BobRoss

See sig. About half of them were as a GM earlier this year

PHXflier

A recent Diamond here (upgraded from Platinum with roll-over miles and double-mile promotions). My upgrade percentage is probably close to the Delta average (75%), with MSP/ATL flights to DCA significantly below the average. The strange thing is that a number of times with IRROPS re-routings etc. I have ended up at the very bottom of the priority list, even as a Diamond member. The notes that get placed in the record by a GA apparently are overlooked or ignored by others, or the computer gets blamed... Do others have this experience as well?

MK22

That's what I thought. But can I use miles to upgrade from coach to business on transatlantic flights?

TheMadBrewer

As he said, if your ticket is a Y/B/M fare and there is space in the Z bucket (have to call or use expertflyer.com ) you can upgrade with miles or SWU.

Looking back at the 5 years or so I was Plat (4 with NW, 1 with DL) I would have to estimate I'm at about 90%. I think I've missed LAX-MSP, LAX-DTW and LAX-ATL once each over the past 3 years and the year before that I was 100%

Most of that is TATL on a cheap fare with a connection in MSP/DTW/ATL and sometimes MEM/JFK, with the occasional domestic trip to ATL, CID or FLL (not so many of these, these days). My TATL trips are mostly out in the morning on Tue/Wed/Thu and back on Mon/Tue (as these are the cheapest fares) and that has helped. The bulk (75% or so) are before OLCI but not always at the Plat window.

Since becoming DM I have flow on the KLM non-stop LAX-AMS (so nothing), a PIT-MUC run in I (already up front) and an award positioning flight (LAX-DTW-PIT/PIT-ATL-LAX) where I got upgrade on all four legs, the last being at the gate.

And a note to those who just say "See my sig" -- you know that your posts always show your current sig -- if you read a five year old post it shows your current sig, not the one you had back then.

MK22

Thanks for all your replies and tips, everyone. I wonder what will happen when the pay for first thing starts in Q3 2011... Maybe everyone will come here to riot.

bocastephen

I'm curious if any DL fliers can estimate my upgrade chances flying FLL-ATL-SEA-ATL-FLL, departing Friday early evening and returning around lunchtime Monday.

This is the route I fly 95% of the time with Continental. If things really go south at CO/UA, I'm considering a return to DL. By and large, domestic upgrades are the #1 benefit I look for in a FFP. My upgrade rate at CO is about 98% on this route/days/times (I missed one segment on Friday, and two segments returning Monday all year). If I just aimed for Plat on DL (not Diamond), would my average remain about the same?

Assume this flight combination in U class...

Fri 252x2949. Mon 2768x1427

TheBisch

So, coming out of Chattanooga... where Delta flies to ATL, DTW, or MEM on RJs only. Which connecting airport do I have the best chance of scoring UGs at?

reigndrop

mem

sawtooth

I'm upgraded 80-85% of the time with 80% of those upgrades coming at the upgrade window and the rest at the gate.

I'm based in ATL and do most of my traveling to PHL, RIC, IAD, DFW and SAT with the occasional jaunt to PHX and SFO. SFO is the toughest route (especially inbound).

-af

rionio77

Sorry for digging up an old thread, but just want to know if any PMs have been seeing a difference in upgrades as of late--especially given all of the recent MQM bonuses from AMEX and other partners.

I'm may reach PM soon (unless I decide to fly AA the rest of the year and rollover my MQMs) and wondering if I should expect decently higher upgrades once I hit PM.

Tower18

Out of NYC, I'm getting upgraded on everything, including ATL, more often than not at the window...except LAX/SFO flights, which seem to happen somewhere less than 50/50, even outside peak times.

(everything so far = ORD, RSW, BOG, DTW, ROC, RDU, BOS of course...could upgrade LGA-BOS as a silver)

turkeyRIOO

I was doing great until the last 2 weeks and I am 0 for my last three on off peak flights that should have been easy upgrades ATL-DEN (738) ATL-TPA (757) TPA-ATL (320). The ATL-DEN was a battlefield upgrade.

apados

SAN based Plat. Upgraded ~ 70% this year on DL.

OLYflyer

SFO-based PM here:

42/43 in 2010 (missed SFO-ATL on a Fri-night redeye)
29/30 in 2011 (missed SLC-SFO that I SDC to and was #1 on list w/ F full on CR9 - got row 4 so no biggie)

so a consistent 97% (includes at least a handful of SDC when U/G chance was sketchy)

Not seeing much change this year^

All travel is personal and I always try to fly off-peak if I can. In 2 years I think the only Monday's I've flown on were Nat'l holidays (unless bumped and rebooked into F) and have almost never flown on a Thursday. This formula works for me even out of SFO.

Plus I've used a SWU from DL to U/G AF Prem Eco to Affairs so for me DL works well

dilbertsdaddy

I don't keep count, but for the year I am around 90%. However....

Last week....22 of 77 on UG list on the way, cleared at window on the way back.

This weekend's upcoming flight.....nada

Hmm....