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Is It Possible to Opt out of Delta Comfort+ Upgrades?

Aug. 06, 2019
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3 min read
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Is It Possible to Opt out of Delta Comfort+ Upgrades?
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Reader Questions are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.

Frequent travelers tend to spend a lot of time chasing complimentary upgrades, so it's hard to imagine why someone would want to turn one down — or even opt out of the upgrade process entirely. However, many Delta elites who've been auto-upgraded to middle seats in the carrier's Comfort+ cabin find themselves in exactly this predicament. TPG reader Zach wants to know if there's a mechanism to avoid this ...

[pullquote source="TPG READER ZACH"]Is it possible to opt out of Delta Comfort+ upgrades to make sure I don't end up in a middle seat?[/pullquote]

In order to fully understand this question, it's important to talk about one of the key ways in which Delta's business model is different than that of United or American Airlines. Delta has made a point of branding all of its cabins, from Comfort+ to Delta One. As a result, Delta Medallion members who book standard economy can't just pick Comfort+ seats; they must be upgraded to them. Most elite members with United and American, on the other hand, can simply select seats in similar, extra-legroom sections — termed Main Cabin Extra on American and Economy Plus on United.

When Delta first rolled out this upgrade program, it created some unfortunate situations. Some people who'd selected exit-row seats for the extra room found themselves "upgraded" to a middle seat in Comfort+, while others wound up in a bulkhead on a regional jet with a large backpack or briefcase — hardly a better spot. Delta listened to this feedback from its elite members, and in 2017 added the ability to restrict automatic Comfort+ upgrades to just window and/or aisle seats.

Delta recently took this one step further and started testing a process that allows elites to reverse a Comfort+ upgrade once the seat has been selected. This feature hasn't yet been rolled out system-wide, but once Delta is done perfecting it, elite members should get complimentary upgrades only when they want them. Because Delta is the only US airline to auto-upgrade its elite members to different seats in the economy cabin, it's also the only carrier to have this unique problem.

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Bottom Line

If Zach is worried about getting stuck in a middle seat due to an "upgrade," he can opt out of automatic upgrades to Comfort+ when they'd land him in a middle seat — which can be done in the settings on his Delta account. In the near future, he might even be able to reverse an upgrade if the aisle/window seats he gets is not to his liking. One thing's for sure, however: There's no need to opt out of all Comfort+ upgrades if he's fearful of being sandwiched between other passengers.

Thanks for the question, Zach, and if you’re a TPG reader who’d like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.

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Why We Chose It

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  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.