I almost did this over Thanksgiving. The time that I wanted was much more expensive. Cheaper to buy a GAP for a different flight and hope that there's availability on the day of departure. Even better when you can snag such a cheap -UP when checking in!

Smart thinking. I'm going to Miami in April and it's a lot cheaper to fly to FLL than MIA. I thought about buying a FCM fare to FLL and then SDCing into a MIA flight but I'm scared there might not be any seats up front at T24.

Here's the thread I had started to discuss this technique:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...-strategy.html

That is my part of the world and I have made the FLL and MIA change a number of times. There has always been some availability on the MIA flights and almost always on those to or from FLL.

Also, IMO, there is no good reason to revive the thread that EZEDoesit referenced in the prior post. The SDC is for the convenience of the business traveler and has nothing to do with gaming the system. Now say that again.

Before Delta screwed us over with the SDC change rules a couple years ago, like many business flyers, I never used SDC to game the system.

If I found out I could get away from the office earlier on the outbound flight and wanted to get to the city earlier I would call and SDC and if my meeting or whatever ended early in the city I was flying to I would call and SDC to get home early. A lot of times the flights I ended up SDCing on would have cost more at the time of booking than the flights I was originally scheduled on.

I was just referring to it to supply additional commentary on the subject in case ILovetheReds hadn't read it.

Unfortunately for those that used the system as it was designed, people like EZE didn't. The gamers punish the legitimate by playing games. Often the easiest way for us to handle the games is to just close the loop completely.

It's not like Delta has anybody smart enough to avoid the losses to gamers while still providing value to people who want to make changes for "good" reasons. Even though Delta often loses out by not allowing the change (e.g. someone wants to SDC from a full later flight to a less-full early flight; DL says no, pax gets paid $600 for VDB).

First class fares starting at $169
 

Just got this e-mail... looks like no one will be getting an upgrade ex-ATL through June 4th.

========

Treat yourself to a premium experience that puts your needs first. First Class seats on select flights from Atlanta are on sale starting at $169 each way (round-trip purchase required). Enjoy more perks when you jet to vacation destinations like Florida, with hourly service to Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.

Just book by March 26, 2015 and travel between March 26 and June 4, 2015.

It's up on the website as well.

https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tml?icid=FS_US

It's even worse than I expected... First weekend in April ATL-LGA r/t $306 in Y, $416 in F. Guess our loyalty is only worth $55 each way!

In my opinion, that $55 is pretty generous for some.

FWIW, I didn't even do the transaction I suggested in that thread. Even if I had, it's completely within the rules to do so.

RSW-DTW upgrade offer prior to check-in
 

Yesterday morning just before check in for this mornings flight, I was offered an upgrade to F for $279.00 from RSW to DTW. I was already on an unusually high price U fare and thought this was an insult. Especially when I ended up #2 of 10 for 10 seats.
Even as a lowly FO, I got the battlefield upgrade. I really am thinking the whole upgrade "pecking order" is based more on ticket price paid and not so much status.
I can't remember when I was in the top 25% of the list, even a short one.

While I agree, some can be quite egregious with their use of loopholes. This is why DL constantly closes loopholes and changes rules.