One of the choice benefits that Delta Diamond Medallions can choose from is four Global Upgrades or eight Regional Upgrades. Depending on your travel, the better choice off the bat is the four Global Upgrades.

Redeem Delta Global Upgrades on Partner Airlines?

Global upgrades can be used on pretty much all Delta flights including anywhere within the United States, Hawaii, Alaska, transcons between JFK and LAX or SFO, Central America, Northern South America, Southern South America, Transatlantic, Transpacific, and Intra-Asia Oceania.

The great thing for all these options is that the fare classes needed to book are extremely reasonable. Delta states that these are valid for use systemwide on published Main Cabin fares booked in Y, B, M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X or V class meaning the only fare classes not eligible are award tickets (N class) and extremely discounted coach (E fares), but everything else is available.

The question today is whether you can redeem Delta Global Upgrades on partners and it’s a mixed answer. You can redeem them on Air France and KLM but it’s quite restrictive and here’s why:

If you want to redeem on KLM:

• Valid on all flights coded as KLM and operated by KLM.
• One-way upgrade from published Main Cabin fare in Y, B, or M class to Business Class.

If you want to redeem on Air France

• Valid on most transatlantic flights operated by Air France.¹
• One-way upgrade from Main Cabin when booked in Y, B, or M class to Premium Voyageur Class.
  or
• One-way upgrade from Premium Voyageur when booked in S or W class to Business Class.

Bottom Line

Based on the fare class restrictions for redeeming on Air France and KLM, the best value is to redeem Delta Global Upgrades on long-haul Delta operated international flights (think Southern South America, Australia, South Africa, Europe, etc.)

Have you redeemed your Delta Global Upgrades? Feel free to comment below!