Complimentary upgrades on Delta for Velocity Rewards status cardholders

Complimentary upgrades on Delta for Velocity Rewards status cardholders

Just got an email from Virgin Australia / Velocity Rewards announcing FREE upgrades (subject to availability) from Delta Economy to Delta Comfort+ (Premium Economy) :

Velocity is pleased to announce that from 1 March 2015 Platinum, Gold and Silver members will enjoy complimentary upgrades to Delta Air Lines new Delta Comfort+**. Delta Air Lines has replaced their current Economy Comfort+** product with the new Delta Comfort+ which is a new class of comfort with upgraded amenities like dedicated overhead space, complimentary beer, wine and spirits, premium snacks on longer flights, complimentary premium entertainment with Delta Studio™ and of course, extra legroom and seats in the front of the cabin.

Subject to availability, Velocity Platinum can request an upgrade on selected Delta Air Lines operated fights 72 hours prior to departure. Velocity Gold and Silver members can request an upgrade within 24 hours of departure. This benefit is in addition to Priority Check In, Screening, Boarding and Priority Baggage as well as recently announced additional baggage allowance.

Do you think this is a good benefit? It certainly sounds like a nice surprise.

Isn't Delta Comfort + just Delta's version of Main Cabin Extra?

No Delta Main Cabin Economy and Delta Economy Basic are below Delta Comfort+. Here's a blurb from a report on it.

Delta’s Comfort Plus is a new level of service, a hybrid of economy and First Class. Not quite as much legroom as First Class, but about 4 inches more than economy. Call it “Second Class.”

Priority boarding (after First Class and Delta One), dedicated overhead space, complimentary beer, wine, and spirits, and “premium snacks” on flights longer than 900 miles round out the details.

Like Delta One and First Class, you also get access to the Delta Studio and wifi.

Long-haul international flights offer meal service, a sleep kit, and extra reclining room. The New York JFK-to-Los Angeles route also includes a sleep kit and a “Luvo” snack wrap with frozen yogurt.

No I meant American Airline's Main Cabin Extra i.e. not quite premium economy just a bit more leg room.

Sorry TheRealBabushka. As I understand it the difference between AA Main Cabin Extra and Delta Comfort+ is that Delta offers a little bit more in soft product to AA's Main Cabin Extra (which is just extra leg room, priority boarding, forward seat).

The seats are a different design to those in Delta Economy, with a quilted cover, going off the photos. 

But, in terms of free upgrade, similar from what I can see.

Oh, I see what you mean - Premium Economy. Sorry, probably should have avoided that term as I don't know if it provides any improved status credit/points earn over standard economy. I used it in the generic sense, as in enhanced economy, although if you get a boost when paying for it outright it may qualify (Premium Economy classes vary so much from airline to airline, whether Economy+ or Business-, it's a hard segment to pin down on product alone).

I get what you're saying. I see now Delta's Comfort+ looks a bit more flash than AA's Main Cabin Extra.

I like the "dedicated overhead space" I wonder how they will police it. But if the cabin looks different then people's inhibitions would act as a deterrent (as they do now when they walk past the First and Business cabins and not shove their bags in).

This is great news, at least in theory! 

The question is: will we actually be able to get these seats on a regular basis, or will they generally be full? It seems that Delta Diamond and Flying Blue Platinum pax are the only ones who get access at time of booking. 

At T-72 hours, Velocity Platinums get a look in, along with Delta Gold, Flying Blue Gold and VS Flying Club Gold and Platinum.

At T-24 hours, Velocity Gold and Silver, Flying Blue Silver, and Delta Silver passengers can book.

Typically the cabins are rather small (three rows on a 737, four on a 777), much smaller than the Economy Plus cabins on United. The only helpful thing is that Delta elites are getting upgrades at the last minute, which will move their butts out of seats.

Considering you only got a discount to upgrade to Delta's old Economy Plus, not a freebie, before it's at least an enhancement in the right direction.