Delta has trained its passengers to pay premium prices. Here's how it plans to get even more from them

(Credit: Courtesy of Delta)

In the past decade and a half, Delta Air Lines has been wildly effective in training its customers to pay more for its premium seats. The airline now gets 20% more revenue per seat than its U.S. competitors, and its premium cabin is about to overtake its main cabin for the first time in Delta’s 101-year history.

But other airlines, notably United Airlines and American Airlines, are using a similar playbook, to similar effect. So Delta’s recently minted Chief Commercial Officer Joe Esposito, a 30-year company veteran, has been looking for new ways to push the airline’s yearslong strategy to diversify its revenue away from main cabin ticket sales.