What is Delta Fare Class Z?
Delta Fare class Z 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 Z fare class.
Fare Class Z booking information
Important information about Fare Class Z on Delta Air Lines.
How expensive is Fare Class Z?
Fare Class Z is marketed as a discount first class / Delta One ticket, and is the lowest revenue fare class in the cabin. If you’re looking for flights and see Fare Class Z 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 Z fare inventory on Delta Air Lines
Tickets purchased in Fare Class Z 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 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.
- Searching for Fare Class Z 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 Z 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 Z fare availability months in advance, which supports to theory of Revenue management controlling the release of these seats.
- People who manage to book Z 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 Z 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 frequent flyer earnings
Explore what you'll earn as a SkyMiles member flying on Delta Air Lines with a ticket in Fare Class Z.
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 Z ticket
Important upgrade eligibility and upgrade order information with a Fare Class Z 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.
Joe Blow says:
This sounds about right. Just bought up to Delta One from Premium Select 6 weeks before travel for MSP-CDG for $800 from the PE fare. A few weeks ago, Delta had been asking about $3000 for this upsell, so that was quite the price drop. It shows as Z class now on my Delta App itinerary.
Phil says:
I just upgraded 2 comfort seats from btv to jfk to first class for $50/seat. First Class (Z).
Adrian says:
Are you sure you get MQMs for Z class? I just flew Z class and got nothing. Currently in contact with Delta now.
Sean Brown says:
100% positive that you earn MQM, MQD, MQD and skymiles from fare class Z. When calling,
Make sure you are on a 006 ticket with a DL flight number.
Michael M says:
Yes, you will get MQMs
Michael m says:
I’ve purchased Delta Vacations a few times and they have always been Z fare. One trip the gate agent asked if we upgraded. Which I replied we purchased Delta One and not upgraded.