PunLush

Hey guys.

This is my first visit to your forum after learning about it from a friend. I have to say im overwhelmed but have spent a long time today reading everything. You all are amazing with your tips and info so I hope you can help me with a question since im still learning.

I'm flying home on Delta on December 18th in a regular coach seat which i used my amex points to book. Althought I have flown Delta 3 other times this year i dont think I have any real status with them. I see that first class is completely open still and was wondering if there was anyway to get a discounted upgrade to it or anything else I should try doing. Its my 5 year wedding anniversary and if its not to expensive id love to surprise my wife.

Thanks all!
Jason

reddawngrl

If you used points for the flight, in the sense this is a free-no-money-outta-pocket trip, it cannot be upgraded as is. You could cancel the flight, redeposit miles and rebook into first class, which involves fees to redeposit and will no doubt cost more miles at this point. You're only (very slim) hope is for an operational upgrade by the gate agent.

PunLush

Thanks for the reply, and forgive my ignorance but what is an operational upgrade?

reddawngrl

when coach class is overbooked but there are empty seats in first. they move some from the back up front.

Dovster

Jason,

Welcome to FlyerTalk. Unfortunately, I have to confirm that you have no status with Delta (unless you earned it by spending a lot on a Delta Amex).

The lowest status level is Silver Medallion and it requires 25,000 miles flown.

You say that you flew with Delta three times this year. Assuming that they were all round trip domestic flights, even if they were all from New York to Los Angeles, you would have flown 14,850 miles. If you bought full fare Coach tickets (which is rare) or flew in First Class, you would have gotten a bonus that would bring you up to 22,275 miles.

I could make Silver Medallion in three r/ts in Coach, but only if all of them start in Tel Aviv and wind up in the States -- and believe me, 13 hours in an aluminum tube is not something to look forward to!

thepointsguy

Actually this depends how you booked using your amex points. If booked directly thru amex using "amex travel" then they get booked into revenue fare buckets - if you did it this way, if its a y,b,m,h,q,or k fare- there may be a chance. If you transferred miles to delta and booked thru delta- then you'd have to redeposit the miles ($100 fee) and rebook first class award tix. I wouldn't even think of an op-up as an option.

PunLush

Thanks for the info. I did book though Amex not Delta, but it is a "T" ticket. However I just checked and coach is completely full. So maybe I will have a chance to upgrade. Should I call them 24 hours before to ask if its oversold?

GBadger

You can call to ask, but realize that even if it is oversold, any platinum, gold and silver elites will get upgraded.. then, if coach is still full, and there are still available seats up front, the upgrades will be likely be given out by fare class, of which T is the lowest...

Unfortunately, I put your chances of an op-up at slim to none, and slim already scored the upgrade (leaving none).

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...

BUT (and this is important)... WELCOME TO FLYERTALK! Stick around, and maybe you'll be flying in F more often .

PunLush

I will stick around! Thanks for all the help guys!