Originally Posted by
DwayneSkyMiles
Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members will receive complimentary same-day travel changes for new flight departure times that are three hours before or after your original departure time. For flights departing outside of this window, a $50 fee for each same-day confirmed ticketing change will now apply. Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members also may continue to stand by free of charge for flights outside of the complimentary window or when your booking class is not available.
As we suspected, crux of the matter for SDC is limitation of fare class. As an example, I'm flying LGA > ATL tomorrow booked in L class on a flight. Below is fare class availability for LGA>ATL starting with 7am flight.
F3 P2 A0 G0 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
F5 P4 A0 G0 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E9
F7 P6 A0 G0 Y9 B8 M6 S6 H2 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
F8 P7 A0 G0 Y9 B9 M7 S7 H0 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
F5 P4 A0 G0 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H9 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E6
F8 P7 A0 G0 Y8 B6 M4 S4 H0 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
J3 C2 D1 I0 Y9 B9 M9 S9 H7 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
F9 P8 A0 G0 Y9 B8 M7 S7 H1 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
F7 P6 A0 G0 Y9 B8 M6 S0 H0 Q0 K0 L0 U0 T0 X0 V0 E0
If I had booked an afternoon flight (as is usually the case with work travel) but was able to get to take an early flight I would not have one single SDC option despite it clearly showing the flights are WIDE OPEN! So I'm stuck with a same day standby option which luckily in this case the odds are very good. But i'm not schleping all the way to the airport hours early to wait around going from gate to gate hoping my standby clears. No thank you Delta.
But LGA>ATL is a very common route. I'm certain less common routes would not have anywhere near as many open seats.
The problem DL faces with this change is flights early in the day will have low yields but later in the afternoon will be packed. I guess that's fine until DL has to VDB 10+ pax on that 8PM LGA>ATL flight and overnight those pax at the Sheraton LGA until the next morning. And presuming VDB's won't count toward MQD's combined with difficulty in using vouchers to begin with, VDB is suddenly a much less sought after option. What's a VDB'er to do? Use the VDB to buy F and earn MQM bonus and gauranteed F while still contributing to your MQD spend...
Outstanding questions: GM+ who standby for a different flight. Are they on the UG list? or standby for coach only? IME, Upgrade list is cleared and then standby pax confirmed. If that continues to be the case, Medallions who standby have almost no chance of an UG.. That might not be the worst thing in the world. upper tier elits switching flights multiple times until they clear into F is IMO gaming the system & should be limited. I know many of you disagree but that's my opinion and i'm sticking to it!