New Upgrade Priority for GUC/RUC and Complimentary UG's
May 26, 2016, 6:37 am
#16
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I've noticed that some agents say "price of ticket" when they mean fare class but think the customer can understand fare class more easily. Similarly, they say time of ticket purchase when they mean time of upgrade request, thinking that it's easier and they're usually the same.
With MQDs, DL certainly has the data to easily use ticket price (per segment? that's never been clear when I question them about how ticket cost is exactly defined, i.e., as RT or per fare component or per segment), doing so is likely to benefit hub captives on average (as we often pay large amounts of money for a simple RT with a low fare class), which I suspect DL has no desire to do.
With MQDs, DL certainly has the data to easily use ticket price (per segment? that's never been clear when I question them about how ticket cost is exactly defined, i.e., as RT or per fare component or per segment), doing so is likely to benefit hub captives on average (as we often pay large amounts of money for a simple RT with a low fare class), which I suspect DL has no desire to do.
DL has shown it doesn't care much re pax living outside the US. YQ fees and loss of SC access for golds in Asia was proof to me.
May 26, 2016, 9:13 am
#17
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Besides, I'd think most people living outside the US aren't as impacted as much by this, since they likely don't fly as many UG-eligible US domestic routes. Yes, it impacts foreign DMs using GUCs, but that maxes out at 4x/year for those folks, and the impact is only if US-based Reserve holders also happen to be using a GUC on that flight and also the non-US pax is on the bubble and also the non-US pax would be inclined to get a Reserve card if they were able to.
May 26, 2016, 9:42 am
#18
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And the only reason why we are not subject to the minimum MQD's is because we cannot apply for a Delta Branded AMEX that can waive the MQD requirement after the expenditure threshold.
May 26, 2016, 6:01 pm
#19
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Order of Priority:
1. Medallion Status
2. Reserve card or not
3. Price of ticket
4. Ticket issue time
This would be a dream come true!
What percent of DM's do you think have a Reserve Card already?
1. Medallion Status
2. Reserve card or not
3. Price of ticket
4. Ticket issue time
This would be a dream come true!
What percent of DM's do you think have a Reserve Card already?
May 26, 2016, 9:29 pm
#21
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I'd be pretty surprised too, but I suppose if AMEX gives DL enough money it could happen? I've been considering downgrading from DL Reserve to DL Plat, or switching sideways into the regular AMEX Plat but this would make me think twice about it, sure.
Oct 17, 2017, 9:22 pm
#22
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: San Francisco, CA
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According to this link:
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
"Enjoying Priority
Upgrade Certificates receive higher priority than Medallion Complimentary Upgrade requests and clear off the waitlist in order of Medallion Tier, then by the day and time your request was added to the waitlist."
The claim is as far as RUC is concerned, fare class is not involved.
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
"Enjoying Priority
Upgrade Certificates receive higher priority than Medallion Complimentary Upgrade requests and clear off the waitlist in order of Medallion Tier, then by the day and time your request was added to the waitlist."
The claim is as far as RUC is concerned, fare class is not involved.
Oct 30, 2017, 7:17 pm
#23
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Westchester county, NY
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Kind of interesting data point: I fly HPN-ATL (<2hrs on 900) a lot and as DM frequently get upgraded between T-5 and T-2 (which I appreciate). Due to a schedule fluke, I happened to be booked on an AA flight today LGA-ATL that was cancelled, so I called yesterday and got on the DL flight about 10 hours before departure. The app showed 1 of something (15-20) up until about 11 PM with 4 F open, so I assumed upgrade would be a shoe-in. At 4:30 AM, the app showed 1 of 10 or so, with 0 F open. I did end up getting upgraded at the gate (after zone 3 boarded) as someone didn't show, but I am curious what happened to those four F seats between 11 PM and 4 AM. I assume they were auto GUC or RUC upgrades for people that were making connections to longer flights from ATL? It seems (at least for this flight) that there is some auto-upgrade within the 6 or so hours before departure...
Oct 30, 2017, 8:53 pm
#24
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According to this link:
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
"Enjoying Priority
Upgrade Certificates receive higher priority than Medallion Complimentary Upgrade requests and clear off the waitlist in order of Medallion Tier, then by the day and time your request was added to the waitlist."
The claim is as far as RUC is concerned, fare class is not involved.
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tificates.html
"Enjoying Priority
Upgrade Certificates receive higher priority than Medallion Complimentary Upgrade requests and clear off the waitlist in order of Medallion Tier, then by the day and time your request was added to the waitlist."
The claim is as far as RUC is concerned, fare class is not involved.
Oct 30, 2017, 9:10 pm
#25
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I am very skeptical of this new order. Delta may have financial incentives with Amex, but they've made very clear they want to keep those buying expensive tickets happy. Deprioritizing expensive tickets makes no sense.
I'll believe it when it's on the website.
Maybe what OP heard had to do with certificate upgrades, but still doesn't entirely make sense.
I'll believe it when it's on the website.
Maybe what OP heard had to do with certificate upgrades, but still doesn't entirely make sense.
Oct 31, 2017, 2:53 am
#26
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Whatever!!! Non-rev employee gets highest priority. I was on the list coming back from ICN. 2.5 hours before departure, there were 15 open D1 seats and I couldn't get one. I asked and the GA said there were a lot of non-rev employees going home. Sure enough, during boarding there were a ton of DTW and SLC based employees chatting with each other. The PREM boarding group was made up mostly Delta employees and their family members. 
Oct 31, 2017, 4:33 am
#27
Join Date: Jul 2010
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Posts: 298
Whatever!!! Non-rev employee gets highest priority. I was on the list coming back from ICN. 2.5 hours before departure, there were 15 open D1 seats and I couldn't get one. I asked and the GA said there were a lot of non-rev employees going home. Sure enough, during boarding there were a ton of DTW and SLC based employees chatting with each other. The PREM boarding group was made up mostly Delta employees and their family members.
Oct 31, 2017, 4:35 am
#28
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Whatever!!! Non-rev employee gets highest priority. I was on the list coming back from ICN. 2.5 hours before departure, there were 15 open D1 seats and I couldn't get one. I asked and the GA said there were a lot of non-rev employees going home. Sure enough, during boarding there were a ton of DTW and SLC based employees chatting with each other. The PREM boarding group was made up mostly Delta employees and their family members.
Were you trying to use a GUC?
Oct 31, 2017, 10:13 am
#30
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Why was this thread necromanced anyway? Seem pretty clear the upgrade order is still status, fare class, reserve card, delta corp traveler, time of request a year and a half after the OP.