This year, “base” fares will no longer be limited to economy class tickets. Instead, first-class and business travelers booking through Delta will be able to forgo perks like free cancellations and accruing loyalty points in exchange for cheaper “base” tickets.
Delta executives hinted during an earnings call on Jan. 13 that the change is expected to take effect this year. With it, Delta passengers will see basic, streamlined fare options when booking a seat in the airline’s premium cabins.
When the change is fully rolled out, here’s how it’s expected to work: After travelers choose between the airline’s available seat classes, they’ll be prompted to select a benefits class — Basic, Classic or Extra. Lower-priced base fares may come with restrictions such as late check-in or the inability to select a seat, while the most expensive additional fares may come with a range of benefits, such as extra mileage accrual and fully refundable fares. Classic fares are considered the airline’s standard fare type.
Currently, premium cabin passengers can only choose between Classic or Extra cabins, while Economy passengers can choose from all three cabins: Basic, Classic and Extra cabins. The announcement will make nearly all seats on Delta flights available for purchase at a lower price in the Basic Benefit tier.
The concept has already been tested on Delta Air Lines’ Comfort Seats. According to a November 2025 report from The Points Guy, Delta Air Lines began selling Delta Comfort seats with more legroom with basic benefits options. With this rollout, basic Delta Comfort+ travelers can still get premium seats with extra legroom, but they won’t be able to select seats in advance, earn fewer SkyMiles and will have to pay fees if they need to cancel their trip.
“We’re very careful not to go too fast to make sure we’re measured in this approach,” Delta Executive Vice President Joe Esposito said on a conference call Tuesday. “We’re still testing Comfort Basic right now, [and] We will be expanding this throughout the remainder of the year. “
The new approach to fares, known as “unbundling,” is expected to allow legacy airline Delta Air Lines to better compete with low-cost carrier fares. It also enables business and first class passengers to choose the level of benefits they want or need without affecting their premium seats. Delta Air Lines will be the first U.S. airline to offer premium cabin seating, reduced prices and benefits.
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