Delta Boarding Zones: Everything to Know About the New Delta Boarding Order

When boarding a Delta flight, you’ll notice a number one through nine on your boarding pass. This is the zone in which you can board your flight. Delta implemented this procedure to help streamline the boarding process and reduce congestion at the gate.

Before using zones, Delta would call out a seating group like main cabin, Delta Comfort+, or first class, and any passenger in this group would board. With more zones than fare classes, the process is much easier with less confusion. You don’t need to be one of those standing up at the gate to wait to board your flight, simply get in line whenever your zone is called. Here’s everything you need to know about Delta boarding zones, including how to get priority.

What are the Delta boarding zones?

Delta Air Lines has nine different boarding groups. Customers needing assistance, active military, and people with top-tier elite statuses board first.

Travelers who purchased a premium ticket and have a Delta credit card also move up in the boarding order. Those who bought basic economy tickets typically board the plane last, though there are ways to get around the restriction. Delta gate agents announce zone boarding in order, and you can find your exact boarding zone on your boarding pass after you check in.

How to get priority boarding on Delta

There aren’t many tricks to get priority boarding on Delta. As you can see from the chart, the process is pretty simple—if you want to board early, you either need to be extremely loyal to Delta (to the point of being a member of the invite-only Delta 360 program) or purchase a Delta One or first class ticket.

If that’s out of your budget, you can purchase a Comfort+ or Premium Select (Delta’s version of premium economy) to still be higher up in the boarding process. If you have a co-branded credit card or elite status, you can board about halfway through the process. You’d think folks with mid-level elite status would board earlier, but they don’t.

Purchase a Delta One or first class ticket

If you want to be the first on board, purchase a Delta One or first class plane ticket. Delta One is only available on select long haul routes, while first class can be found on shorter domestic routes. Personally, I always try to fly first class when I’m in the U.S. because the planes are often small, and I’m pretty tall. The price difference between Comfort+ and first class is usually minimal, so it’s worth the comfort.

Earn elite status

If you want a way to board earlier without shelling out for a first class ticket, you’ll need to fly Delta frequently enough to earn elite status. If you have the top-tier Delta Diamond Medallion status, you’ll board in Zone 2, regardless of your ticket. However, you’ll need to earn $28,000 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) to reach Diamond Medallion. Essentially, you’ll be spending $28,000 on Delta flights throughout the year to attain this status level. Someone who can spend that much each year will probably be flying Delta One, to begin with, and won’t need the boarding privileges that come with status.

Lower level Platinum and Gold Medallion members board in Zone 4, after Comfort+ and Premium Select passengers. Again, if you’re loyal enough to Delta to reach these tiers, you will likely already be on board by Zone 4.

Get a co-branded Delta credit card

Having a Delta co-branded credit card can be a great way to get earlier boarding if you typically purchase basic economy or main cabin tickets. Delta has four co-branded personal credit cards, and the three options with an annual fee offer priority boarding in Zone 5.

• Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

Although having a co-branded credit card doesn’t bump you up too far in the boarding process, it puts you ahead of anyone traveling in the main cabin or those with a basic economy ticket. Plus, the two highest annual fee cards in the lineup give you a path to elite status, where you might move further up the boarding ladder. For example, you can earn $1 MQD for each $20 of purchases made with your Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card or $1 MQD for each $10 of purchases with your Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card. With both cards, you’ll also receive an MQD headstart of $2,500 MQDs per Medallion Qualification year, which puts you halfway to Silver Medallion status.

FAQ

Bottom line

Delta has a defined boarding process with nine different boarding zones. Your boarding group is determined by your elite status, the type of ticket you purchased, and whether you have a Delta credit card. I have Silver Medallion status and the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, both of which give me Zone 5 boarding. As with most airlines, if you want to board first, you’ll need to pay for a first class ticket.

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Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

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Current Offer

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $150 per year thereafter

Rewards Rate

2X miles on qualifying Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S supermarkets; and 1X miles per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases

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• Up to $300 in potential annual statement credits
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• First checked bag free and priority boarding

Drawbacks

• Has an annual fee after the first year
• Lack of flexibility with rewards
• No path to elite status

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• Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months
• 2X miles on qualifying Delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S supermarkets; and 1X miles per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
• Terms apply