Summary
- Delta may unbundle front cabin offerings to make business class more accessible to travelers.
- Unbundling could allow Delta to offer optional services for an added fee in its business class fares.
- Other international airlines have unbundled business products, making Delta’s potential move unsurprising.
Delta is considering a ‘business lite’ concept that would unbundle its front cabin offerings. The airline’s president teased the idea during an earnings call last week and promised more details at Delta’s Investor Day in November.
Could Delta unbundle its business cabin?
Speaking during its second-quarter earnings call on July 11th, Delta Air Lines President Glen Hauenstein suggested the carrier will have a major announcement later this year regarding its business class product. Responding to a question from JPMorgan’s Jamie Baker about unbundling its front cabin, Hauenstein said,
“We’ve talked conceptually about that. I think we’ll be giving you more details as we get but we’re not ready to talk about the details of those plans moving forward. I think Investor Day this year should be very exciting.”
Photo: Delta Air Lines
Delta has seen success in unbundling its economy cabin, a move it made back in 2012 with its Basic Economy fare, and other full-service US carriers have done the same. As for doing the same in the front cabin, this hasn’t caught on in the US, but other major airlines worldwide have done so, including British Airways, Emirates, Finnair and Qatar Airways, along with Delta’s close partners Air France and KLM. The trend appears to be picking up pace in the last few years amid changing consumer patterns, so it’s not surprising that Delta is considering it.

Related
The Different Classes Of Travel Offered By Delta Air Lines
The US legacy carrier offers a variety of different cabins across its fleet.
What could change?
Unbundling refers to removing features and services usually included in a full fare and making them optional for an added fee. The concept is designed to make flying in the business cabin more accessible to travelers, much like how premium economy delivers an enhanced onboard experience at a lower price than business class.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
Some of the possible changes to Delta’s business fares could include:
- Seat selection
- Baggage allowance
- Change or cancelation policy
- Lounge access
- In-flight amenities
- Priority check-in and boarding
It’s worth noting that other international airlines to unbundle their business products have all removed lounge access, so it’s likely Delta will make access to one of its Sky Clubs a payable extra for any basic business fare. The big question will of course be – will unbundled fares be significantly cheaper than all-inclusive fares now, or will full fares go up in price?
Related
Delta One Passengers To Be Treated With New Luxury Amenity Kits By Missoni
The collaborations extend beyond the amenity kit as the company has also designed the carrier’s new lounge at New York-JFK.
We’ll have to wait for more news
Simple Flying reached out to Delta about the proposed change but was told there are no updates for now. Delta’s Investor Day will be in November, so it could be months before we get any more details. If Delta does unbundle its business cabin, other US majors will probably follow suit too.
Do you think Delta Air Lines should unbundle its business class product? Let us know why, or why not, in the comments section.