Originally Posted by
ecaarch
A few years ago DL started allowing the use of Global Upgrade Certificates (GUC's....same as SWU) from virtually any fare class. But when that was implemented, DL also quietly changed the way that GUC's were processed. Previously, a GUC basically got you confirmed
AT TIME OF BOOKING if there was a J seat available (and a spot on a waitlist on the rare occasions that a J seat wasn't available). Now, a GUC gets you onto a waitlist at time of booking. As travel date gets closer and DL has a handle on how many J seats will likely be unsold, DL starts releasing seats to thiose on the waitlist. It is pretty unheard of for GUC's to clear at time of booking anymore.
So in summary, GUC's went from heavily restricted but virtually guaranteed upgrades to a more widely accessible
CHANCE of an upgrade into the leftover seats that DL hasn't sold. Each procedure s*cks, they just s*ck in different ways.
I was a PM/DM for a number of years before switching to AA in 2016/2017. It may have been different in more distant past, but before GUCs were introduced allowing upgrades from any fare class besides basic economy, you still needed upgrade space to clear on top of buying a Y/B/M fare. It certainly was not last-seat availability. I actually had decent luck using my GUCs - certainly much more than trying to use AA SWUs. Though I did pay for GDS access so I could find the inventory without having to call reservations... it's annoying DL does not publish it anywhere, even on its own website.