’s go over all the details. Separately, I’ve covered similar fares offered by Alaska, American, JetBlue, and United.
Basic economy is ultimately a tool for airlines to better segment the market. Those looking for the cheapest fares might book Delta basic economy fares rather than a competitor, while the airline hopes that most consumers are willing to “buy up” to more expensive fares, which come with fewer restrictions.
Airline revenue management is quite an art, and it’s all about getting as much revenue as possible from each customer. Basic economy fares are a major part of that, and Delta is particularly punitive with its basic economy fares, especially for elite members.
Another consideration is that nowadays a large portion of airline profits come from loyalty programs. Getting people onto aircraft and getting them to sign-up for the loyalty program makes it easier to market credit cards to more people. So there’s huge value to just getting people onto aircraft, even if their tickets directly aren’t that profitable.
Restrictions with Delta basic economy fares
If you’re shopping for a Delta flight and see a basic economy fare (marketed as “Main Basic”), should you consider booking it? Let me go over the major restrictions of these kinds of fares — I’m talking specifically about Main Basic fares, and not Comfort Fares, which are Delta’s expansion of unbundling into the premium segment (though I’ll address that later on).
Now let’s talk about what is different with these fares…
Basic economy fares offer no mileage earning or elite credit
Delta is among the most restrictive US airlines when it comes to being rewarded for basic economy tickets. Basic economy tickets aren’t eligible for any sort of SkyMiles mileage earning, and won’t count toward SkyMiles Medallion elite status. So even the amount you spend on your ticket wouldn’t qualify as Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) toward your status total.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
