Delta Premium Select Review

I recently had the opportunity to fly Delta’s Premium Select cabin round-trip from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Amsterdam Schiphol. This was my second time flying this cabin, with the first time being round-trip from Detroit to Tokyo in 2018. I was excited to see if the experience had changed or improved since then. 

While I would have preferred to experience a Delta One suite, those tickets were *slightly* out of my budget for this trip. So at the last minute, I upgraded my main cabin seats to Premium Select in the hopes that I’d get some better sleep and enjoy more space to watch movies or catch up on some work. 

But what does Delta’s Premium Select cabin entail? And is it worth the cost? Let’s take a look at my experience.

What is Delta Premium Select?

The Premium Select cabin offered by Delta is an elevated flying experience that I consider a step above Comfort Plus and a step below Delta One. The Premium Select cabin offers wider seats that recline more than your standard economy seat and a footrest and extra legroom. Prior to your first meal service, you also receive a glass of champagne and a small snack. Delta also provides a separate menu for Premium Select in addition to anytime snacks. 

Other perks of flying Premium Select include priority boarding with Sky Priority, dedicated overhead bin space, priority baggage service, and (perhaps one of my favorite perks) a sustainable amenity kit including a toothbrush, toothpaste, eye mask, hand lotion, and lip balm. 

Premium Select cabin seat upon boarding with headphones, memory foam pillow, blanket, and sustainable amenity kit.

Premium Select Cost

Typically, the longer the flight, the higher the price when it comes to flying Premium Select. The cost also increases as you near your travel date. For my flight to Amsterdam, I initially paid for a main cabin economy ticket about a month before my travel date. Shortly after booking, I decided I wanted to experience Premium Select again and upgraded my seat. The cost to upgrade with miles was 29,000 miles one way (the alternative was to pay $299). 

I typically stick to my budget for flights; however, for long-haul flights, a splurge for a more comfortable cabin is worth it. I find main cabin seats on flights longer than 8 hours incredibly uncomfortable. It’s also quite difficult to sleep sitting almost upright. 



Premium Select can get pricey compared to a Main Cabin ticket cost. However, it is still much cheaper than Delta One. Although you don’t get all of the amenities of the Delta One cabin, such as an elevated dining experience, lay flat seat, and more space, Premium Select does provide more for your money than the alternative.

Priority Check-In and Boarding

A perk of flying Premium Select is the priority check-in and boarding. With Sky Priority, you can board the plane just after Delta One and Diamond Medallion members, giving you additional time to get comfortable in your seat. While others like to delay boarding until the last possible moment, I am not one of those people. Especially for long-haul flights, I prefer to board as soon as my zone is called. This gives me additional time to put away my carry-on luggage and get comfortable before take-off. 

Premium Select Cabin - Spacious and Comfortable Seats

When you board the plane, you immediately notice that Premium Select has its own cabin space on the aircraft and dedicated overhead bins. The difference between the Premium Select cabin and the Main Economy cabin is slight but noticeable. The seat arrangement is in a 2-4-2 configuration instead of the typical 3-4-3 configuration of Main Economy. While the seats are not immensely wider than economy seats, you get more elbow room with wider armrests between the seats. 

As I checked a bag for this flight, my only carry-on was my Beis backpack, which I stored in the overhead bin. This gave me plenty of legroom as I had no personal items taking up space. For those traveling with a carry-on only, you have peace of mind with the dedicated overhead bins that you won’t need to check in your carry-on suitcase unexpectedly! 

As someone who is only 5'4", there was plenty of room to stretch out my legs.

The Premium Select seats have a memory foam cushion, providing a comfortable seat for those long flights. The adjustable headrest also gives you some control when settling in and is comfy for either sleeping or watching movies. The seats also have an adjustable leg and footrest, controlled by buttons in the armrests. At each seat, you’ll find a memory foam pillow and plush blanket to help you rest comfortably. 

The armrests have all the things you could need during your flight. As I sat in the window seat, my tray table was in the right armrest and quickly popped open with the touch of a button (although I will admit, I had to ask a flight attendant for help the first time I tried this). The left armrest had three buttons to adjust my seat - one for the seat recline, one for the leg rest, and one for the footrest. Just behind the buttons was a small storage cubby, which conveniently fit the book I had brought and my cell phone. There was also a water bottle holder to easily store the water provided when I boarded. Just by the water bottle holder is a remote control to navigate the in-flight entertainment options easily.

In-Flight Entertainment Center

As in all Delta long-haul flights, an in-flight entertainment center is available either on the back of the seat in front of you or within your armrest if you are in a bulkhead row. In Premium Select, the screens are slightly larger than in Main Cabin, measuring 13.3 inches. The remote control is available to control the in-flight entertainment, which is helpful, especially when reclined. Due to the space between the seat and the seat back in front of you, it does take some repositioning to reach the touchscreen if you are on the shorter side like I am. I utilized the remote on my flights and found it quick and responsive. 

The remote (attached by cord to your armrest) controls the in-flight entertainment with ease.

Premium Select passengers also receive noise-canceling headphones to use with the entertainment center. I tested them out for my first movie on my flight. While they were sufficiently comfortable, I didn’t notice much “noise canceling” unless I turned the volume up louder than necessary. Luckily, I did bring my Bose QC 45 headphones and AirFly Pro bluetooth transmitter, so I chose to use those for the remainder of the flight. However, the headphones are perfectly acceptable, especially if you forget to bring your own!

The Delta Studio headphones available at each seat in Premium Select.

Premium Select Dining Experience

On the flight from Detroit to Amsterdam, we were served a pre-dinner snack, dinner, and breakfast, in addition to a variety of snacks available anytime throughout the flight. Since we were delayed slightly leaving Detroit and it was already quite late (10 pm local time), dinner service did feel a little rushed (perhaps to get everyone fed as soon as possible so they could dim the cabin lights and allow passengers to sleep the remainder of the flight).

At each seat was a menu highlighting the flight’s entree options. A QR code on the bottom of the menu gave access to the entire menu, including all snack and refreshment options for Premium Select. 

The menu provided on my afternoon return flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.

The flight attendants prepared the Premium Select cabin for meal service by asking everyone to open their tray tables. A white cloth was laid over the tray table, and pre-packaged wet towels were distributed. This is a change from the pre-pandemic service, which did offer a hot towel before meal service. The tray tables can be adjusted to each passenger's preference - I moved mine closer to my body as the passenger in the row ahead of me chose to recline their seat back fully and did not move it back up during meal service. 

In the Premium Select cabin, we started with a bubbles and bites service, which offered a refreshment (still or sparkling water or Prosecco) and a small container of white cheddar cheese and chive biscuits. About five to ten minutes later, the flight attendants came around to distribute the appetizer, main entree, and dessert. 

Bubbles and Bites service

Meals in Premium Select can vary depending on your destination and flight time. Typically, on red-eye flights overseas (from the US to Europe, for example), you will be served dinner once the plane reaches cruising altitude and breakfast before descent. For daytime flights, you will be served lunch and a small snack.

Unexpected Bonus - Earning More Miles

After returning from my trip, I noticed that I earned additional Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) flying Premium Select. MQMs are calculated based on the percentage of distance flown, so the longer your flight, the more MQMs you’ll earn. By booking a Premium Select ticket, you earn 150% instead of the typical 100% with Main Cabin (and 0% if you book a Basic Economy ticket).

I have a Delta-branded American Express credit card and hold Silver Medallion status. I hope to achieve Gold Medallion status by the end of 2023, so this discovery was exciting for me. While it’s not the 200% I could have earned by flying Delta One, every mile counts when aiming to move up to the next Medallion status.

Delta Premium Select Review - Final Thoughts

All in all, Delta’s Premium Select cabin is a great way to upgrade your flight experience without paying the big bucks for Delta One. While the perks aren’t the same, the extra legroom, more seat recline, memory foam pillow, and seat cushion make it much more comfortable than the Main cabin seats. Additionally, the dining experience feels less like your standard airplane meal and more like a restaurant, with the white tablecloth, real silverware, and custom menus. 



While the price can be steep, depending on your destination and flight length, Premium Select is worth it, especially for international flights over seven hours. The amenities make the experience more luxurious and can even allow you to get some quality sleep. For Delta SkyMiles and Medallion members, the MQM bonus is enticing, especially if you are very close to achieving Medallion status for the first time or moving up a tier. I know I definitely won’t hesitate to book Delta Premium Select in the future!