Delta has begun selling Basic fares in premium cabins.
The Delta First Basic fare is now available on select domestic and Latin America routes.
Delta Premium Select Basic and Basic Business fares are available for domestic and select long-haul routes for flights beginning in September.
The move, which the airline had said was coming, follows Delta's creation of Comfort Basic fares last year for extra-legroom main cabin seats. The airline has said it expects to achieve extra revenue through the segmentation and unbundling of premium seating.
Flyers buying the new Basic fares will receive the same in-flight experience as those who purchase the existing Classic and Extra fares that Delta already sells in premium cabins. In exchange for a lower fare, they'll receive fewer off-airplane perks.
Basic Business flyers will sit in the Delta One business cabin and get the full-service experience but beginning Jan. 19, they won't receive access to Delta One check-in and Delta One or Sky Club lounges. Also, instead of choosing a seat for free, their seat will be assigned at check-in.
Also, they'll earn just two SkyMiles per dollar spent, versus the five earned for a Delta One Classic fare and the seven earned for a Delta One Extra fare. They'll get one free checked bag instead of two. Plus, they'll have less generous cancellation and change allowances, and they won't get the free same-day standby offered with Classic fares or the free same-day confirmed flight changes that Extra fares provide. Also, upgrades won't be available.
In an example published by Delta for an unspecified route, Basic Business cost $2,689 compared to $2,889 for Delta One Classic and $3,389 for Delta One Extra.
Though some details differ, Delta First Basic and Delta Premium Select Basic fares come with similar downgrades from the Classic and Extra offerings in those cabins.
"The Basic option is ideally suited for customers who value the premium onboard experience but place less importance on factors like advance seat assignment, the ability to change or cancel without a fee, complimentary or paid upgrades, or mileage earn," Delta said.
Delta's introduction of unbundled fares at the front of its aircraft follows a similar step taken by United in April, though Delta's move is broader since United’s applies to business and premium economy cabins but not domestic first class.
United will continue to roll out those products across its long-haul flights, including transcontinental and Hawaii, over the course of this year.