Originally Posted by TWA Fan 1

Yes, of course, although that equation applies to anyone flying in Y, elite or kettle.

I can spend $1,800 on a Y ticket and still be forced to buy a C+ upgrade, even as an elite, if my upgrade doesn't clear at the designated window and I really don't want to sit in a middle seat in C+.

The point is that the C+ upsell is just marginal revenue, as you write, little chunks of $19, $39, $99 hits that do not take status or fare basis into account.

So, in this sense, it actually belies what would traditionally be thought of as an upgrade in today's airline business.

Some airlines have revenue upgrades, but these are tightly connected to the initial fare basis. In these cases, the most discounted Y fares usually are not eligible for revenue upgrades and then there is often a sliding scale for the cost of the upgrade based on fare basis.

This new C+ regimen at DL is, in that sense, not an upgrade but really just an upsell.

Whether I've spent $199 round trip or $1,800 round trip, I am subject to the same cost of upsell.

Jut imagine an elite traveling on a full Y having spent, say, $1,800 on a ticket, sitting in C- while a kettle who's spent $199 plus the upsell fee of, say $39 each way, or a total of $277, sitting in C+.

Yes, DL generated an additional $78 in marginal revenue. But if the disgruntled elite cancels his/her refundable ticket, the opportunity cost is $1,800 and the bottom line in this example is a $1,722 loss for the company.