That is me about to get into a Delta painted Porsche after exiting a Delta (Connection) jet and seeing a nice man holding a tablet with my name on it. Let me tell you, nothing makes a horrid CRJ200 ride better than seeing that as you exit the cramped aircraft.
But that begs the question – is it possible to request a Delta Porsche ride from gate to gate or from gate to wherever? Delta will tell you, if you tweet and request one, something like:
So they tell you it is not guaranteed and yada yada yada…. Does this, in just a few lines, sum up this post that – no – you can not request one? Well maybe, but there is more to this if you really want a ride.
First who gets them (sometimes). If you are a mega spender, a.k.a. Detla360 folks, you can, on a semi regular basis, expect the ride. If you are a Diamond Medallion (elite) every now and then and especially so if you are on a tight connection. Platinum Medallions sometimes as well too but less so than the other two top elites.
Only Elites? No, not always. Delta does offer for a fee gate to gate escort by Delta people at some airports. I have been told that sometimes the simplest and quickest way is via the car service. So if you are willing to pay each trip to be escorted gate to gate by Delta people this may up your chances to get a ride.
Tweeting can work. Now I know my tweet above did not score a ride. In fact, I would say even being a Delta focused blogger, tweeting has only worked maybe 1 in 10 times so I do not / would not push it. I have enjoyed the ride a number of times over the years but when I have a connection that is looking really bad I do reach out on twitter as you never know.
Email day before or day of flight. I have not tested this but one reader told me they e-mailed on Delta.com via the comment page about a special trip they had booked and got the car service gate to gate. Now the ticket price they paid in Delta One may have had something to do with the request being fulfilled. I would not go trying this on a cheap coach ticket for your “whatever” trip.
Ask a Red Coat. If you know you are going to have a tight connection you can ask a Delta customer service specialist to please alert the next “station” that if they could send the car that would be great. Now your chances of them doing this are almost zero and then the chance that the next airport will honor the request is also low.
You are maybe starting to see my point here – it is not a simple thing to get the car service even when you really need it let alone just cuz it would be nice.
Having said all that sometimes things just work out. My group of crazy mileage runners, most of whom were Diamonds and million milers, were in the Sky Club in SEA and just asked when a rep had dropped someone off for a fun ride for a bit around the airport. She agreed. I am sure if we had asked for a ride to the gate that would have worked too but the gate was only a few steps from the club so not needed in this case.
Lastly there is always the golf cart Porsche-lite ride. 😉 If you see them in the concourse why not flag them down if you are late and running for a connection. Oh be sure to tip these golf card folks if they do rush you to the gate!
Have you ever had the gate to gate car service from Delta? Did you enjoy the experience? – René
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Rene we love the blog. Should we tip the Porsche driver?
@A R – No. Those folks do work for Delta. The golf cart folks are contract / low wage earners so DO tip them.
My first and last Porsche ride was with another passenger about 5 years ago and I travel through ATL on about 30-35 trips a year. Not 360, but well over $15K min – Diamond since inception of program. I asked DL Agent if they ever saw the car anymore and they said basically for celebrities. For me, it seems to have gone along with those private jet rides.
Several years ago I was sitting on a plane in Atlanta, and I and the other passengers noticed a porsche pull up to the plane, which we thought odd. Turned out it was former President, Jimmy Carter. Now thinking back, maybe that was a Delta flight which would explain the porsche which I always thought odd…
FAs can request the Porsche for a passenger. My MSP based FA friends surprised me at the end of a mileage run by using their hand held device to request the Porsche while while we were enroute from ANC to MSP. Regardless of the airport, it’s always a shock when I step into the jet bridge and see the iPad with my name on it. Sweet!
@Wayne – Nice. Really nice. Txs for input!
Sure would have been nice to have it when my sdf-atl was delayed and I had about 10 minutes to my next flight. I helped an older lady get her bag out of the overhead and then forgot to pick my iPad back up before hurrying to make my flight. No Porsche ride and now no iPad. I’ve filed all the paperwork to locate the lost iPad, including all relevant I.d. numbers, etc., but no luck. Any inside information as to how to get delta to respond other than filing paperwork because nobody will talk to you about a lost item . . .
I’ve seen the iPad on a few jet bridge in my day. Sadly, none of them with my name – yet. By the time Delta gets around to offering me the Porsche ride I’ll already have a wheel chair reserved….
Not sure how common this is, but in 2016, I received a Porche ride while connecting in SLC the day I obtained Platinum status for the first time. I assumed it was related to the milestone, but the Delta Rep driving the car said that I was actually selected as a Delta AMEX cardholder (and just a coincidence re Platinum status timing). She said that as part of the Delta/AMEX agreement, they are required to give rides to random Delta AMEX cardholders from time to time. Not sure if prioritized based on type of card or what (I have Delta Platinum AMEX only), and not sure how often this happens. She just said that she didn’t have any Diamonds or tight connections to pick up, so she decided to do a couple AMEX cardholder runs, and I lucked out. I actually had a 2 hour layover, though gates were a couple concourses apart.
Hi Rene,
Love your blog. I am a million miler and Delta Diamond. Last week I was in LAX complaining to my boyfriend about the bus ride. I then saw the red Porsche and explained to him why it was there. As we walked out, my name was actually on a placard. Lovely Jacqeline, gave us a great ride to the club. It was very cool and unexpected. We were in first class, but not Delta one.
I would like to know if the Delta Porsche are actually driven by Delta employees?
@June – Yes they are! Fun job right. 🙂