Platinum vs. Diamond

Old Mar 3, 2011, 2:18 am
  #61  
 
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Thanks team! I think i'll make a run at OW or *A elite. Really appreciate the insights.
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Old Mar 3, 2011, 5:03 am
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by SamOF
I decided to go for DM this year, and am basically happy with the decision, but I haven't experienced any IROPS handling that would never have happened to me as a PM.

What you describe sounds like what would have happily been done for a general member, unless I'm missing something.
Agreed. If a PM had called before the DM, the seat would have gone to the PM and the DM would have been the one who missed out. This was more likely a first-come, first-serve situation. Maybe a general member wouldn't have been given the seat, but anyone with status would have likely been helped. During Storm Week 2011, many agents worked very hard to change this lowly PM's flights over and over again. I was supposed to fly through ATL six days straight, and was accommodated in a way that got me everywhere I needed to be when I needed to be there. (Original flight out was moved forward, just like the poster's wife, in fact.)

I held back last year, staying below the DM number of segments, thinking I was gaming the rollover system. It didn't pan out, and I had no rollover miles. Rollover worked differently in 2011 than in 2010. My point to the OP is that you shouldn't depend on the rules working the same way next year as the rules worked this year or last year. One in the hand is worth two in the bush here. I'd take DM now, rather than risking that you may have held off for nothing.
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 2:15 pm
  #63  
 
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Diamond vs Platinum Upgrade Question

Please help me settle a big debate:

At the at the five-day upgrade window, who gets an upgrade first:

- A Diamond who has bought an LUT fare.
- A Platinum who has bought a fare higher than LUT.

I could swear that a Diamond at any fare trumps a Platinum at any fare, but after I called Delta, and didn't get a straightforward answer, now I'm not sure.

Does anyone know for sure?

In advance, thanks for your help.
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 2:34 pm
  #64  
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All Diamonds should be coded to UG before Platinums, except something like a full Y fare.

Even a DM on an award ticket should UG before a Platinum on an M or B fare.

Originally Posted by tarmac
. . . . after I called Delta, and didn't get a straightforward answer, now I'm not sure.
What, exactly, did they tell you that left you wondering?
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 2:37 pm
  #65  
 
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This handy tool should answer all your questions:

http://cwsi.net/mupc/
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 2:42 pm
  #66  
 
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As stated except for the Y fare which trumps others it is base on elite level and if has AMEX reserve credit card (tie breaker time upgrade requested) so:

DM Y fare
PM Y fare
GM Y fare
FO Y fare
DM B AMEX Reserve
DM B
DM M Amex Reserve
etc
DM on Award (PNR not attached to lower or non-elite)
PM B Amex Reserve
....
you get the idea.

So the ONLY time a Plat trumps a Diamond is if the Plat buys full Y and Diamond does not

Last edited by BusTrav8yrs; Oct 17, 2012 at 2:48 pm
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 2:47 pm
  #67  
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Originally Posted by thirtyfour
This handy tool should answer all your questions:

http://cwsi.net/mupc/
That will do it, but one doesn't even need to look off the Delta site:

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_...ades/index.jsp
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 2:56 pm
  #68  
 
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fantastic resource!

Thanks for posting this resource. It's great.

My partner and I are both Diamonds and the last four or five flights from JFK - SEA; ATL - SEA/PDX we were not upgraded. We thought for sure that something was amiss. When I tried to check it out, the awards chart said that Diamond Discounted fares upgraded before Platinum fares. This made me wonder if a higher fare platinum would be upgraded. The person I talked with, when I read this, didn't know what it meant. The information she had didn't specifically address my question.
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 3:09 pm
  #69  
 
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Originally Posted by tarmac
Thanks for posting this resource. It's great.

My partner and I are both Diamonds and the last four or five flights from JFK - SEA; ATL - SEA/PDX we were not upgraded. We thought for sure that something was amiss. When I tried to check it out, the awards chart said that Diamond Discounted fares upgraded before Platinum fares. This made me wonder if a higher fare platinum would be upgraded. The person I talked with, when I read this, didn't know what it meant. The information she had didn't specifically address my question.
Welcome to the new reality of elite-heavy markets and/or first class monetization (do a search for FCM to learn about this phenomenon). The transcons (even those without a formal BE cabin) are probably the hardest upgrades around.
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 4:48 pm
  #70  
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Originally Posted by tarmac
Thanks for posting this resource. It's great.

My partner and I are both Diamonds and the last four or five flights from JFK - SEA; ATL - SEA/PDX we were not upgraded. We thought for sure that something was amiss. When I tried to check it out, the awards chart said that Diamond Discounted fares upgraded before Platinum fares. This made me wonder if a higher fare platinum would be upgraded. The person I talked with, when I read this, didn't know what it meant. The information she had didn't specifically address my question.
Welcome to the not so new reality of phone agents not knowing the answer and making up something to tell you to end the call.
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 4:49 pm
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by tarmac
Thanks for posting this resource. It's great.

My partner and I are both Diamonds and the last four or five flights from JFK - SEA; ATL - SEA/PDX we were not upgraded. We thought for sure that something was amiss. When I tried to check it out, the awards chart said that Diamond Discounted fares upgraded before Platinum fares. This made me wonder if a higher fare platinum would be upgraded. The person I talked with, when I read this, didn't know what it meant. The information she had didn't specifically address my question.
There's another wrinkle, I believe. On Domestic flights (and international flights that do not have BE) a medallion can use a SWU (or 12,500 miles) to move to the top of the list if they are on a Y, B, M, H, Q, or K fare. So theoretically there could be some people ahead of the DM on a Y fare in the upgrade list

DM K fare w/SWU
GM K fare w/12,500 miles

DM Y fare
PM Y fare
GM Y fare
FO Y fare
DM B AMEX Reserve
DM B
DM M Amex Reserve
etc
DM on Award (PNR not attached to lower or non-elite)
PM B Amex Reserve
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 4:52 pm
  #72  
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Yes, but these aren't free upgrades. Also, you can't upgrade even a domestic flight, on a T fare with miles or a SWU.

There can also be people ahead on the list who have paid for F but don't have a FC seat assignment, but that wouldn't be considered to be an upgrade.

ADDED. I see that csdripps edited his/her post above to correct the point that miles or SWUs cannot be used to upgrade T (or U or L) fares. the first two lines on the list previously were stated as follows:

DM T fare w/SWU
GM T fare w/12,500 miles

Last edited by MSPeconomist; Oct 17, 2012 at 5:41 pm Reason: clarify confusion due to someone else editing a post
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 5:10 pm
  #73  
 
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Yes, but these aren't free upgrades. Also, you can't upgrade even a domestic flight, on a T fare with miles or a SWU.

There can also be people ahead on the list who have paid for F but don't have a FC seat assignment, but that wouldn't be considered to be an upgrade.
Yeah but the OP's question was weather a PM (with a fare higher than LUT) could be above a DM in the upgrade priority. A PM on a full Y fare is one possibility, as is any medallion who used a SWU or miles on a K fare or higher.

I just thought the answer wasn't really complete without noting the second scenario.
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 5:43 pm
  #74  
 
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Originally Posted by csdripps
On Domestic flights (and international flights that do not have BE) a medallion can use a SWU (or 12,500 miles) to move to the top of the list if they are on a Y, B, M, H, Q, or K fare.
Mileage upgrades don't transfer to the gate upgrade list -- they need to clear by the day before, and come from separate inventory (G or Z) than normal EUAs (V or X). For the (BE) TCONs, this upgrade inventory (Z) basically doesn't exist (but then, neither does EUA inventory).

SWUs do transfer to the gate upgrade list, and trump all EUAs.
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Old Oct 17, 2012, 5:45 pm
  #75  
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The OP's question was about upgrades at the DM/PM window.
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