I was checking seat maps on orbitz.com for an upcoming RT MSP-SLC-SFO-SLC-MSP and saw that some premium seats opened up in the first few rows of Y. On Delta.com, I was unable to see the seats, but I called Delta reservations, and after some consultations, I was assigned the seats in the elite area.

The agent said that she wasn't that familier with the Skyteam elite program, and she asked me if I was a tier 1 or tier 2 elite. I said I didn't know, but I do know that I am NW Silver Elite and a Sky Team Elite member. She was friendly, and assigned me seats together in 737 rows 11 and 12, the same seats I had seen on Orbitz.com.

Less than a minute later, My Itineraries on Delta.com had the updated seat assignments, and Orbiz.com reflected the change. So the Orbitz seat maps are updated in real time.

Of course, YMMV.