Not all flights are champagne wishes and caviar dreams, even as a Delta Diamond medallion member. Our trip from JAX back to ATL was uneventful. There were no lie flat seats, no personal in-flight entertainment, we barely even got to sit next to one another, but we did get great service, arrived home safe and a few hours early on our Sunday flight from JAX to ATL.

We arrived 3 hours early for a stand by flight because no same day confirmations were available. To go on an earlier flight meant giving up a first class upgrade seat and taking the chance we would both get cleared for the same flight (remember Mrs. Weekly Flyer is only a Gold medallion). But we were determined to get home early from our trip to Florida and knew Delta would help.

I called the Delta Diamond desk and was placed on standy by for the early flight. We went straight to the club lounge (courtesy of Delta Diamond status) to check on our seat request. Slim chance, but the counter lady was very helpful and said to take a seat and she would come notify us when seats are available. About 20 minutes prior to departure she let us know there is a chance for both of us to get on the flight. We gathered our things and headed straight to the gate.

The gate agent let us know our seats would be towards the back in a 37 isle and 39 window. We took the seats. They were at the back of the plane and not together. The wife took the isle and I took the window. I’m a relatively tall guy and my knees were touching the seat in front of me, so I slanted slightly to one side. The flight was short, only about 45 minutes. The in-flight beverage service was able to serve all of coach, even all the way back to row 39. I ordered a club soda and put the salty nuts in the seat back pocket, no thanks. The entertainment was non existent. The wifi was on and pretty fast, likely because there were only a few users on this short leisure flight. My wife’s seat mates didn’t fare so well. Mrs. Weekly Flyer was stuck next to a single mother with a very sick toddler and an infant in only two seats (bless her heart). The first thing the mother asked for was a “extra large” sick bag because the toddler was getting sick all day long. Throughout the flight the little girl was coughing and sneezing. Needless to say it was a long 45 minute flight for them all.

Bottom Line

Diamond status doesn’t guarantee you’ll fly in first. But it does have its benefits. We had helpful ground service from the team in the lounge that helped us get on an early flight. We were able to stand by for an oversold flight, we were cleared onto the flight and got home before we were even supposed to take off. Continue the discussion with us on Facebook under the name Pointsmilesandmartinis or Follow Me on Twitter under the handle @WeeklyFlyer.