Flying DTW/MIA thanksgiving weekend. I know there is no problem getting the upgrade outbound and the return fare is an M class.

Decided to call the diamond line to see if there was much of a difference to go to a B fare on just the outbound for the bonus MQM's or First class. $11 to upgrade from a M fare to a discounted first. I figure it's worth it seeing there are only EC middle seats available and no premium aisle seats available.

Any kettle without a Delta Am Ex card checking a bag would be out of their mind not to buy up.

Probably lots of people buying F seats. Keep in mind Labor day weekend is southern decadence.. that is a big holiday weekend for gay men who tend to have lots of discretionary income to spend on a first class seat. The same ones who spend $1000 a night for a suite at the Ritz.

I say that because I don't think this comment should be in the FCM thread. Lots of people buy F seats for vacation. gay straight or otherwise.

Flying this route today. Definitely FCM.

I know for an upcoming vacation with Mrs. jb008 I booked BE-CM outgoing as the prices were for all intents and purposes the same for the outbound (~$50 difference?), and on the return it was actually cheaper to buy a D+H fare versus whatever economy on both legs was.

In fact, the S+S is $20 more than a D+H fare for a comparable booking (connecting through DTW instead of ATL) even 2 months later. On that booking, for the small price difference (or even savings on the return leg) I can lock in the miles bonus AND use my PWM if so desired. If you can catch the UP-fares at the right time (Y class >/= FCM class), your PWM ends up being worth a hair more than 1 cpm with the RDM bonus. For example on that S+S vs D+H fare I'd save $17 to use the FCM option and earn 965 extra RDM on the route for ~1.29 cpm (though that's unusually high since the D flight is SJU to DTW). But any time I see an UP fare within $20 of the Y-class fare I strongly consider it - I know I'll get the upgrade AND I just make sure to drink my $20 worth :D

But I go to Southern Decadence EVERY year (unless there is a hurricane which has happened three times since 04). I have never had a problem getting upgraded before.

I always fly out on Thursday afternoon and take the last flight back Monday. Last year I didn't go due to a hurricane but my flights were scheduled and I cleared six days out on both flights (My flight got cancelled that weds morning day after the return window cleared). When I flew two years ago they had gate upgrades.

When you go from having gate upgrades available for sale on a flight almost every year, and on that same date and flight this year you are number 3 on the list as a diamond who isn't even on a discount fare......

And if someone can upgrade for $20 I honestly don't blame them. I am doing that on my Thanksgiving trip.

But as a diamond, if I can't clear on a flight now, that use to have gate upgrades for sale, what motivation is there for me to keep the diamond status if I am going to end up in the back of the plane or have to buy a first ticket?

I've also been going to SD for several years. Rarely have I cleared at the window. And this year I didn't book my flight until first week of August. And I remember looking for flights that had more F seats for sale to improve UG chances. And most flights were F2 or F3. FCM is not applicable 4 weeks out. It's less than 7 days out. So this year anecdotally people were buying full price F seats. Not taking advantage of any FCM opps.

Sometimes it can be. I'm flying DTW/MIA for Thanksgiving weekend. Leaving the day after Thanksgiving and never have a problem clearing.

Coming back for some reason only middles are available in EC and all aisle premium seats are taken and I can't imagine there would be that many GM+ flying to take all the EC seats. I was on an M fare coming back and called the diamond desk to see what it would cost to upgrade to first or a B fare and it was only $11 to go to first. I consider that FCM! I guess it's a good thing M no longer gets the bonus, if it still did I probably would have never called Delta.

It's supposed to. Cash upgrades are coded "PSUP", which is below even the "UP6" level for partner elites and companion upgrades.

IME, which may or may not be typical, I have yet to lose an NRSA upgrade to someone paying for one and I have not yet seen a flight where cash upgrades were being offered when there were enough elites on the airport standby list to fill the F cabin.

In other words, my experience is that few people take advantage of the cash upgrade option. That may be a peculiar outcome due to my own travel patterns, but it's what I've observed.

Ouch?
 

So far, I haven't been hurt by FCM. Tomorrow I could be - PHL-MSP, #1188. I am presently #2/17 for 3 available on an A319. However, for late-booking pax, the fares available are $634 Q and $688 A. If I were buying last-minute I know what I'd be buying. Wait and see.

December FCM
 

Good day,

Though many medallions are irked at FCM, I enjoy it for the ability to guarantee a seat up front or make comfortable mileage runs. With that, I remember seeing some great FC fares in recent Decembers, such as sub $500 round trip between MKE - LAX. Any rumors or expectations for some similar fares this year?

Happy Flying

google.com/flights is your friend. Don't see anything decent to LA, but I see MKE-PHX in discounted first for $547, or if you are willing to go down to Chicago, CHI-PHX for $461.

December FCM
 

I do use that a lot to monitor for good flights, just thought I would poke the rumor mill and see if anything turned up.

As a DM, I did miss getting upgraded on this PHL-MSP flight and think I may miss another on Thursday. ATL-LAS, Flt 1580. When I saw last Saturday that I didn't get a window upgrade, I checked and the DL seat map showed 11/24 FC available for purchase on a 753. That number is now down to 9/24 - DL is selling Q for $493 and A for $521! FCM is definitely affecting us!

I think a lot of LAS routes are being heavily FCM'd.

I'm flying DTW/LAS next weekend and the fare difference between coach and First was only like $80 RT. Instead of playing the upgrade game I just bought first and did pay with miles to pay for the fare difference. I figure I'm getting 1,750 extra MQM's and won't have to play the upgrade game.

For a $28 fare difference Delta is shooting themselves in the foot if a kettle is buying that fare and checking bags. They are getting $28 extra in fare but losing $50 in bag fees.

Not a Delta story, but on a recent AA flight I heard an agent helping a woman buy an FC upgrade explaining to her it was cheaper than paying for her checked bags, of course FC upgrades on AA are not nearly as scarce as DL since most elites there have to use upgrade instruments for every upgrade.