Delta is currently Blocking Middle Seats through April 30, 2021, and the airline announced that as of May 1, 2021 there will no longer be in seat blocking in any cabin.

Delta was the last US airline to continue blocking seats, with some airlines never blocking seats at all. Props to Delta for blocking seats for over a year to create social distancing onboard, but alas it’s nice to see things start to returning to normal with Delta.

For Medallion members, this means first class will also be fully open for upgrades as of May 1, 2021, so I suspect to see upgrade percentages drastically increase.

Per Delta,

More available seats to choose from starting May 1

“While Delta’s decision to block middle seats has given many customers a reason to choose Delta over the past year, the signature hospitality of our employees and the experiences they deliver to customers every day have also deepened their trust in our airline,†said Bastian. “The relationships we’ve built, together with the knowledge that nearly 65 percent of those who flew Delta in 2019 anticipate having at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, are what’s giving us the assurance to offer customers the ability to choose any seat on our aircraft, while also introducing new services, products and rewards to support the journey. We take great pride in the trust we’ve built with customers by listening and delivering on what they said was most important, and that is the approach you can continue to expect.â€

Since Delta introduced its middle seat block in April 2020, consumer behavior and vaccination rates have been the baseline for Delta’s decision to remove or extend the block throughout the pandemic. While scientific studies showed the risk of transmission onboard a full aircraft with everyone wearing a mask is nearly one in a million, Delta was the only airline to continue its middle seat block for an entire year to give customers peace of mind.

Masks will continue to be required and Delta’s industry-leading cleanliness standards will remain in place. Experts at Mayo Clinic and Emory, as well as our own Chief Health Officer Dr. Henry Ting, are helping to guide our way back.