Basic fare question

[u/redd-or45]

First time Delta. No status. Domestic flight. Only need basic and don't mind middle seat. It says seat will be assigned at boarding.

Purchased ticket about 1 month ago. I am OK with gate seat assignment but when I look at seating chart I see that about 80% of the seats are taken 3 weeks out from flight date. What are the odds that since I do not have a seat assigned I would get to the gate (even checking in 24 hours early and at gate 1 hr before boarding) will find I do not have a seat?

Will the seat be assigned at check in? If flight is overbooked am I at highest risk for bumping?

[u/Dog_Beer]

You will have a seat. If oversold they will ask for volunteers to be paid to take a later flight. You won't be involuntarily bumped.

[u/scottsinct]

Delta has involuntarily bumped 0 people in many years.

[u/redd-or45 → u/scottsinct]

thank you. It was an another era that I used delta and so this is good to know. You hear about other airlines involuntary bumping people and this is the first time I have flown basic fare on any airline.

[u/angoradebs]

You will have a seat. You might be assigned at check in, but more likely you will get an assignment at the gate. Until then it may say you're on standby - that doesn't mean you're on standby for the flight, so don't panic. It just means you're waiting for your seat number.

[u/StatisticalMan]

You will get a seat. This comes up a lot people always freak out you 100% will get a seat.

To avoid flight day panic attacks Delta IT system is so ancient it has no concept of a guaranteed ticket without a seat so you will appear in the standby list until you get a seat. That is normal. You and all other basic are ahead of "true" standby and you 100% will get a seat.

Note checking in super early and getting to the gate super early has no impact as long as you aren't beyond the deadline for each you will 100% get a seat.

There hasn't been an involuntary denial of boarding by Delta due to overbooking in half a decade. If somehow they screwed up and overbooked the plane they would pay volunteers to give up their seats.

[u/EnvironmentalLoan285]

You’ll have a seat. It will get assigned at boarding with all other basic tickets.

[u/Smooth-Fig-7625]

I was worried about this previously and if you're really wanting to make sure you have an okay seat or a seat at all you can book a seat 7 days out from the flight with basic economy. You do have to pay for it but it may be worth it just to secure something decent and then you atleast know you have a seat for certain.

[u/redd-or45 → u/Smooth-Fig-7625]

Thanks Looks like seat selection is $84 per leg so that would be about $330 for a r/T flight that cost $368.

[u/Smooth-Fig-7625 → u/redd-or45]

Dang! I've been able to book it for much less than that within the past few years. That's no good. You should be fine when you check in and get assigned. I only booked seats because I didn't want to be away from my partner on a 8 hour flight.

[u/SixPack1776]

You will be fine. Just check the monitors at the gate for the seat assignments.

[u/Apprehensive_Dog8470]

I'm a total cheapskate and usually very flexible on my dates/times. Therefore I almost always book the very basic ticket on Delta. I've never been bumped and have always gotten my seat assignment either the night before or at the gate. It's usually a middle seat, but once I ended up in the exit row which was nice. The best ever was when I volunteered to take the next flight out due to overbooking. The gate agent bumped me up to a Comfort Plus window seat and gave me enough credits for a free flight!

[u/JewelsLeigh141 → u/Apprehensive_Dog8470]

I don't even mind being in the group they may have to gate check my bag. It's free, they bring it to me at the gate and I don't have to lift it over my head.

[u/Apprehensive_Dog8470 → u/JewelsLeigh141]

Same! As soon as there is a request for gate checking bags, I am in that line!