2017 Upgrade Success (Or Lack Thereof)

Old Jan 21, 2017, 5:14 pm
  #61  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 99
Had 75+ segments in 2016 as a PM and was only upgraded 3 times flying these routes:

LGA > ATL
LGA > ORD (all 3 came on this route)
LGA > FLL


This year I started flying LGA > MKE and I'm 100% thus far. I like it!
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Old Jan 22, 2017, 12:37 pm
  #62  
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1/22/17 DL707 GRR-DTW about 25/40 for 0
1/22/17 DL36something DTW-STL presently 1/5 for 0 with 2 opens at T20hr I imagine they were sold or went to SDCs and wx reroutes

GM on V fares

Both segments upgraded to WU about 36 hours in advance
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Old Jan 22, 2017, 2:07 pm
  #63  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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I got CHO-ATL-SFO for $400 less RT than I would have on a trip originating at any of the three DC area airports. It took me 90 minutes to drive from my home to CHO (long-term parking is $8 per day and is only 5 minutes on foot from the terminal); it takes me 40-45 minutes to drive to a metro station south of DCA, and another 20-25 minutes from my car to the TSA entrance at DCA.

I won three gate lotteries to go 4 for 4 on this trip. I bought my ticket 2 days in advance; I was the only name on the UG list 24 hours out CHO-ATL for 2 F empties; DL actually upgraded me by 1800 the night before the 0550 departure.

On the ATL-SFO leg, which was serviced by an A330-300 with 34 sleeper seats in F, I was #3 for 7 F empties, but 8 hours out I was #5 for 3 F empties. I called the Big D and asked to apply one of my RUCs. The first reservationist did this, but it did not improve my standing on the list; I called back, and the second reservationist indicated that the first person did not property input the "priority code"; when she did, I jumped the line and went to #1 on the list. DL sold or gave away 1 F seat; at 0800 sitting in the E SkyClub I got the happy news, and ended up sleeping horizontally for 4 of the 5 hours aloft.

On the return, I had booked the cheapest routing, which was SFO-DTW-ATL-CHO. There were something like 5 F seats available 24 hours out, but the number went to 0 by 2 hours out. There was only 1 F seat available on both DTW-ATL and ATL-CHO. As it turned out, despite the pilots and FA being at the gate and ready to go 35 minutes before scheduled departure, DL had not towed the DTW aircraft to our gate. I stood there for 20 minutes and realized that I might miss my connecting flight, which would mean overnighting in ATL. I called the Big D and got on a SFO-ATL flight; this one turned out to have 5 empties in F. The reservationist did not get me on the upgrade list. I went back to the SFO SkyClub, where the concierge on the second floor got me the #2 position on the UG list. I easily cleared into F on this flight, and then was #1 on the UG list for CHO and scored the last UG seat.

Good first trip for 2017.
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Old Jan 24, 2017, 7:05 pm
  #64  
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Saturday 1/21 DL CR7 RDU-EWR X Fare: Upgraded at T-45
Sunday 1/21 DL 777 JFK-ATL T Fare: #18 of 30

Yearly Stats: 50.00% (1/2)

My streak of never missing an upgrade between NYC and RDU as a Silver Medallion continues. I was originally #29 of 30 for an A-321 ATL-RDU on my T-Fare but ended up standing by on an earlier flight and never ended up on the upgrade list for that one.
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Old Jan 24, 2017, 7:51 pm
  #65  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: PHL - Go Flyers!
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I'm on a DL challenge from AA EXP and have my first flights this Sun/Mon

1/29 ABE-DTW CRJ (no first class cabin)
DTW-CLE CRJ900 - Upgrade to first yesterday

1/30 CLE-DTW CRJ900 (no upgrade yet)
DTW-ABE CRJ (no first class cabin)
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Old Jan 24, 2017, 8:18 pm
  #66  
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Predictions for tomorrow
DL1850 STL-MSP 4 open will end mid pack on a waitlist of 40ish people

DL2578 MSP-SMF will end in the top 1/3-1/2 of a waitlist of 25ish for 4 seats

Gm is the new FO
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Old Jan 24, 2017, 11:09 pm
  #67  
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Did well on last weekend's trip, DM on U fare:

1/22 MSN>SLC at window (did not fly due to WX waiver)
1/22 SLC>OAK at window (did not fly due to WX waiver)

1/22 MSN>MSP at gate (changed onto flight T-2 days due to WX waiver)
1/22 MSP>SFO at gate (changed onto flight T-2 days due to WX waiver)

1/25 SFO>ATL RUC waitlisted first week of Jan, cleared 7 days in advance
1/25 ATL>MSN Applied RUC once ATL>SFO cleared, would have cleared anyway as person next to me was an upgraded Platinum
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Old Jan 25, 2017, 7:08 am
  #68  
pvn
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1/25 5196 MEM-LGA CRJ7 K fare, upgraded at booking (booked inside the window)
1/25 5558 LGA-MEM CRJ7 K fare, currently 1 of 1 for 3 seats
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Old Jan 25, 2017, 9:55 am
  #69  
 
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Perhaps this belongs in a different thread....

But just had something odd happen. My understanding, and over the last three years as a DL elite, my experience, is that Delta (unlike UAfkaCO ) does not offer upgrade sales ("TODs") when there is a waiting list. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I've not seen it.

So today I go to check in for my 8:35 am SFO-SEA flight tomorrow, and I get a prompt offering me an upgrade for $139. I decline, and check in, and get the same E+ seat I was assigned before. there are 3 F seats unfilled (on the map and per the upgrade list) and I am 1 of 1 on the upgrade list.

PM here, to the extent that matters. The upgrade is not a big deal (and I expect I will clear) but a policy change is a big deal...

Any idea from someone more familiar with DL what happened?
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Old Jan 25, 2017, 10:20 am
  #70  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 609
So far in 2017 I'm batting 100%

1/4 SEA-SFO Cleared at window
1/6 SFO-SEA Cleared at window

1/17 SEA-GEG Cleared at window
1/18 GEG-SEA Cleared at window

1/26 SEA-JFK Cleared T-24 M Fare
1/28 JFK-SEA Cleared at window

I'm sure my luck isn't going to keep going, but so far so good. I'm guessing it's going to end next week when I fly SEA-MSP-BOS on an X fare.
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Old Jan 25, 2017, 3:42 pm
  #71  
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Originally Posted by spin88
But just had something odd happen. My understanding, and over the last three years as a DL elite, my experience, is that Delta (unlike UAfkaCO ) does not offer upgrade sales ("TODs") when there is a waiting list. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I've not seen it.

So today I go to check in for my 8:35 am SFO-SEA flight tomorrow, and I get a prompt offering me an upgrade for $139. I decline, and check in, and get the same E+ seat I was assigned before. there are 3 F seats unfilled (on the map and per the upgrade list) and I am 1 of 1 on the upgrade list.

PM here, to the extent that matters. The upgrade is not a big deal (and I expect I will clear) but a policy change is a big deal...

Any idea from someone more familiar with DL what happened?

Happens all the time. See the "FCM" thread. I'm waiting to board STL-MSP and same thing happened to me at OLCI today.
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Old Jan 25, 2017, 7:40 pm
  #72  
 
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1/25/17
ATL-MCO
24hr Window Check-In 7/23 for 3 Seats
At gate 1/27 for 0 Seats(Showing 5 Upgrades)

2min to door closing GA comes on and asks me if I wanted to move forward and handed me 5D. I made it to 5D. Sat down and instantly GA came back on and said the passenger showed up. Back to my Economy Plus seat and the passenger that was let on was told he had to go back to terminal.
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Old Jan 28, 2017, 4:58 pm
  #73  
 
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SDC'd yesterday from my direct ATL-SFO V fare this evening to

1/28/17 8:10am
DL1929 ATL-SEA 767-300
DL 4869 SEA-SFO E175

cleared immediately into first on 4869

Was 2 of 20 for 6 (later 7) on 1929
cleared at T-30
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Old Jan 29, 2017, 2:56 pm
  #74  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
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Posts: 32
So far being unlucky in comp upgrade, no upgrade yet (0/4).
1/5 SEA-MSP-ORD V fare
1/6 ORD-ATL V fare (this one got really close)
1/17 ORD-ATL award ticket

Took the $799 OP offer on 1/6 ATL-FRA (V fare).
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Old Jan 30, 2017, 10:10 am
  #75  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 252
1/2

1/21 LGA-FLL Success (G/A came on plane to UG after 4 FC no shows)
1/29 FLL-LGA Nope (5/18 with no FC left)
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