I SDC about twice a week. To back up one thing - the motto is if there is one seat available you can SDC. It's never been about the fare class.

Second - the pattern I've noticed is that if you call in ahead of time, you never get credited for a higher class of service, but if a cheaper fare is available, you will get refunded the difference. If you SDC at the kiosk, you never get the fare change and you never get credit for a higher class of service. If you SDC with the check-in agent, you may get the higher class of service credit and/or you may get the fare difference. If you SDC at the gate, you will not get the fare difference but you will almost always get the credit for the higher class of service if the flight is almost full. (I've had this happen three time. Twice I could not SDC over the phone but was able to SB and was cleared after the plane boarded and the third time my third flight deplaned next to another flight to my final destination which was about to close the door and I was directly seated into F despite this being the last leg of a very low r/t fare to Asia.)

My guess is that this was not common on NW. Now all the former NW folks are experiencing something that happens with some frequency on DL and are surprised by it.

They can in fact open the original fare bucket, but it takes more typing. It is most common for you to get the bump to Y at the airport where the agents are in more of a hurry. Less common on the phone where they have more time to get it right. (I actually had an agent book me straight into an A fare from coach once. I approached the gate of an earlier flight about 5 minutes before closing the door. Coach was completely full, but there was one F seat left. So, knowing I was eligible for an upgrade anyway, she just booked me into that seat. Happened so quickly I didn't realize it until later. But I certainly appreciated it since technically you need a coach seat assignment before you can be upgraded.)

At least previously, you would actually get the MQM bonus as well. Now that the SkyMiles system is running off the NW backbone, perhaps that has been "fixed."

Miles from yesterday's SDC that was rebooked into Y posted today with the class of service bonus:eek:

Agreed. Though I've never done SDC, NW had the same rules with FlyNow and as long as a coach seat existed, I could get one.


Did you take a different routing that eliminated a leg? Maybe refund on taxes? If you fly less, the airline (on behalf of the gov) owes you money.

well, then Imust nothave reached PSS/SMS... they definitely rebooked me into Y last time I SDC'd.

If i have a 7 am flight, and i want to SDC to a flight that departs at 7 pm. Should I call before my 7am flight to request this SDC? I figure I will get in trouble if I call after 7 am?

Nope, your ticket remains open for the day even if you miss your flight. You wouldn't be able to SDC until 4 PM (as SDC is applicable at 3 hours before the NEW flight).

So what happens if you miss your early flight and try to SDC for a later flight and there is no availability on anything that night?

You're up the creek... It is a risk that you take with SDC.

I've had it happen to me once. Seatcounter and SMS said the last flight of the day (from small airport to ATL) was wide open. So I took my time getting to the airport knowing I'd SDC. Problem was that the XXX-CVG flight was delayed so the airport agent proactively rebooked everybody onto the flight I wanted, XXX-ATL, and I was unable to SDC. The airport agent rebooked me onto another airline. This is something I would NOT expect.

One occasion when I have missed the last flight of the day, not due to SDC but just late, the airport agent did rebook me on the next morning's flight for $50. Again, something I would NOT expect.

My expectation would be a change fee and fare difference.

That's what the FlyNow rule _said_ but in reality they were way more generous. I am leisure travel so 90% of flights are booked in the deeply discounted fare buckets. I would buy the cheapest flight of the day and used FlyNow to get on the flight I want. I was successful more than 50% of the time (the other times I had to go standby at the airport). If the same bucket rule is strictly reinforced, I probably would never be able to get on another flight via FlyNow.