If there was a new thread started each and every time FCM (or however else you wanted to refer to it) personally affected someone, particularly an "entitled" DM, first two screens of the forum would be filled with nothing else.

Also, the benefit of having a single focused thread is so that everyone sees all of the issues and rants in one place.

There just needs to be a separate thread for those who are leaving for a stroll on greener grass elsewhere - not knowing whether it's growing over the cesspool or just green painted gravel.

The pricing does seem off....even the OP being asked for $170 for ATL-MIA. These seem like OK prices for people with no status and no chance of an UPG, but for someone who may get a free UPG that seems high.

Maybe if you offered it for $50 I'd be willing to pay to not play the game

Maybe there's only middle seats left in back and it looks like the upgrade won't clear? In this case, I'd pay to upgrade. In my case it's better than chasing MQM's and hoping for an upgrade depending on status.

Matter of fact, I really like the "dutch auction" approach DL has been taking to sort out who really wants to sit up front. I gave up on DL's "upgrade roulette" a couple of years ago.

I am perfectly fine with that pricing model... It's the tens of dollars one that I killing the ug's.

I bought a ticket on relatively short notice (well inside the 5+ day DM window) BWI-ATL-LAS and return. There were at least 12 empty F seats on the ATL-LAS segment when I bought the ticket yesterday. I got upgraded around 3 am this morning on that flight (there are now only 6 empty F seats).

On the others, there are still 5 empty F seats BWI-ATL, 8 empty F seats LAS-ATL (this flight looks like it may be oversold in Y, as only 3 middle EC and 3 middle medallion blue seats are left) and 5 empty F seats ATL-BWI.

The 24 hour check-in period starts around 1500 tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

It would take a webmaster a few minutes to edit the site and change the benefits*. Then when an upgrade happens before T-1 people would be happy. Then folks could post - "I got my UG before I got to the gate!" threads. :p


*Too late to change all the printed materials but that is okay as we all know Delta can change the program rules at anytime. And do they ever. :mad:

Delta - lowering your expectations one benefit at a time.

The last few check-in's for me as lowly Silver is getting similar offer. Yeah no chance I am drop $69 for a 55 minute flight to get FC.

Flew thru LAX last week #1 on the upgrade for 4 seats. Went up to the gate agent and asked how it looked and was told she had 19 minutes left to try to sell the seat. Said I would get called to the counter after that time if the seats did not sell. Luckily they did not.

In some states, claiming a certain price as the regular price is illegal if no item has ever been sold for such a price. That is why you sometimes see a disclaimer that no item may have been sold at the MSRP. It would seem that suggesting that you can get an upgrade 5 days before flight is equally misleading if no such upgrades occur any more.

Oh, and Bubba, it would be just as misleading no matter how well Delta's stock is doing ;)

When did the 19 minutes end relative to scheduled departure time and when boarding started? What did that GA do to try to sell the seats? Did you hear the price that was being asked? Could anyone buy the upgrade, including those on E fares and award tickets, or was there a stated fare class restriction?

FWIW, I received 2 UG's last week 5 days before the flights - MSY-MSP and MSP_SEA. Note:I am not a DL fanboy.

Good to have the data points and to know that not all upgrades are being held till flight time.

2015: 4 YYZ ATL and 2 YYZ JFK all cleared at T-6d

Sorry...not misleading....those upgrades are happening with regularity still. Even this short thread has an example.

The 19 minutes ended about 15 minutes prior to boarding. There was no offer to me to buy up nor where there any announcments in the gate area.
In fact there were several upgrades straight from the standby list before I went up and got my new seat assignment.