I'd turn down the upgrade and sit in back.

If you have to seek advice, that means that sitting up front while el jefe cools his heels in the back would be gauche. Similarly, having the GA anonymously give the u/g to him just doesn't sound like a good plan. You might get caught and end up looking a little smarmy.

Instead, I'd work on getting both of you into bulkheads at the front of coach. There, you can extol the virtues of Delta's domestic F product ().