Nearly 30 percent of Delta's sales were made at delta.com last year. The airline hopes 35 percent of its passengers will buy tickets at the site this year and that the figure will eventually reach or exceed 50 percent.

Like other airlines over the past couple of years, Delta is revamping its Web site in an effort to tap into consumers' growing partiality for shopping on the Internet. Delta.com may be the carrier's most important medium for ticket sales and for marketing its name. Yet the site ranked ninth last year in a study of those offered by 10 major airlines, which was conducted by the research firm Forrester Inc. The study said Delta, which is the dominant airline at Salt Lake City International Airport, failed to effectively drive consumers to delta.com.

American Airlines, Northwest Airlines and UAL Corp.'s United Airlines had the top three sites, according to Forrester.

"When you look at the many different ways they sell tickets - through 1-800 reservation centers, ticket counters, travel agents or other online sites - there's no question that from the airlines' perspective, their own Web sites are the cheapest channel. I think they are going to exploit that because, for the airlines, it's all about cost," said Bill McGee, travel consultant to Consumer Reports Web Watch.

Passenger revenues at Delta reached almost $17 billion last year, and the airline said it saved money each time a ticket was bought at delta.com. Each sale is one less commission it must pay to third-party vendors such as Orbitz and Travelocity. Web sales also keep the need for reservation agents in check. And third-party sales limit Delta's opportunity to work its brand on consumers.

"Delta.com is our most important marketing tool, other than employees," said Josh Weiss, managing director of delta.com.

But travelers also gain from buying tickets at delta.com, said Weiss, because they avoid third-party transaction fees that can add $15 or more to the price of a ticket.

Delta also creates customer profiles, which include contact information that third-party sellers don't usually gather, so the airline can call, e-mail or text-message passengers if flights are canceled or delayed.

The Web sites "are beginning to serve more functions as the airlines slowly realize [their] value," said Joe Brancatelli, publisher of www.JoeSentMe.com, a Web site for business travelers. "After ticket booking, there is no on-site check-in and boarding pass acquisition. Those are convenient for travelers and cheaper for the airlines. But there is so much more that airlines could do."

The gap between what Web sites deliver and what they are capable of doing is narrowing. Delta.com already generates fare sales, partner offers and SkyMiles statements by e-mail. The site includes a blog from employees who write about about subjects ranging from airport security to R-rated onboard movies, and they ask for opinions. Customers also can use the site to switch seats, ask for special services or change tickets.

Passengers already check in online and via wireless devices. This spring, they will be able to check their bags online, too. Weiss said customers will be able to tell the airline how many bags they are checking and pay for excess baggage. At the baggage drop counter, they will scan their boarding passes and receive bag tags.

A live chat window on the site today opens if delta.com detects something amiss, such as information entered improperly or someone appears to linger a long time at a Web page.

Delta guarantees that its Web fares are the lowest prices available and will match any fares that may be lower on other sites. It also gives customers who buy tickets at delta.com 24 hours to change their minds, no penalties and no questions asked. Coming soon will be new ways of paying for tickets, such as PayPal and Western Union. Moneta, which allows consumers to pay with funds taken directly from their checking accounts, is already being used by AirTran Airways and Aloha Airlines.

This spring, Delta will launch a pay-with-miles program at delta.com for people with American Express Gold or Platinum credit cards. Amex members will be able to pay for tickets with frequent-flyer miles, cash or a combination of both.

For consumers who worry that they aren't getting the best deal if they don't shop around, Delta is preparing to launch this spring an alternative form of displaying fares. Popularized by Southwest Airlines, the display is a matrix of prices and flight times for the dates of departure and return, as well as three days before and after those dates.

For example, if a consumer wants to book a round-trip flight from Salt Lake City to Atlanta on April 1, returning on April 8, delta.com will display a grid of 49 fares and schedules on one screen.

"The idea is to allow customers to choose the best value, not simply the best price," Weiss said.

Despite the improvements airlines are making to their Web sites, independent travel experts say it's still smart to shop around to get the clearest picture of available options. Brancatelli recommends surfing a few third-party sites to check for lower fares and the best connections offered by other airlines, then booking at delta.com, if Delta offers the best deal.

Said Consumer Reports' McGee: "On one hand, it could be good for consumers [to shop at airline Web sites] because the airlines have gotten good about incentivizing. In some cases, discounted fares are available only on their sites.

"But if you are looking for a fare [and] if you [only] go to delta.com, you don't know what else is out there."

Although some airline sites might be gaining the upper hand over third-party sellers, their ascendancy could be temporary. McGee thinks Travelocity and other sites will put more emphasis on service in order to give consumers a compelling reason to use them.

Third-party sites also are going to offer loyalty programs and booking bonuses, as well as sending itineraries to mobile devices, he said.

"The bottom line for all this, for better or worse, consumers have become their own travel agents."

pbeebe@sltrib.com

Coming in spring to delta.com

* Passengers will be able to check bags online. At the baggage drop counter, they will scan their boarding passes and receive bag tags.

* Web site will display prices and flight times for the dates of departure and return, as well as three days before and after those dates. If a consumer wants to book a round-trip flight from Salt Lake City to Atlanta on April 1, returning on April 8, delta.com will display a grid of 49 possible fares and schedules on one screen.