What your Delta Air Lines contract says

In short

This is a contract of carriage between you and Delta Air Lines, Inc. governed by Delta's Domestic and International Contracts of Carriage and, on international itineraries, the Montreal Convention. Delta's fare ladder runs Basic Economy, Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, Delta Premium Select, Delta One, and First Class, and the rights you hold (changes, refunds, carry-on, seat selection, SkyMiles earning, Medallion Qualification credit, upgrades) depend on the fare bought. Under the U.S. DOT's 2024 Automatic Refund Rule (14 CFR Part 260), Delta must automatically refund your original form of payment when Delta cancels a flight or makes a 'significant change' (3+ hours domestic / 6+ hours international, or a material airport/connection/cabin-class downgrade) and you elect not to travel. Delta eliminated change fees on most domestic and short-haul international tickets above Basic Economy, but Basic Economy remains non-changeable and non-refundable except inside the 24-hour DOT cancellation window. Involuntary denied boarding on oversold flights triggers cash compensation of up to 200% of one-way fare (max $1,075) or 400% (max $2,150) under 14 CFR Part 250.

What you agree to do

• You must check in and drop bags by Delta's published cut-off (typically 45 minutes before a domestic departure and 60 minutes before an international departure) and be at the gate at least 15 minutes before departure, or Delta may cancel your reservation as a no-show.
• You must comply with the carry-on rules for your fare (Basic Economy passengers may bring a standard carry-on (Delta is one of the few legacy carriers that still allows it for Basic Economy), but oversize bags will be gate-checked for a fee).
• You must use ticketed segments in the order issued; Delta voids any unused downstream segments (including the return) if you skip a flight, per Rule 8 of the Domestic Contract of Carriage.

What you can ask for

• You have the right to cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund to your original form of payment, regardless of fare class, when the booking was made at least 7 days before departure (DOT 14 CFR §259.5).
• You have the right to an automatic refund to original form of payment if Delta cancels your flight or makes a 'significant change' (3+ hr domestic / 6+ hr international, or material airport/connection/downgrade changes) and you decline rebooking, per DOT 14 CFR Part 260.
• You have the right to deplane after 3 hours on the tarmac on a domestic flight or 4 hours on an international flight (absent safety/security/ATC barriers), with food and water provided within 2 hours, per DOT 14 CFR §259.4.
• You have the right to involuntary denied-boarding compensation of 200% of one-way fare (capped at $1,075) or 400% (capped at $2,150) if Delta bumps you from an oversold flight, per DOT 14 CFR Part 250.
• You have the right to earn SkyMiles and Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) on all paid fares; Basic Economy earns at the standard rate but does not count toward upgrade priority and is not eligible for complimentary upgrades.
• You have the right to file a baggage claim within 24 hours of arrival on domestic flights; on international itineraries, Montreal Convention caps liability at approximately 1,288 SDR (~$1,700–$1,900) per passenger.

Points worth knowing

• Basic Economy is non-changeable and non-refundableOutside the 24-hour DOT cancellation window, Basic Economy tickets cannot be voluntarily changed, cancelled, or refunded, and Delta does not issue a flight credit. They are use-it-or-lose-it.
• Basic Economy boarding and seat assignmentBasic Economy passengers board last (Zone 8) and seats are assigned at check-in; families travelling together may be split, and any seat selection requires payment of an additional fee.
• SkyMiles devaluation riskDelta uses fully dynamic award pricing with no published award chart; the mileage cost of any given itinerary can change without notice, and Delta has historically devalued earning and burning ratios with little warning.
• Schedule changes below the DOT thresholdDelta can change flight times by up to 2 hours 59 minutes domestically or 5 hours 59 minutes internationally without triggering a mandatory refund; you must accept rebooking or absorb the disruption.
• Broad disclaimer of consequential damagesDelta's Contract of Carriage disclaims liability for missed connections to cruises, hotels, weddings, business meetings, and lost wages caused by delays. Airline Deregulation Act preemption forecloses most state-law claims for delayed or denied service.
• Gate-checked carry-on fees on packed flightsDelta routinely gate-checks late-zone passengers' carry-ons free of charge on full flights, but if your bag is over the published carry-on size and you are required to check it, fees apply with no notice.

Dates and deadlines

24-hour free cancellation window

Within 24 hours of booking, provided travel is at least 7 days away

Tarmac delay deplaning rights

After 3 hours on a domestic flight or 4 hours on an international flight

Check-in / gate cut-off

Check in 45 min (domestic) / 60 min (international) before departure; be at the gate by 15 min before

Baggage claim deadline

Within 24 hours of arrival domestically; within 7 days for damage and 21 days for delay on international flights (Montreal Convention)