I booked a roundtrip PVG-MCI ticket around the holidays (23 Dec-1 Jan). Shortly after booking, my family decided that Christmas would be in NYC this year since my sister is unable to make it away from NYC during the holidays. I would like to arrive in NYC on the evening of 12/23, and would like the FF community's advice on the best way there.

Option 1 (least preferred): change/cancel my PVG-MCI RT itenerary to and pay the change fee and/or other fees to rebook. Fare rules are at the bottom of my post.

Option 2:
DL5996 (my flight from DTW-MCI) arrives at 5:01pm, and I could book the the 6:25pm MCI-LGA (DL5886). Since this is the last routing for the evening, I am SOL if I miss the later flight. I was thinking that I could SDC from DL5996 to the 12:01 DTW-MCI flight (if I could make the extremely tight connection or if the noon flight is delayed). The SDC is contingent on making the tight connection AND convincing the GA to let me change even though I am on an international itenerary.

If my DTW-MCI flight (Shuttle America E170) is delayed and I miss the MCI-LGA flight, I assume that I have no recourse? Would DL reroute me DTW-NYC if the flight was delayed long enough (flights would be on different tickets)? Should I just buy a refundable ticket for the morning of Christmas Eve to be safe (7:05am Comair E170 MCI-LGA)?

Other Options: ???

Thank you all in advance for your feedback.

Fare Details: SHA DL X/DTT DL MKC M585.41UKWCN5 DL X/DTT DL SHA M391.31TLWSJ5
7 NUC976.72END ROE6.38866 XF DTW4.5