Delta Fare Class OZ

A comprehensive explanation of Delta fare class OZ including SkyMiles medallion earnings and upgrade eligibility information.

What is Delta Fare Class OZ?

Delta Fare class OZ is an award 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 Z fare class.

Information about Delta Air Lines Fare Class OZ

Fare Class OZ booking information

Important information about Fare Class OZ on Delta Air Lines.

How expensive is Fare Class OZ?

Fare Class OZ is the lowest award fare class in the cabin. If you’re looking for flights and see Fare Class OZ showing as the lowest fare class available, it means the cabin for the flight/route you are booking is nearly empty with only few seats booked on one or more segments of the itinerary.

How to find OZ fare inventory on Delta Air Lines

Tickets purchased in Fare Class OZ will be the least expensive. 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 OZ-fare class inventory because there were no customers booked in Delta One. Sometime in 2021-2022’ish, Revenue management blocked OZ-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 OZ fare class routes.

  • Searching for Fare Class OZ is nearly impossible through Delta.com and they have deprecated the advanced search feature which used to allow passengers to search by Fare Class.
  • It is advised to call into reservations and get a knowledgeable ticketing agent to search your destination for Fare Class OZ availability. Unfortunately, getting a knowledgeable ticket agent is very hard post-COVID as the newer agents have not been trained on DL Term or any other system than their point-and-click reservations system. You will have to hang up and call again (HUCA).
  • Many frequent flyers are reporting no OZ fare availability months in advance, which supports to theory of Revenue management controlling the release of these seats.
  • People who manage to book OZ fares have reported that the fare class came available a few weeks to month out. The theory behind this is that the Delta One seat sales were lagging behind the forecasted load and thus Revenue Management released a seat or two into the OZ fare bucket for sale.

If you are a frequent flyer with additional insight or are with Delta seeking to clarify the information provided, please contact me.

SkyMiles earnings on Delta Air Lines Fare Class OZ

SkyMiles frequent flyer earnings

Explore what you'll earn as a SkyMiles member flying on Delta Air Lines with a ticket in Fare Class OZ.

  • Medallion Bonus: no
  • Minimum MQMs earned: 500

SkyMiles Member

150% MQM

Based on distance flown1. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


1:1 MQS

Based on number of flight segments flown. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


MQD earnings based on Ticket Price

Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


SkyMiles earned per $1 MQD

SkyMiles are earned and redeemed for travel, upgrades and other eligible purchases. SkyMiles never expire.

Silver Medallion

150% MQM

Based on distance flown1. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


1:1 MQS

Based on number of flight segments flown. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


MQD earnings based on Ticket Price

Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


0 SkyMiles earned per $1 MQD

SkyMiles are earned and redeemed for travel, upgrades and other eligible purchases. SkyMiles never expire.

Gold Medallion

150% MQM

Based on distance flown1. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


1:1 MQS

Based on number of flight segments flown. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


MQD earnings based on Ticket Price

Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


0 SkyMiles earned per $1 MQD

SkyMiles are earned and redeemed for travel, upgrades and other eligible purchases. SkyMiles never expire.

Platinum Medallion

150% MQM

Based on distance flown1. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


1:1 MQS

Based on number of flight segments flown. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


MQD earnings based on Ticket Price

Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


0 SkyMiles earned per $1 MQD

SkyMiles are earned and redeemed for travel, upgrades and other eligible purchases. SkyMiles never expire.

Diamond Medallion

150% MQM

Based on distance flown1. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


1:1 MQS

Based on number of flight segments flown. Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


MQD earnings based on Ticket Price

Earns toward status and resets each calendar year.


0 SkyMiles earned per $1 MQD

SkyMiles are earned and redeemed for travel, upgrades and other eligible purchases. SkyMiles never expire.

1 Distance calculations are at the sole discretion of Delta Air Lines; however, calculations generally follow the great circle distance between airports.

Delta Air Lines Fare Class OZ

SkyMiles upgrades with Fare Class OZ ticket

Important upgrade eligibility and upgrade order information with a Fare Class OZ ticket on Delta Air Lines.

  • Loyalty program linked to PNR: SkyMiles
  • Complimentary upgrade eligible:

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.

Official mileage upgrade awards rules found on Delta.com

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