Due to my wife's health, I had to move away from a job with a travel budget.
That office still sends me on domestic trips and wants to send me to HEL in June 2025. I dropped from DM to PM and will not hit DM this year to secure GUCs for 2025.
Starting out of tiny CHA, the route out of ATL is either AMS or CDG. I fear the scenario of getting only economy fare from my office and having to pay with much cash or SMs due to my medical concerns (DVTs).
I know I could break the ticket in two parts and use tons of SM to secure D1 to either AMS or CDG if these routes have inventory as advanced booking rather than close to the day of departure. (No D1 and I will not travel.)
With DL cutting back on upgrade inventory, I wonder if there is any hope for these routes when buying as soon as the dates are open. I would at least attempt to argue that the office pay PS since I am investing so much in the trip.