Longest upgrade list you've experienced?
Feb 20, 2018, 11:23 am
#826
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Do they still buy the fully refundable airfares? Can members of Congress buy first-class tickets or do they have to buy economy-class?
Feb 20, 2018, 11:24 am
#827
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
My guy is home almost every weekend and has coffee hours or a townhall just about every weekend somewhere. Yes, I think Congress could work more, but it's probably a good thing, regardless of political party, that Congress does less than more.
Feb 20, 2018, 11:29 am
#828
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
How many members of Congress are diamond? I've heard my congressman brag about flying Southwest. As I've always read that many of the junkets abroad are taken using military/government aircraft it would seem difficult for the average congressman to rack up diamond status, except through perhaps segments.
Do they still buy the fully refundable airfares? Can members of Congress buy first-class tickets or do they have to buy economy-class?
Do they still buy the fully refundable airfares? Can members of Congress buy first-class tickets or do they have to buy economy-class?
From what I've heard, members usually buy YCA fares, which are fully refundable. I think that they can buy first-class tickets if they want, but office travel budgets are not unlimited.
Feb 20, 2018, 11:33 am
#829
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,885
So I'm not sure whether this is the right place, but I heard something interesting yesterday. I talked to a DM who said that someone at DL corporate told him that DL factors the number of consecutive years that you've been an elite into your upgrade priority. In other words, a someone who has been a DM for three straight years would have a higher priority than a first-year DM.
Now I know that this is just someone talking, but we've all seen some odd upgrade lists, and DL seems to have intentionally blurred the factors that determine priority. I know that as a PM I've gotten some upgrades lately that I previously would not have gotten (this is my third year as a PM, and my forth as a DL elite).
Now I know that this is just someone talking, but we've all seen some odd upgrade lists, and DL seems to have intentionally blurred the factors that determine priority. I know that as a PM I've gotten some upgrades lately that I previously would not have gotten (this is my third year as a PM, and my forth as a DL elite).
Feb 20, 2018, 12:45 pm
#830
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Don't government employees also get a cheap full Y fare? Not sure if this is still the case but a couple years ago any level elite had top priority as a Y in the pecking order so a FO on a Y fare would trump a diamond on an M or B fare. If that is still the case then a member that is a silver on a full Y fare would trump a diamond on a lower fare even if the diamond paid quite a bit more money for his ticket.
Feb 20, 2018, 12:51 pm
#831
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
Don't government employees also get a cheap full Y fare? Not sure if this is still the case but a couple years ago any level elite had top priority as a Y in the pecking order so a FO on a Y fare would trump a diamond on an M or B fare. If that is still the case then a member that is a silver on a full Y fare would trump a diamond on a lower fare even if the diamond paid quite a bit more money for his ticket.
Feb 21, 2018, 8:31 pm
#832
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. / Washington, DC
Programs: AA PPro/DL PLT, PPass, Marriott / Hilton Gold, JetBlue Mosaic, Hertz Presidents Circle, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,631
This confirms my suspicion as well as the observation of @LUMRS that most of the upgrade list are, in fact, not diamonds. I think it would be very difficult for the average domestic business traveler to rack up 125,000 miles annually, especially if all they're doing is flying to Washington on a weekly basis.
How many members of Congress are diamond? I've heard my congressman brag about flying Southwest. As I've always read that many of the junkets abroad are taken using military/government aircraft it would seem difficult for the average congressman to rack up diamond status, except through perhaps segments.
Do they still buy the fully refundable airfares? Can members of Congress buy first-class tickets or do they have to buy economy-class?
How many members of Congress are diamond? I've heard my congressman brag about flying Southwest. As I've always read that many of the junkets abroad are taken using military/government aircraft it would seem difficult for the average congressman to rack up diamond status, except through perhaps segments.
Do they still buy the fully refundable airfares? Can members of Congress buy first-class tickets or do they have to buy economy-class?
Feb 21, 2018, 8:42 pm
#833
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
Feb 21, 2018, 8:42 pm
#834
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,324
Rubio isn't the tallest person (I've meet him before) and I'm sure he did just fine in the B6 Y seat. I also hear that many Texas congressmen love WN (probably why WN chose AUS as their perimeter exception slot out of DCA) so its not uncommon to see congressmen in Y.
Feb 21, 2018, 8:45 pm
#835
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,324
Feb 24, 2018, 4:11 pm
#836
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
IAD-DTW
24 February
CRJ-700
4 on the upgrade list for 1 first-class seat
Plane went out with 8 comfort-plus seats empty.
24 February
CRJ-700
4 on the upgrade list for 1 first-class seat
Plane went out with 8 comfort-plus seats empty.
Feb 26, 2018, 6:51 am
#838
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: United 1K, Delta DM 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Diamond, Hertz PC, Europcar Elite VIP, Accor Gold
Posts: 145
When I interned in Congress in the late 1990s, the members all flew to/from DC and their respective home districts for THE SAME PRICE. Congress negotiated specific fares with the airlines, and they were fully-refundable tickets. So, if you were a non-voting delegate from Guam, the Representative from Alaska, or a Representative form New York, you had the same fare to travel to/from DC for official business. Members would book multiple flights on the same day, so they had the flexibility to leave when votes were finished for the week, but most Congressional staffers were not good about cancelling (and receiving refunds) for the flights not taken. There have been GAO reports over the years about all this lost taxpayer money, but I think I only remember seeing executive agency non-refunded tickets, not Congress.
Feb 26, 2018, 9:54 am
#839
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: United 1K, Delta DM 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Diamond, Hertz PC, Europcar Elite VIP, Accor Gold
Posts: 145
[QUOTE=hockeyinsider;29438754]This confirms my suspicion as well as the observation of @LUMRS that most of the upgrade list are, in fact, not diamonds. I think it would be very difficult for the average domestic business traveler to rack up 125,000 miles annually, especially if all they're doing is flying to Washington on a weekly basis.
On Sunday night's last flight from ATL to DCA, there were also about 80 on the FC UG list, and 60 on the C+ list! About 12 main cabin pax boarded with PREM. Booked late, and didn't even get C+ seat. Was in main cabin across the aisle from a 360!
On Sunday night's last flight from ATL to DCA, there were also about 80 on the FC UG list, and 60 on the C+ list! About 12 main cabin pax boarded with PREM. Booked late, and didn't even get C+ seat. Was in main cabin across the aisle from a 360!
Feb 26, 2018, 10:04 am
#840
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Orlando, FL Area
Programs: Delta SkySponge ExtraAbsorbent, SPG Gold
Posts: 29,988
[QUOTE=LUMRS;29460736]
Not too shocking. A last minute first class ticket on MCO-DCA is only $374.
This confirms my suspicion as well as the observation of @LUMRS that most of the upgrade list are, in fact, not diamonds. I think it would be very difficult for the average domestic business traveler to rack up 125,000 miles annually, especially if all they're doing is flying to Washington on a weekly basis.
On Sunday night's last flight from ATL to DCA, there were also about 80 on the FC UG list, and 60 on the C+ list! About 12 main cabin pax boarded with PREM. Booked late, and didn't even get C+ seat. Was in main cabin across the aisle from a 360!
On Sunday night's last flight from ATL to DCA, there were also about 80 on the FC UG list, and 60 on the C+ list! About 12 main cabin pax boarded with PREM. Booked late, and didn't even get C+ seat. Was in main cabin across the aisle from a 360!