Delta Air Lines will become the last U.S. airline to end middle-seat blocking on May 1.
The step is part of a suite of moves announced by Delta Wednesday as it works to return to profitability amid the pandemic.
Delta will also introduce an enhanced snack and beverage service on April 14 and will reopen almost all Delta Sky Clubs by July, including new clubs in Fort Lauderdale and Tokyo Haneda airports.
"Don't confuse these actions with a return to 'normal.' We're still operating in a pandemic, and many of the changes we've made over the past year, such as strengthening our cleanliness protocols and eliminating change fees, will be permanent," CEO Ed Bastian said in a memo to employees. "Importantly, masks remain critical to our ability to safely welcome more people onboard our planes, and we remain committed to enforcing these requirements."
Related: Are the airlines turning the corner?
As if to emphasize that normalcy has not yet arrived, Delta on Wednesday delayed the reintroduction of prohibitions on itinerary changes for basic economy tickets from April 1 to May 1. And the carrier extended the expiration date of all tickets that were set to expire in 2021, including all tickets that will be purchased this year, until Dec. 31, 2022. Tickets purchased on Delta during the pandemic had been set to begin expiring on April 18.
Delta has guaranteed customers that they won't have someone not in their party next to them in a middle seat since early in the pandemic -- keeping the policy in place nearly five months longer than any U.S. airline.
But Bastian said that inoculations are making it safe to once again fill planes. According to a company survey, 64% of Delta customers anticipate having at least one vaccine dose by May 1. He added that medical experts at Emory University and the Mayo Clinic are guiding Delta's changes.
Those changes are to include enhanced cabin service. On April 14, the carrier will bring back a selection of Coca-Cola beverages for domestic and short-haul international flights, as well as coffee, tea and new snack options. The Coke products will be served in individual, 7.5-ounce cans for safety. Similarly, Delta will resume alcohol sales, offering canned Old-Fashioneds and margaritas from Tip Top Proper Cocktails with contactless payment. On June 1, the carrier will bring back hot food in premium cabins on some transcontinental flights. Boxed food options in first class on other U.S. routes will return in July.
Delta is also offering a new enticement for SkyMiles members to return to the skies: quicker Medallion loyalty status accrual. Through this year, all SkyMiles members will earn at least 50% more Medallion qualification miles, segments and dollars on Delta tickets, including award travel. Delta will award an additional 25% accrual bonus for premium-fare products, including Delta One, Delta Premium Select, First Class and Comfort Plus.
Among the changes, ending the middle-seat block is likely to be the largest revenue game-change for Delta, which, the airline has said, hopes to return to profitability by summer.
Delta reported net losses of $755 billion in the fourth quarter of last year. But more recently, airline president Glen Hauenstein said that cash burn would be close to even in March.
Ending seat blocking, Hauenstein said during the March J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference, "is going to be an incredibly powerful tool" for revenue accretion.