What is Delta Fare Class I?
Delta Fare class I is a revenue fare/booking class of service that is marketed as Discount First Class / Delta One on Delta Air Lines. The fare class is considered a discounted First Class / Delta One.
Below is a human-readable explanation of this fare class and the expectations passengers should have when flying with a I fare class.
Fare Class I booking information
Important information about Fare Class I on Delta Air Lines.
How expensive is Fare Class I?
Fare Class I is marketed as a discount first class / Delta One ticket, and is the second lowest revenue fare class in the cabin. If you’re looking for flights and see Fare Class I showing as the lowest fare class available, it means the cabin for the flight/route you are booking is nearly empty’ish with only few seats available on one or more segments of the itinerary.
How to find I fare inventory on Delta Air Lines
Tickets purchased in Fare Class I will be cheap’ish. To book a cheaper fare class, you’ll need to select a lower cabin or adjust your routing or dates.
In years past, searching for flights months out yielded Z-fare class inventory because there were no customers booked in Delta One. Sometime in 2021-2022’ish, Revenue management blocked Z-fare inventory for lowest fare sale until they explicitly released select inventory. This move effectively raised the cheapest fare for Delta One by controlling how many seats and when the seats this fare class is available for sale. Additionally, it eliminates savvy flyings seeking Z fare class routes.
If you are a frequent flyer with additional insight or are with Delta seeking to clarify the information provided, please contact me.
SkyMiles frequent flyer earnings
Explore what you'll earn as a SkyMiles member flying on Delta Air Lines with a ticket in Fare Class I.
SkyMiles Member
Silver Medallion
Gold Medallion
Platinum Medallion
Diamond Medallion
1 Distance calculations are at the sole discretion of Delta Air Lines; however, calculations generally follow the great circle distance between airports.
SkyMiles upgrades with Fare Class I ticket
Important upgrade eligibility and upgrade order information with a Fare Class I ticket on Delta Air Lines.
Complimentary upgrades on Delta Air Lines
Upgrading to Premium Cabins (Delta Premium Select / Delta One)
- There are no cabins of service higher than Delta One.
Official upgrade rules found on Delta.com.
Mileage Upgrade Awards (MUA) changes (as of 08/22/2023)
- It is unlikely to see buy up offers or MUAs because the ticketed fare class is the highest cabin of service available, but Delta's IT has been know to do shady, illogical things like sell you a buy-up to a refundable fare in the same cabin.