Delta's £21 First-Class Upgrade Offer Angers Loyal Customers
Delta Air Lines has sparked significant controversy among its most dedicated passengers by introducing first-class upgrades for as little as $26 (£21). This strategic shift, identified by travel expert Gary Leff of View from the Wing, has left elite flyers feeling betrayed, as they previously received these premium seats as complimentary rewards for their loyalty.
The End of an Era for Complimentary Upgrades
For decades, unsold first-class seats were the prized possession of airline loyalty schemes. Travellers who accumulated thousands of air miles and spent substantial sums—often tens of thousands of pounds—with their preferred carrier could expect free upgrades. However, this tradition appears to be largely finished.
A Delta representative confirmed to Gary Leff that a mere 12 percent of first-class seats are now allocated as complimentary upgrades. This marks a dramatic decline from 15 years ago, when 81 percent of these premium seats were given to loyal customers. The overwhelming majority are now sold directly to passengers, frequently at heavily discounted rates shortly after they purchase their initial ticket.
The remarkably low $26 offer was first noticed by a frequent flyer on a route from Chicago to Detroit. Leff noted this is one of the lowest 'buy-up' prices ever reported for a premium airline cabin.
The Aggressive Monetisation of Premium Cabins
This pricing strategy highlights how aggressively major airlines, including Delta, are now working to monetise every available inch of their aircraft. Many customers have reported encountering auctions for these luxury seats starting just minutes after they complete a flight booking.
This is not the first instance where Delta's pricing decisions have caused customer discontent this year. Back in July, the airline revealed it was implementing artificial intelligence to assist in setting its fares. Delta had previously depended on more fixed and transparent pricing models, where passengers in similar seating categories paid largely the same price.
By the end of 2025, the carrier plans for 20 percent of all its fares to be determined by AI through a partnership with the pricing firm Fetcherr. A Delta executive previously stated the system can predict 'the amount people are willing to pay for the premium products related to the base fares,' raising concerns about a digital price squeeze targeting individual spending limits.
Political Backlash and Record Profits
The move towards AI-driven pricing did not go unnoticed by lawmakers. Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego, Mark Warner, and Richard Blumenthal promptly sent a letter to Delta's CEO, Ed Bastian. They demanded clarity on whether the airline's AI tools are specifically engineered to increase fares to each passenger's personal 'pain point.'
On a Reddit forum discussing the changes, one flyer commented, 'I think they are saying that they think the algorithm is too frugal with pricing. They are going to do something with the aggressiveness to send ticket prices to new heights.'
Despite the customer frustration, Delta's financial performance remains robust. In October, the airline, led by CEO Ed Bastian, reported a better-than-expected profit of $1.42 billion for the last quarter. This strong result was partly driven by luxury travellers purchasing tickets to high-end holiday destinations. Sales of first-class seats alone saw a rise of 9 percent in the preceding three-month period.
The Daily Mail approached Delta Air Lines for comment on this story, but the company did not provide a response.
