There’s been much discussion on this board about the value of the BE seat and DLs desire to maintain it’s premium status and hence limiting upgrades.

Since most of us here probably travel for business, I’m wondering just how many people could buy a BE seat, but don’t because we expect an upgrade? I think DL might be surprised by the answers.

My company will pay for Business travel only if the flight time for the trip exceeds 11 hours each way by the most direct means. So for instance we can fly BE to Asia, but not to Europe (I’m in FLL). I’m sure most companies have similar policies, so this probably explains why BE seats to NRT are full of paying passengers, while seats to CDG are full of upgraders.

So if I’m flying to Europe I have to try and pick my day or work my itinerary around flights that have confirmed upgrades available at the time I book, since that’s the only way I can make it into BE. Last week I flew back from CDG not direct to MIA, but via LGW and ATL. What a pain, just to get a confirmed upgrade – but there’s no way I’d risk having to do CDG-MIA in coach with no upgrades on the day rule.

My feeling is that DL employees like the no upgrades on the day rule as that gives them the best shot as Non-Rev BE upgrades, so they rationalize reasons to keep the rule in place.