Question re: zones on ticket

Please tell me what determines the zone one is assigned when a ticket is purchased. I fly many times each year. No matter when I buy my ticket or how much/little I pay for it, I am always in zone 3 or 4 on Delta. I know that now if you have a Delta c/c you are moved up to zone 1. Yesterday in Atl I heard the counter clerk announce that zone 2 had the most people.

Frequent Flyer status, affinity credit card holder, and seat location are the main factors. Some carriers allow you to buy up to a higher boarding zone.

Please tell me what determines the zone one is assigned when a ticket is purchased. I fly many times each year. No matter when I buy my ticket or how much/little I pay for it, I am always in zone 3 or 4 on Delta. I know that now if you have a Delta c/c you are moved up to zone 1. Yesterday in Atl I heard the counter clerk announce that zone 2 had the most people.

From Seatguru:

Delta groups passengers into as many as nine zones.

First class passengers and those in the first row of coach are in Zone 1. Zone 2 is for Delta's elite frequent flier members. Zone 3 is for elite members of Delta's partner airlines. After first class and elite passengers, Zone 4+ are designated based on seating assignment, from the back of the plane to the front.

Zones

1. Top Elite, first class passengers, and first row of coach
   
2. Elite Delta frequent flyers
   
3. Elite members of partner airlines
   
4. Rear
   
5. Middle
   
6. Front
   

Yeah zones really aren't based on when you purchased or for how much you purchased. Rather, for those who aren't frequent flier elite members and are in economy, it's pretty much purely based on where you are sitting. And in that, different airlines do it different ways - back to front, window to aisle, etc

From Seatguru:

 

Delta groups passengers into as many as nine zones.

 

First class passengers and those in the first row of coach are in Zone 1. Zone 2 is for Delta's elite frequent flier members. Zone 3 is for elite members of Delta's partner airlines. After first class and elite passengers, Zone 4+ are designated based on seating assignment, from the back of the plane to the front.

Zones

 

 

If you got this from seat guru, then seat guru is wrong. Boarding zones on Delta are as follows:

1. Pre-boards: Those needing assistance or traveling with small children

2. First/business class cabin

3. Sky Priority: Diamond, platinum and gold medallion frequent flyers and Sky Team Elite+ flyers, who were not upgraded to first class

4. Zone 1, which is silver medallion and Sky Team Elites, as well as Delta credit card holders

5. Zone 2

6. Zone 3

7. Zone 4 and beyond, although I've seldom heard any zone delineation beyond zone 3.

Also, military in uniform are usually called with pre-boards or first class, I can't remember which.

Waterbug,

You are correct sir.

I hear this list evrytime I fly on Delta.

Zone 1 is really the fourth group called.

But flying in coach I usually have lots of empty space in the overheads when I board as part of the zone1 group.