How does boarding work on Delta?
 

I just came back from a trip on Delta and still do not understand how the Delta boarding process works. From SEA to SLC, I was on a MD90 and was seated about 2/3rds back in coach and was in zone 6. From JFK to SEA the plane was a 737 and I was in the secon to last row but was in zone 4. Can someone please help me understand how Delta determines what rows go into each zone?

From My Experience

ZONE 1: First Class
ZONE 2: Medallion
ZONE 3: Medallion

Looks like I was wrong on the rest of coach. Read below for further detail...

What is your status with DL, it does depend on that. I'm PM and have never been lower than zone 3. Zone boarding has changed over the last couple of years and if you search here, you'll find some more info on this.

I searched www.delta.com and only found this:

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about/...port/index.jsp

Priority Boarding
Medallion members are invited to board early on most flights(1). This will give you more time to find your seat and store your carry-ons before general boarding. With Delta’s new zone boarding process, Medallion members seated in the front rows of economy will be boarded as Zone 2. Medallion members seated in the back rows will be boarded as Zone 3.

1)Delta does not offer pre-boarding on Delta Connection, Delta Shuttle or Song flights. AeroMexico offers pre-boarding on all flights except between Mexico City and Monterey. Air France and Korean Air offer pre-boarding on international flights only. Alitalia offers pre-boarding where operationally available.

I think they also tried something goofy and America-West-ish, where instead of just back-to-front, it's:

Back Windows
Back Aisles/Middles
Center-Of-The-Plane Windows
Center-Of-The-Plane Aisles/Middles
Front Windows
Front Aisles/Middles

Don't know if they're still doing that but at one point they either were or were thinking about it loud enough for it to end up on FT.

Conceivably it would make things faster but with everybody just shoving their bags up front for no reason and confusing A for F, it doesn't.

Zones 4+ are not from back to front, but rather delta scatters people throughout the plane. Zone 4 will most likely be towards the back, but the rest of the zones are scattered. There was a study done and they found this randomness actually fills the planes faster as people can be boarding through out various areas of the plane at the same time, thus reducing the isle blocking and reducing the amount of time it takes to board. At least that's how a FA told me it works.

One other thing...

I'm not sure Zone 2 is always the front of coach and Zone 3 the rest of coach for medallions, although most of the time it is.

A few weeks ago I was on SLC-JFK, 767-300 domestic in 11F. That is the second row of coach. I was in Zone 3 on that flight...no upgrade :(

I have also been in Zone 2 on a 757, in seat 22C. Certainly not the forward section of the economy cabin

I think Zone 2 is medallions in back, Zone 3 is medallions in front of coach.

Delta did switch around Zones 2 and 3, it used to be Zone 2 was Medallions in the front, Zone 3 Medallions in the back.

I have observed though that on the 767-300, Zones 4, 6, 8 are the rear coach cabin, 5, 7, 9 the front coach cabin.

Jeff

Ahhh, thanks for the info. It's making more sense now!