May 27, 2018, 12:36 pm
Last edit by: audidudi
DRAFT WIKI: I've started this on May 27, 2018 as a first pass, but need to pull more info from the rest of the thread. Feel free to add!
What flights are eligible to be upgraded?
As relevant to this thread, original booking must be:
- DL ticketed (006 stock)
- DL marketed (DL flight #)
- VS operated
NOTE ON MIXED CABIN BOOKINGS: If you are booked in coach for a domestic portion on Delta and then connecting to a VS Premium Economy segment, and trying to upgrade only the VS PE segment with DL miles, the upgrade request may be rejected by Virgin when the DL agent attempt to process it. Ask to be transferred to the international reissue desk. Explain that they will need to remove the domestic coach portion of your flight, then process the upgrade, and then reattach the domestic Y portion. VS will accept the upgrade only when the coach segment has been removed, and this all needs to be done manually by Delta.
How do I know mileage upgrade space is available?
You can either call Delta and ask the agent to check or check online. If you are going to call, see note below about how to explain this to the phone agent. Or, follow instructions in the next section to check inventory online.
X
Checking online In advance:
- Upgrades on VS pull from the same inventory as award bookings. Upgrading to Upper Class requires G class inventory, upgrading to Premium Economy requires P class inventory. Note these are Virgin fare classes that will not display on delta.com. Delta's G and P fare classes are different and should not be considered for this purpose. Only a subset of G class inventory (and presumably also of P class inventory) is available for upgrades, so merely finding G availability via the Delta or Virgin websites, or via ExpertFlyer or other sources, does not necessarily mean an upgrade will be available. Unfortunately there is no public data source that can be used to double-check what Delta agents tell you about availability.
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At the Airport Day of Depature:
How do I request the upgrade?
What should I see if/when my upgrade is correctly processed?
Need more information on reticketing, seat selection, etc.
How much do upgrades cost?
Reports of upgrade costs are as follows (current as of May 2018):
- US<>UK, PE>UC = 25k RDM each way
- US<>UK, Y>UC = ???? each way
- US<>UK, Y>PE = ???? each way
When going from Y to PE/UC, you may need to pay the UK luxury tax (in USD or GBP) for flights exiting the UK.
When going from PE to UC, the luxury tax should not apply as it has already been charged on the PE fare.
A note about earning miles
Your upgraded ticket should still earn DL RDMs/MQMs/MQDs based on the originally purchased fare. However, the systems regularly get confused because the rebooked ticket will be identified as VS award inventory, ineligible for mileage earnings.
Keep your original (non-upgraded) receipt and monitor your miles earnings carefully. Calls or written requests via DL.com comments/complaints will result in proper mileage earnings being applied, but you may need to be persistent.
Need information about crediting flights to VS or other programs.
What flights are eligible to be upgraded?
As relevant to this thread, original booking must be:
- DL ticketed (006 stock)
- DL marketed (DL flight #)
- VS operated
NOTE ON MIXED CABIN BOOKINGS: If you are booked in coach for a domestic portion on Delta and then connecting to a VS Premium Economy segment, and trying to upgrade only the VS PE segment with DL miles, the upgrade request may be rejected by Virgin when the DL agent attempt to process it. Ask to be transferred to the international reissue desk. Explain that they will need to remove the domestic coach portion of your flight, then process the upgrade, and then reattach the domestic Y portion. VS will accept the upgrade only when the coach segment has been removed, and this all needs to be done manually by Delta.
How do I know mileage upgrade space is available?
You can either call Delta and ask the agent to check or check online. If you are going to call, see note below about how to explain this to the phone agent. Or, follow instructions in the next section to check inventory online.
X
Checking online In advance:
- Upgrades on VS pull from the same inventory as award bookings. Upgrading to Upper Class requires G class inventory, upgrading to Premium Economy requires P class inventory. Note these are Virgin fare classes that will not display on delta.com. Delta's G and P fare classes are different and should not be considered for this purpose. Only a subset of G class inventory (and presumably also of P class inventory) is available for upgrades, so merely finding G availability via the Delta or Virgin websites, or via ExpertFlyer or other sources, does not necessarily mean an upgrade will be available. Unfortunately there is no public data source that can be used to double-check what Delta agents tell you about availability.
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- Waitlisting is not available for mileage upgrades on Virgin Atlantic or any other partner flights.
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At the Airport Day of Depature:
- VS regularly offers DOD upgrades at the airport.
- Upgrades are available for cash (generally not the best value at ~$800 one way) or VS miles (same # miles as advance upgrades).
- DOD upgrades using miles can only be done with VS miles, not Delta Sky Miles.
- VS miles can be transferred from Amex MR. Transfer is usually instantaneous if you have linked your MR/VS accounts in advance, but as always Amex does not guarantee this so there is some risk involved in relying on the transfer while at the airport.
How do I request the upgrade?
- You'll need to call Delta. Be prepared to spend some time and persistence, and HUCA if necessary. Know that agents are likely to be confused about this, so be patient and call when you have time for them to research this and possibly speak with a supervisor.
- Consider saying something along these lines to the phone agent to help clue them in that this may be something they need to look up or get help with: "I am calling to upgrade, using Sky Miles, my Virgin Atlantic flight that I booked through Delta. I understand that this is a newer benefit that is now available through the Delta/Virgin Atlantic join-venture. I know from previously calling that this is not something all agents do regularly, so thanks so much for helping me figure this out."
- Remind the agent to check the VS flight # (not DL #) for upgrade space. Many agents may tell you you are already in a premium cabin if you're booked in VS PE, without realizing that DL's G class is not the same as VS's G class. Some may also insist that it is not possible to upgrade a VS flight with Sky Miles (it was not possible before July 2017). Be polite, but ask for a supervisor.
- Agents seem to find the correct instructions about all this when they look up the DL/VS joint venture notes in whatever system they use.
- Waitlisting is not available for mileage upgrades on Virgin Atlantic or any other partner flights.
What should I see if/when my upgrade is correctly processed?
- Your upgraded flight will now be a VS-marketed flight #.
- You will be rebooked into the appropriate VS fare class.
Need more information on reticketing, seat selection, etc.
How much do upgrades cost?
Reports of upgrade costs are as follows (current as of May 2018):
- US<>UK, PE>UC = 25k RDM each way
- US<>UK, Y>UC = ???? each way
- US<>UK, Y>PE = ???? each way
When going from Y to PE/UC, you may need to pay the UK luxury tax (in USD or GBP) for flights exiting the UK.
When going from PE to UC, the luxury tax should not apply as it has already been charged on the PE fare.
A note about earning miles
Your upgraded ticket should still earn DL RDMs/MQMs/MQDs based on the originally purchased fare. However, the systems regularly get confused because the rebooked ticket will be identified as VS award inventory, ineligible for mileage earnings.
Keep your original (non-upgraded) receipt and monitor your miles earnings carefully. Calls or written requests via DL.com comments/complaints will result in proper mileage earnings being applied, but you may need to be persistent.
Need information about crediting flights to VS or other programs.
Definitive Thread: Use Sky Miles to upgrade on VS
Jul 29, 2017, 9:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,412
Definitive Thread: Use Sky Miles to upgrade on VS
Sorry if I missed this and it's already been posted, but I did not see it.
I wanted to share that, as of 7/17, you can now use SM to upgrade VS flights.
(https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...d-updates.html)
I called to try to upgrade my r/t booked in premium economy this fall. The first agent was not aware of the new rule, and insisted that it was not permitted.
HUCA. Good agent, she knew exactly what I was talking about but there was no space available.
However, learned that it would only be 20K miles each way from prem. economy, plus the UK luxury tax (agent said around $100). And, there are often GREAT PE fares available for advanced purchase. I purchased these VS A PE tickets for aprox. $900 a few months ago. This means that, if you found the right tickets and available space, you can fly VS UC for aprox. $1k and 40K miles r/t. That's a fantastic deal.
You can also upgrade from Y to PE, and Y to UC, but I did not get the numbers.
There is no waitlisting available. Fingers crossed that I will find open seats before the flight. I'd gladly spend 40K miles and $100 to upgrade SFO-LHR.
I wanted to share that, as of 7/17, you can now use SM to upgrade VS flights.
(https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...d-updates.html)
I called to try to upgrade my r/t booked in premium economy this fall. The first agent was not aware of the new rule, and insisted that it was not permitted.
HUCA. Good agent, she knew exactly what I was talking about but there was no space available.
However, learned that it would only be 20K miles each way from prem. economy, plus the UK luxury tax (agent said around $100). And, there are often GREAT PE fares available for advanced purchase. I purchased these VS A PE tickets for aprox. $900 a few months ago. This means that, if you found the right tickets and available space, you can fly VS UC for aprox. $1k and 40K miles r/t. That's a fantastic deal.
You can also upgrade from Y to PE, and Y to UC, but I did not get the numbers.
There is no waitlisting available. Fingers crossed that I will find open seats before the flight. I'd gladly spend 40K miles and $100 to upgrade SFO-LHR.
Jul 29, 2017, 1:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, 1MM
Posts: 3,781
Jdrtravel, thanks for posting this. I just called the PM line a couple of days ago to ask about a SkyMiles upgrade from PE to UC on a VS flight from MAN-BOS; I was told that it is not possible. I'll call again. On the same itinerary I had no trouble upgrading for 20,000 SM from PE to Business on MSP-CDG on AF.
Did you call DL to do the upgrade? VS referred me back to Delta. I called AF to get the AF upgrade.
I didn't do quite as well as you on the original fare; mine was $1200 in PE (on the TATL flights) for MSP-CDG-MAN-BOS-MSP, booked a month in advance for an August trip. Still pretty good, I think. It's a Delta ticket with the fare classes showing as W on the outbound and G on the return, including an F seat on the domestic US segment.
Did you call DL to do the upgrade? VS referred me back to Delta. I called AF to get the AF upgrade.
I didn't do quite as well as you on the original fare; mine was $1200 in PE (on the TATL flights) for MSP-CDG-MAN-BOS-MSP, booked a month in advance for an August trip. Still pretty good, I think. It's a Delta ticket with the fare classes showing as W on the outbound and G on the return, including an F seat on the domestic US segment.
Last edited by CarmenOM; Jul 29, 2017 at 1:06 pm
Jul 29, 2017, 2:34 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,412
I plan to call regularly to try to get the upgrade. In the future, when they say it's not possible, I will probably ask them to double check and explain that it's a new thing. However, that also concerns me that they would do it wrong...
Jul 31, 2017, 6:18 am
#5
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 3,458
I struck out too.. My fare class on the "trips" page shows A which is upgradeable but the receipt shows W which isn't and the agent said it's not doable. Considering the great rate I got I am not real surprised (I paid $800 RT, over in PE and back in DL Comfort)
Jul 31, 2017, 8:42 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,412
I struck out too.. My fare class on the "trips" page shows A which is upgradeable but the receipt shows W which isn't and the agent said it's not doable. Considering the great rate I got I am not real surprised (I paid $800 RT, over in PE and back in DL Comfort)
Your receipt may show a W fare for the outbound because VS PE was being sold as W until a recent change. You fare is now probably an A fare and should be treated as such. There are no W fares on VS for DL tickets. W is DL C+.
Jul 31, 2017, 9:05 am
#7
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 3,458
I would try again. It sounds like you have an A fare on the outbound and a W fare on the return. Both should be upgradeable but with for different amounts.
Your receipt may show a W fare for the outbound because VS PE was being sold as W until a recent change. You fare is now probably an A fare and should be treated as such. There are no W fares on VS for DL tickets. W is DL C+.
Your receipt may show a W fare for the outbound because VS PE was being sold as W until a recent change. You fare is now probably an A fare and should be treated as such. There are no W fares on VS for DL tickets. W is DL C+.
Update 8/2. This process still has some issues. I called this morning and they have available upgrades but my poor agent can't convince the upgrade department that my "w" on DL os really PE A on Virgin. She's waiting on a supervisor. So far it's taken 30 minutes. No idea if this will be successful
Last edited by Orange County Commuter; Aug 2, 2017 at 3:54 am
Aug 2, 2017, 8:04 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,412
Also, When is your VS flight? Trying to figure out when they release upgrade inventory.
Last edited by jdrtravel; Aug 2, 2017 at 8:11 am
Aug 2, 2017, 8:20 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
Be aware that upgrades on Virgin book into the same fare classes as award tickets used for upgrades. If a mileage upgrade works the same as a GUC theoretically does and the upgraded ticket is rebooked on a VS flight number using the award/upgrade fare bucket, Delta will give you zero mileage credit for the ticket after flying because it will read in their system as an award.
So keep an eye on your mileage earning and get ready to fight for the credit you deserve (which in this case would be the miles and MQMs that you would have been entitled to based on the original coach ticket booked).
See: The Official - GLOBAL UPGRADE CERT success thread - Yay! I got it!
So keep an eye on your mileage earning and get ready to fight for the credit you deserve (which in this case would be the miles and MQMs that you would have been entitled to based on the original coach ticket booked).
See: The Official - GLOBAL UPGRADE CERT success thread - Yay! I got it!
Aug 2, 2017, 8:21 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
VS upgrade and award inventory are usually the same so if you see awards available there should also be upgrades. VS does generally do some near-in (2-6 weeks before departure) releasing of additional award seats, but not guaranteed of course.
Aug 2, 2017, 8:23 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,412
Thanks, that's helpful. So no need to pay for EF, I can just do a delta.com search for mileage UC inventory?
Aug 2, 2017, 8:25 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
In theory yes, though as with all things DL it's not guaranteed the systems will all be talking to each other correctly (nor that the agents will know how to do everything correctly). Could be worth checking VS's website award search for a second free data point. Good luck.
Aug 2, 2017, 9:03 am
#15
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 3,458
i asked about the tax. Agent says it's only on departure from U.K.
my flight is 10/7. I did use Expert Flyer. Got an alert yesterday but by the time I called it was gone. Woke up early today and saw another alter so I tried again. (The alerts both came around 3 am eastern)
