Delta Air Lines to Launch New Main Cabin Fare in 2025

Delta Air Lines plans to further segment its cabin classes in 2025, offering travelers more choices beyond main, Comfort+, business, or first class.

During its investor relations day on Wednesday, Delta President Glen W. Hauenstein said the airline will begin “experimenting” with additional segmentation, starting with its main cabin next year. While Delta already offers segmentation through its basic economy fares in coach, it now plans to introduce another option within the main cabin.

“If you think about choices [travelers] had back in 2010—coach, first, or business class—now we’ve got all these different cabins on the airplane, but we really think there’s another way to segment them,” Hauenstein said.

Although no specifics were announced, Hauenstein told investors the goal is to introduce subcategories of fares within each cabin class: “a good product, a better product, and a best product.” For example, basic economy could serve as the “good” product in coach, the standard main cabin fare as the “better” product, and a new main cabin fare as the “best” product. Delta expects to launch that third option next year.

“We already have it with basic and main, but we’re going to try a ‘best’ in that category that we don’t really have,” he added.

If the “good” product, basic economy, represents a stripped-down fare, the “best” product in the main cabin could include perks unavailable to basic economy or standard main cabin passengers.

While Delta has yet to provide specifics, Hauenstein said the airline plans to “experiment” with the fare next year. Potential inclusions could be free checked bags, higher boarding priority, extra legroom, complimentary snack boxes or drinks, or other upgrades.

American Airlines already offers three segments in its main cabin, ranging from basic economy to Main Cabin Extra. Its top-tier Main Cabin Extra includes benefits like extra legroom, early boarding, and complimentary alcoholic beverages.

Delta isn’t stopping at the main cabin. Hauenstein said the airline plans to apply the “good, better, and best” strategy to all cabin classes, including first class.

“Over the next couple of years, you’ll see us attempting and testing what consumers want in their bundles and what they’re willing to pay for,” he said. “We’re going to transform ourselves over the next three to five years.”