If you’re used to booking the cheapest option on Delta Airlines, you’ll notice something missing next time you fly. Basic Economy is being phased out—at least by name.
Starting this month, Delta is removing Basic Economy from its booking options. But that doesn’t mean the budget-friendly ticket is gone for good. Instead, it’s getting folded into a new system.
Delta’s SVP and Chief Digital Officer Eric Phillips explained the move in a recent press release.
“As we listen and learn about what our customers want when it comes to their travel, we know that clarity and choice are paramount,” Phillips stated.
He added, “Our reimagined shopping experience gives customers more options and flexibility to pick the travel experience that works best for them, and a full picture of all the benefits of flying with Delta.”
So what are the new options?
Delta’s Main Cabin—now simply called Delta Main—will include three tiers: Basic, Classic, and Extra.
If you’re looking for something similar to the old Basic Economy, Delta Main Basic is the new choice.
It still comes with no seat selection until check-in and the last boarding zone (Zone 8). The difference is mainly in branding—Delta wants the new structure to feel more flexible and clearer to customers.
Meanwhile, a few other fare classes are also getting slight name changes. Comfort+ will now be called Delta Comfort, First Class becomes Delta First, with Premium Select and Delta One keeping their names.
No changes are being made to the in-flight experience itself—just what it’s called when you book.
Delta flyers are already reacting
On a r/delta post, some Reddit users say they’ve already noticed the changes showing up in the Delta app—and not everyone’s happy about it.
“This is not an improvement,” wrote one user.
Another user questioned the logic behind the change. “I really do not understand the purpose of doing this other than to frustrate customers,” they wrote. “Do they do ANY testing of these things before implementing them?”
And one person said the new layout actually caused them to book the wrong fare.
“This is new on the app, it tricked me last night. I have a screenshot of the exact same flight from Tuesday and then from yesterday, and the UI is totally different,” they shared.
“It shows you the BE price under the main umbrella and tricks you into thinking it’s cheaper. You have to click on it to show the actual price for Main. Super sneaky, especially after choosing ‘Main’ on the previous screen in the search parameters.”
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