Originally Posted by
bangkokiscool
I'm wondering if anyone's had recent experiences with PVG-DTW (using GUC as DM). My flight leaves in 11 days, and it's currently 9+ seats for sale (seat map and Delta app show 14 D1 seats available). Calling every day has not resulted in the WL clearing yet. I have a ticket on SQ PVG-SIN-FRA-JFK-DTW in Business, but I really need to get home sooner so it may come down to facing DL in Coach to get home earlier or taking my time on SQ.
Last year, I cleared SEA -> HKG at booking. Return, HKG -> SEA didn't clear until the gate (I got the last seat).
I cleared approximately 2 weeks out in August DTW -> PVG. Return was through HKG (which cleared at booking).
Last week, DTW -> PEK had OP inventory available (but I didn't have any more GUCs). Return PEK -> DTW this Friday night had 6 seats available ~11 days out; showed 4 open at check in, and 2 open right before departure (list showed two UGs cleared at the gate)
My (limited) experience with return flights from asia is that they either clear at booking if you're lucky, or they don't clear until day of departure at the gate. I'd say you have about a 70% chance of clearing, but there is a very good chance it won't happen until the gate.