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Delta Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world; and one of our personal favorites. They also have a great travel rewards program for frequent travelers, known as Delta SkyMiles. Now, Delta is offering even more perks for loyal travelers, with the introduction of the new SkyMiles Select program. Keep reading for our full Delta SkyMiles Select review.

 

What is Delta SkyMiles Select?

Delta SkyMiles Select is an optional subscription program available to all SkyMiles members. The service costs $59 per year, and offers a variety of perks such as priority boarding, free drink vouchers, and more.

SkyMiles Select is an optional upgrade to the free SkyMiles rewards program. You do not need to subscribe to the Select program if you do not want to – but frequent Delta flyers may find some value in upgrading to Select. Read more about the Delta SkyMiles Select features & perks below.

 

Delta SkyMiles Select Features

The main perks of this program are outlined in the picture above, and explained in more detail below.

Priority Boarding: With SkyMiles Select, you will be given Main Cabin 1 boarding privileges. This means you will be able to board sooner, and have more choice of overhead bin space. This perk applies to you and up to 8 companions, as well. However, keep in mind that depending on your SkyMiles status, choice of First/Business/Economy class, etc. this boarding perk may or may not benefit you. For example, if you usually fly First Class, you’ll board before Main Cabin 1 anyways – so this perk will not be helpful to you. See more about the order of boarding on Delta flights here.

Drink Vouchers: SkyMiles Select members will receive 8 vouchers for free drinks on board Delta flights. These vouchers will appear in the Voucher section of the Fly Delta app, and you can redeem then as soon as 24 hours after signing up for Select. Vouchers are valid for any drink aboard Delta flights, including wine, beer and spirits/mixed drinks. Drink vouchers are only redeemable by the SkyMiles Select member, however, you are welcome to redeem them for drinks for your travel companions.

Bag Tag: SkyMiles Select members will receive a limited-edition bag tag in the mail, within 3-4 weeks of initial signup. The bag tag offers no extra benefits, and is simply a cosmetic perk of membership.

 

Delta Skymiles Select Review

So, is this program worth it? How do the perks stack up?

In all honestly, the program is a bit underwhelming. For frequent travelers it may be worthwhile, but we’re certainly not jumping out of our seats to sign up for it. Let’s break the perks down individually to explore more.

Priority Boarding – While priority boarding sounds like a good perk, this is may or may not be useful depending on a variety of factors. The perk gives you access to Main Cabin 1 boarding, a class which boards after pre-boarding, Delta One, first class, Delta Comfort+, and Sky Priority members. Additionally, you may already have Main Cabin 1 boarding – or better – do to a perk of your SkyMiles status, a credit card you hold, etc. For instance, anyone who has one of the American Express Delta cards will already have Main Cabin 1 boarding, so this perk is unnecessary. Plus, if you fly First Class/Delta Comfort+, etc., you’ll board before Main Cabin 1 anyways.

Drink Vouchers – This is where most of the value of the SkyMiles Select program comes into play. If you fly Delta frequently and enjoy having alcoholic beverages on your flights, the drink vouchers can more than pay for your SkyMiles Select membership. Most alcoholic drinks cost $8-$9 on domestic Delta flights, so the value of 8x drink vouchers is approximately $64-$72. Since the program costs $59 per year, this represents a pretty good value.

Bag Tag – Unless you really enjoy limited-edition collectibles, the bag tag is a pretty mediocre perk in our opinion. It offers no special benefits, and is purely cosmetic.

 

Delta SkyMiles Select: Worthy Upgrade or Hard Pass?

The value of this membership really depends on how often you fly, as well as what class of ticket you typically purchase.

For people who fly Delta frequently and usually purchase basic economy fares, this membership is actually well worth it. This is because you’ll have way better boarding privileges with Select, and be able to actually find a spot for your bag.

For people who fly Delta but have Delta SkyMiles Status, or an American Express Delta credit card, or typically fly First Class/Comfort+, this membership is so-so. Many of these people will already have the same or better boarding privileges, so the Main Cabin 1 boarding perk is useless.

For those who typically have alcoholic beverages in-flight, SkyMiles Select is probably worthwhile. The value of the drink vouchers alone is around $64+, so this perk alone is worth more than the annual cost of SkyMiles Select. With that said, the savings are not huge.

 

In the end, whether or not this upgrade is worth it depends on your situation. We hope you’ve enjoyed our Delta SkyMiles Select review – let us know in the comments if you have any questions.