Delta Airlines Boarding Zones: Get Faster Access!

Delta new boarding procedures have a specific way of getting passengers on the plane so that the flight can depart timely. Every passenger will board the flight according to their allotted zones. With different boarding zones, it can be easily confusing for passengers to figure out their turn to embark on the flight if they arrive late after the boarding announcement is made. Therefore, understanding the Delta Airlines Boarding Zones can make your trip smoother and less stressful. Let’s break down each and every order in a way that’s easy to follow.

Delta Airlines 8 Boarding Zones: The Introduction Part!

Passengers are grouped into different zones and board the plane in a specific order. But how many zones does Delta have? The airline has a total of eight boarding groups, along with defined protocols for passengers who can board the plane on a priority basis. Essentially, there are nine groups when you count the pre boarding members as well.

At first, pre boarding members, including passengers who are physically or mentally challenged or need extra time and assistance to board the plane, get to embark on the plane. Please note that this category also includes active-duty U.S. military personnel with valid IDs and Delta 360° members. After that, the remaining boarding zones for Delta are followed. Here’s what to expect:

Boarding zone	Priority Order of Passengers Boarding Delta Flight
Preboarding	Mentally or physically disabled passengers. Passengers requiring extra assistance to board the plane. U.S. military personnel on active duty with valid identification. Delta 360° members
Zone 1	Member of Delta One Passengers with first-class tickets.
Zone 2	Diamond Medallion Members Delta Premium Select Members Passengers carrying car seats and strollers.
Zone 3	Passengers with Delta Comfort+ cabin tickets.
Zone 4	Platinum Medallion Members Gold Medallion Members Flying Blue Platinum and Gold Members Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold Members SkyTeam Elite Plus Members LATAM Pass Black Signature, Black, and Platinum Elite WestJet Rewards Platinum and Gold Elite
Zone 5	Silver Medallion Members Delta Corporate Travelers Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, and Reserve Amex Card Members Flying Blue Silver Members Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Silver Members SkyTeam Elite LATAM Pass Gold+ Elite WestJet Rewards Silver Elite
Zone 6	SkyMiles Members flying Main Cabin
Zone 7	Non-SkyMiles Members flying in the Main Cabin
Zone 8	Passengers holding Basic Economy fare tickets.

* Note: Passengers with Silver Medallion membership will not get the same priority boarding zone on Delta flights when flying out of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. This is because of the Air France-KLM boarding policies.

How Do Passengers Get Assigned to a Specific Group?

Passengers holding elite status, such as a Delta partner credit card and a ticket to a premium cabin, automatically get assigned to the highest boarding zone. Delta puts emphasis on the status and importance of the passengers. For instance, if you already hold a Diamond Medallion membership and purchase an economy ticket, you’ll still get to board the plane on the call for Zone 2. There is no need to wait for the last zone for the basic economy. That’s one of the benefits of having top Medallion status. 

Another way to explain this – passengers with Delta co-branded Amex credit cards with basic economy tickets. Such travelers can skip the long queue and jump straight from the basic economy zone 8 to zone five, thanks to the credit card status!

This is a great indication for those who generally fly on the basic economy. Having a higher status or credit card can be very helpful for getting faster access to the plane.

Get Delta Priority Boarding!

Here’s another way through which you can find your way to the top of the Delta Airline boarding zones.

Priority Boarding! Though this will not take it to the topmost level, but pretty much before main cabin passengers, which is zone 6. It’s not that bad, to be honest, especially when you don’t hold any “premium” status. The following are some of the ways through which you can get faster boarding on Delta Airlines.

• Choose a premium cabin to fly to your destination, such as a Delta One or First Class cabin.
• Get ahold of elite status by signing up for Delta Diamond & Gold Medallion memberships.
• On international flights, fly in Delta Premium Select. It will give you faster access to the boarding lane after first-class and Delta One passengers.
• Enroll for Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, or Reserve Card to easily get to the boarding zone 5.
• If your ticket includes the company’s corporate ticket designator, then you can get priority boarding as a corporate traveler.

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