FlightNurse

What Cert are you using?

I've been playing with the PLT cert and no where does it allow me to upgrade to Comfort or F.

BusTrav8yrs

Huh?

If you think having the reserve card gets you better UG's you are going to be disappointed, and if you think using the F UG cert is easy that is also going to be a big disappointment.

Pack1620

My wife has the CC and we've never been able to get on the UG list with companion tickets.

JayTeaBee

I have to respectfully disagree. If one can be a bit flexible with travel dates they should have pretty good luck using the F UG cert (as well as the coach one, I also have the DL Amex Plat) I scored a sub 1k fare PWM-ATL-LAS in June with my F UG cert and I'm pretty pumped up about it!

BenA

It was operated by a 737-900 on the day we flew it, which probably didn't hurt In general, though, MCO direct flights from the west coast seem to be very elite light. Definitely a flight where all the non preferred seats were assigned early on and the preferred half of the plane was wide open...

We continue to have good success with upgrades on these certs on day of departure. My theory is that Delta only ever lets you use these certificates on flights nobody else wants to buy. Our most recent success was on a Wednesday afternoon SFO-SEA where the upgrade list - and much of Y - was completely empty. In that case the GA did have to revoke one of our two upgrades at the last minute when an F passenger SDC'ed, but she gave me a whole row to myself in Y as compensation. Notably, Comfort+ was a nonrev commuting party on that flight, so she chose to upgrade us over OAL employees.

If there is any upgrade list at all at the gate, don't expect upgrades with these certs of course - but my experience continues to be that GAs are more than willing to seat you up front if the seats would otherwise go to waste. The upgrade is handled manually as an op-up and is a gift/nice bonus, not an entitlement, so make sure not to be appreciative and not pushy when asking if it's possible at the gate

schmidlapp

I'm not sure if this has been answered before, but I just booked a companion ticket for DW and myself. I have the Platinum DL Amex. I'm FO with DL as well. Will I still be able to move us to C+ within the 24 hr window if space is available? Just retired and am not flying nearly as much so the new C+ fare class is new to me.
Thanks in advance

miraclebear2003

Depends on the date of the flights. Despite another poster who says he gets upgrades, upgrades are not allowed with the companion tickets and you will not get on the upgrade list.

Starting May 16, C+ will be considered an upgrade so you (no matter what status) cannot select the C+ seat. Before that date, at your window you can select the C+ seat.

In regard to another post about the Reserve card solving the upgrade problem, I'm not sure what the poster was thinking, but my thinking is that I can now, and have, purchase FC so I'm not concerned about upgrades (DL still warns that I am not eligible for upgrades though it's meaningless).

gooselee

Much to the chagrin of many FTers, I don't depend on complimentary UGs and WFBF when I want the seat/service/flexibility of a FC ticket. I find that I'm much more satisfied with the results that way.

And, I'm hoping the Reserve cert is just as "difficult" to use as my Plat cert, where I have 100% success on the routes and dates I've wanted to use them. Occasionally I need to choose a flight time an hour or two before/after my ideal flight...but I do that with cash tickets as well when I have the flexibility and my ideal times are far more expensive.

brocklee9000

It's the platinum certificate.

I have no idea if it will stick. I just thought it was interesting that it would a) show all the exit/preferred seats as blocked UNTIL the payment screen, and b) that it gave me the option to request C+ and F upgrades for both of us. I never actually clicked through and bought a ticket, though, so I don't know if it will present an error. I'll likely end up using it for a RT to SEA on a 739. If I do, I'm debating between normal preferred seats or exit rows, as I seem to remember the 739 exit rows weren't actually roomier. If I go through with it, I'll request the F upgrade just to see what DL.com says.

gooselee

I used one of mine on a 739 flight and nabbed the row 20 exit seats as they are only two wide. No extra legroom but at least neither of us is in a middle.

brocklee9000

Yeah, most of the seats in all the exit rows are available, but I might end up going with preferred seats farther up. It's got the capacity of a 757, they're 1.5 hour flights; one is late night and the other is early morning, so it will be nice to get just off and get to bed/get off and get to work.

But hey, it's the best value I have found out of SLC. I used to be able to do things like JFK and get free C+ from status, but no more. The only thing I could find better than $300 RT was to LAX for...like $250 or LGB for $280. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get the reserve card for next year.

rylan

Unfortunately it won't. You may see the check box during booking, but it doesn't do anything after you purchase the ticket. The 'manage upgrades' section won't even appear and you're relegated to C- seats only.

Thanks for finding a way to devalue these DL and stick DMs in the back.

Bowgie

Wife used a Amex Plat companion cert for SNA-SLC-COS on July 4 weekend.
Fares were sky-high, and that $420 routing was the cheapest from any southern California airport. A bonus is that the SLC-COS segments are CRJ-200's in both directions, so it's not like we would be upgraded anyway.

I'll probably use my Amex Plat cert for a LAX-SAN rt to join up with previously booked trips originating and returning from LAX. I live a lot closer to SAN, but sometimes originating from SAN can add a lot of $$ to the cost of the whole ticket.

Because of the "no-upgrade" rule, I save the companion certs for expensive, but short flights. Wife and I only got upgraded once, which was a SAN-LAX, and that was only because the F cabin was empty and the GA cared enough to call us up to the podium for our new boarding passes. It's only about 25 minutes in the air, but sometimes it's the thought that counts.

rylan

I got a trip with the first class Reserve cert over 4th of July weekend booked also. Not really a problem finding availability... just watched flights until the one I wanted because available in A since different ones kept rotating around.

uppereastsider

I just got my reserve certificate today... and successfully used it to get 2 first class RT tickets LGA to DEN in late July for a friend's wedding. Price was 600 bucks total, or just under 300/person round trip. Definitely a great deal.

Very successful with the certificates so far - used a delta plat card for a wedding in memphis and got 2 RT fares for ~450ish total in coach