I still get a chuckle from "main cabin 1 priority boarding". If I count correctly (not considering pre-boards), MC1 is group 4 of 7? (F/D1+DM, EC, Sky, MC1, MC2, MC3, BE). I guess its best of the rest, but calling it priority is a stretch even on a good day.

Unfortunately FO still only gets you Main 1 boarding (unless in EC or F of course).

Yeah, there's no benefit to this if you have any of the fee Delta AmEx cards. The 20% rebate means that 8 $9-priced drinks only cost $57.60, and Main Cabin 1 boarding is already included. That means that it costs $1.40 more for the brag tag versus buying the drinks outright on the Delta AmEx card.

It might make sense for those who either can't/don't want to get one of the fee AmEx cards but still want MC1 boarding, or those with the Blue Card that don't value checked bags enough to pay the fee but could justify the drink cost plus the extra $1.40 (assuming all drink coupons are used) for MC1 boarding. I'm wondering how big of a group that is. That said, $59 for the drinks plus some other benefit not on the AmEx cards (maybe a couple of SkyClub passes?) could tip the scale.

Well as an FO this certainly seems to devalue the Zone 1 boarding more than it already is. (I'm not sure why DL emailed it to me -- while the drink coupons are nice, I think I get into C+ enough as an FO that I don't know that I'd use them all in a year. Maybe for the brag tag?). I suppose for people without any status or any of the fee AmEx cards, it's probably tempting to bite at the offer.

I guess I understand why people wouldn't want (or could be approved) for a credit card, but $59 for some drinks versus $99 for a free first checked bag is huge. And if you pay this $59/yr do you get Main1 even if flying Basic Economy?

I think FT overall mis/underestimates a lot of things about Regular People.

Consider that there is a big chunk of people (largely on the younger end of the population) who do not use credit cards at all, choosing instead to just use debit cards, cash, Venmo, etc. But they are still gainfully employed, have the means and desire to travel, and are culturally oriented to want to feel "special" or "included" in some way. And then look at the success of subscription-based lifestyle services that have successfully entered that market (clothes/shoes subscriptions, Zipcar, Barkbox, streaming apps).

It's not a balancing act of $99 vs. $59 and how many bags will they check. Obtaining/using a credit card is not even a consideration at all in their world, but subscribing to a service that provides some benefits and also includes them in a special group is front and center of how they consume products and services.

There absolutely is a market for this.

The T&Cs indicate that the priority boarding is equivalent to what you get through an Amex Delta card: "Medallion Members and holders of the Delta SkyMiles Credit Card by American Express may already enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding or better; purchase of the membership does not entitle subscriber to any further-enhanced boarding benefit."

Also, the priority boarding benefit extends to up to eight other passengers "traveling in the same reservation as the SkyMiles Select Member."

Wait...FO only gets you into main 1 not SKY...FML.
Guess Im stuck boarding late until the middle of next year when I hit GM or PM....

Changing jobs and getting back on the road a few weeks every month with no status sucks.

At least I havent had any issues with bin space so far even on full flights. Not like when I flew WN every week...have status there or sit middle...lol

I didn't say there wasn't a market, I said I could understand. I still maintain it's a poor value and is a devaluation of FO benefits.

I just got off of a chat with Delta, and the rep sent me the below:

"Main Cabin 1 Boarding: Active within 24 hours of the SkyMiles Select purchase and will automatically appear on a Member's boarding passes for all Delta flights (including Basic Economy fares) traveled within one year from the date of enrollment."

So, this is not a bad deal. I fly many times between Tucson and Los Angeles on regional jets with two seats (no middle). So, flying basic fare with Main 1 boarding will pretty much guarantee I will have a place for my carry-on, and on these flights and/or other regular fare flights I can get discounted drinks when flying domestically. Especially, when my annual airline reimbursement on my plat card is depleted, like it will be on my upcoming 2 trips.

If this proves popular, we might start seeing some flights that run of overhead space in the middle of Main Cabin 1 boarding!

What's DL's goal here? Is it to attract passengers who fly multiple times per year, but not enough for to attain status to get some set of perks to try to get their business loyalty? Or I wonder if this is a test run before making FO status harder to achieve (some discussion about that has been going on in the UA changes thread)...it sort of provides a soft landing for folks who would no longer qualify for FO, or a informal half-status in between FO and general member.

If you don't fly enough to be Silver are you going to even have an opportunity to use 8 drink tickets on the one or two round trips a year you take?

Based on this I think the market for this is people who buy basic economy fares, especially since it is priced less than the cost difference for one BE vs. main cabin ticket.

I would think so, but we will be finding out soon enough with folks still having funds left on their airline reimbursable accounts.

Exactly. The difference between a regular fare for me and a basic fare is $30. I don't normally have checked baggage. I have more than 6 Basic Fare tickets for the next year. And the drink discounts are just an added benefit for any regular main or basic cabin fare flight domestically. Works for me.

You're going to have a very fun flight

My drink coupons always expire so I give them away. If anyone wants 1-2 that expire in January just DM me (I have 3 left).