Longest upgrade list you've experienced?
Nov 7, 2003, 7:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: AUS DL PM MM, HH LTD
Posts: 1,853
49 Names on Upgrade List on MD88
Last night, flight 1297 DCA-ATL had 49 names on it. As a PM T fare, I was 18th on the list.
Needless to say, I sat in back (although 10C has more legroom than first). In fact, this week screwed up my LUT upgrade record; only 1 out of 4 cleared. While sitting in back, I did some calculations:
I earned 4188 miles for my MCO-ATL-DCA rt. Ticket was only $181.50 so I earned 363 miles on Amex. Hotel was $505 so I earned 1010 miles (I received the double miles all purchases over $500 promotion). I also received 100 miles for using the new credit card. Also 25 miles for parking.
Total of 5686 miles. At $0.02 per mile (I use primarily for overseas bizelite), that totals $113.92. In addition, I took advantage of stocking up on my wife's favorite granola bars at CRC ($3), took advantage of the CRC at DCA ($8), used a free drink coupon on flight ($4) for a total earned value of $128.92. The other snacks, coffee, cokes, on planes and at CRCs are just rounding error. So lets say $130 total.
Ticket T fare was $181.50. Deducting taxes and fees, the fare paid to Delta was $143.32. Given that Delta did get me back and forth safely and ontime for around $13, I think I did ok.
marc
Needless to say, I sat in back (although 10C has more legroom than first). In fact, this week screwed up my LUT upgrade record; only 1 out of 4 cleared. While sitting in back, I did some calculations:
I earned 4188 miles for my MCO-ATL-DCA rt. Ticket was only $181.50 so I earned 363 miles on Amex. Hotel was $505 so I earned 1010 miles (I received the double miles all purchases over $500 promotion). I also received 100 miles for using the new credit card. Also 25 miles for parking.
Total of 5686 miles. At $0.02 per mile (I use primarily for overseas bizelite), that totals $113.92. In addition, I took advantage of stocking up on my wife's favorite granola bars at CRC ($3), took advantage of the CRC at DCA ($8), used a free drink coupon on flight ($4) for a total earned value of $128.92. The other snacks, coffee, cokes, on planes and at CRCs are just rounding error. So lets say $130 total.
Ticket T fare was $181.50. Deducting taxes and fees, the fare paid to Delta was $143.32. Given that Delta did get me back and forth safely and ontime for around $13, I think I did ok.
marc
Nov 7, 2003, 10:49 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: MCO
Programs: DL 1.3MM/SM, Lifetime Marriott Platinum
Posts: 555
This year is the first time I have not cleared a wait-list in 3 years.
3 times ATL-MCO, I have purchased tickets with a segment wait-listed (on K Fares), thinking sure I will clear, I always clear! Getting to the dreaded gate A2 in ATL, I didn't clear. Same flight all 3 times. I had the bulkhead seat twice in coach which was fine for an hour flight, had a dreaded regular coach seat for the other.
3 times ATL-MCO, I have purchased tickets with a segment wait-listed (on K Fares), thinking sure I will clear, I always clear! Getting to the dreaded gate A2 in ATL, I didn't clear. Same flight all 3 times. I had the bulkhead seat twice in coach which was fine for an hour flight, had a dreaded regular coach seat for the other.
Nov 7, 2003, 2:03 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: AUS DL PM MM, HH LTD
Posts: 1,853
Last night was first time I haven't cleared ATL-MCO. Since I will be flying T tickets next year, I have to get used to it. On the 764, I have usually chosen 13C. Is the bulkhead seat, 18C, that much better a seat? I would like to avoid row 10 as it will just make me wish I was one row farther up. Row 17 doesn't leave enough choices for overhead bin.
marc
marc
Aug 12, 2008, 6:37 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
Loooong upgrade list
I flew ATL-BOS this morning (Tues) and saw the longest upgrade list yet.
53 people hoping for the remaining 4 seats in FC - I made it to #5 then took my middle seat in the back.
The MD88 holds 142 - with 14 in FC - so 45% of the plane had status and were on the list or in FC. Seems high for a Tues.
Does Delta ever stop putting people on the upgrade list?
53 people hoping for the remaining 4 seats in FC - I made it to #5 then took my middle seat in the back.
The MD88 holds 142 - with 14 in FC - so 45% of the plane had status and were on the list or in FC. Seems high for a Tues.
Does Delta ever stop putting people on the upgrade list?
Aug 12, 2008, 7:14 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM & 2MM™, Lifetime HHonors Diamond
Posts: 20,889
Yes. Haven't you ever seen "upgrade list closed"? We complained about this here at FlyerTalk and Jeff R. agreed that it wasn't right to do it and that it would stop. I have seen it a few times since then but it is certainly not as common as it once was.
Aug 12, 2008, 7:37 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,365
next to last on page 3
SFO->ATL Sunday night redeye I was the next to last person listed on the third page of the upgrade list. I don't even know what the number was, if it's 20 to a page I beat your list easily (page 3 was well over half full).
As I had the exit seat with just 1 seat to the row (does that config even exist any more?), I just laughed and went on board.
As I had the exit seat with just 1 seat to the row (does that config even exist any more?), I just laughed and went on board.
Aug 12, 2008, 8:12 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: DL PM MM, AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,097
How about this... I was on a flight ATL-SAV yesterday, which I hear can be hard for an upgrade. Anyway, DL upgraded our plane from an MD-88 to an ex-Song 757, so we went from 14F seats to 26F seats. I was still number 7 on the list, with only 8 people on the upgrade list and one unclaimed seat.
I find it hard to believe that I was the 2nd to last on the list as a PM, even though I was on a cheapo fare. So only one PM, GM or FO was on a lower fare? Just seems strange to me. I would have asked, but it's such a short flight, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Just a curiosity.
At least my upgrade cleared for the ride home, SAV-ATL.
I find it hard to believe that I was the 2nd to last on the list as a PM, even though I was on a cheapo fare. So only one PM, GM or FO was on a lower fare? Just seems strange to me. I would have asked, but it's such a short flight, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Just a curiosity.
At least my upgrade cleared for the ride home, SAV-ATL.
Aug 13, 2008, 7:26 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
The list on my LGA-ATL flight last Friday had 108 people. The first name on the list was Igo/P.
I hope that person stuck around the gate and didn't "go", since two of the listed folks did make the flight.
I hope that person stuck around the gate and didn't "go", since two of the listed folks did make the flight.
Aug 13, 2008, 7:34 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atlanta,Georgia
Programs: Delta, Starwood, Delta DM
Posts: 336
As GM I was upgraded on 4 different trips ATL-PHX. I'm still trying to figure it out because the list was very long and PHX-ATL I made upgrade twice. I bo0oked several months ahead. One flight ATL-SFO had page after page, I gave up looking for my name.....
Aug 13, 2008, 7:56 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,388
I've seen close to 80 for 4 F seats DCA-ATL on a Friday afternoon....
If you think this is bad, I saw a standby list (any seat) on AA out of DFW one time with 128 people on it.
If you think this is bad, I saw a standby list (any seat) on AA out of DFW one time with 128 people on it.
Aug 13, 2008, 8:00 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,388
Aug 13, 2008, 8:18 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
