hazelrah

But looking at it another way, has Delta (like other industries, most notably food) done anything to cheapen its FC product?

It's all about improving the margins. Delta could have gone another way and cheapened its FC product.

sethb

It's hard to see how.

jamesteroh

If they cheapened it anymore, it would be like the new EC. On a flight in an aircraft with personal IFE and with no meal service there wouldn't be much difference between EC and First with the exception of the PDB service and a little better seat.

I sat up front Sunday night on the SEA/DTW redeye and wasn't much difference between there or if I would have been in EC. I had Bailey's on the rocks in the SC about a half hour before (helps knocks me out for a red eye) so I skipped the PDB and I slept the entire flight so the free IFE, drinks and food (no meal service anyway on domestic redeyes) didn't matter. If I had an EC or exit row seat on a redeye I sure wouldn't pay to upgrade to first unless it happened to be an aircraft with flat bed seats repositioning

jrl767

I'm pretty much with you on this, with the sole exception being that my principal redeye run is SEA-JFK ... I'm not a SkyClub member, so having comp entry with the F/J boarding pass gives me the chance to shower and change on arrival, then have some oatmeal and a self-serve espresso or two before my connection to WAS ... that's a big benefit when I have to be in the office until 6pm or so

MSPeconomist

Today I was looking at schedules and prices for a domestic trip.

Using Safari on an ipad, after picking flights DL offered an "upgrade" for $10 more than the difference between the lowest coach fare and the G A P fare. When I clicked to take the upgrade for money, it correctly showed the G A P fare as the price. However, I suspect that if I had purchased the upgrade with miles, DL would have taken 1,000 too many miles.

When I next looked at the same flights using Chrome on the same ipad, the "upgrade" price was correct and reflected exactly the difference between the G A P fare and the coach fare, in both miles and money.

I've noticed before that the upgrade cost after flights have been selected can lead to a higher fare than if one goes back to redo the search, for example, by searching for fare class Z or higher. This is the first time I've seen the browser make a difference.

jamesteroh

The skyclub is $25 to $50 for a day pass depending on if you have the right Am Ex, so that would be a savings off the FC fare. I like being able to shower and eat at the SC in DTW after a redeye and just heading to the office a lot of times.

Doesn't the SEA/JFK route have flatbeds? That would also help justify the fare difference on a red eye for sleeping

Ben and Jerry

think its 29$ with a Delta amex now.

readywhenyouare

No more flatbeds (rarely had the right equipment anyway) on JFK-SEA.

gooselee

Using CMK10's dollar-per-minute rule, I just paid $158 to upgrade ATL-PHL and back.

As a bonus, the return appears to be operated by a 75S which is a nice treat (even if only for a couple hours), and it's worth it for the SDC flexibility and extra MQMs alone, anyway.

Sorry, DMs.

BusTrav8yrs

It is hilarious you guys think we DMs are stewing over you buying up to F.

I actually feel sorry for you that you think a 665 mile flight on an MD90 is worth an extra 158 dollars for a drink and a banana.

Last year I spent $500 to get 15K MQM's so I would say I got a better deal than $158 for 600.

CMK10

And yet you post every time, if you really didn't care, you wouldn't bother saying anything. As I said to you earlier, the spending of money is relevant only to the spender.

gooselee, I fully support your purchase, and I'm glad you like my rule. Nice score on the 75S too ^

gooselee

Glad you feel so superior to me. In addition to the complaints in this very thread, there's a whole other thread of PMs (I'll even include myself) and DMs kvetching about the decrease in UGs as a result of FCM: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...read-lack.html

If you think all I'm buying is a drink and a banana on an M90, you clearly didn't read my post. The collective benefits of a FC ticket on those days, that route, and for my particular needs/preferences is worth well more than $158.

CMK10

Indeed, not the least of which are the extra miles and MQDs. Plus, I think Delta has a good First Class policy and my flights are far more pleasant when I'm sitting there. That's worth the expense to me.

gooselee

Thanks! I think my rule is slightly different from yours (or perhaps I just didn't read yours the right way).

If it's <$1/min, I will consider the UG, but won't always purchase it. There are plenty of flights with cheap FCM where I just don't care about sitting up front and have no need for the SDC flexibility (the latter of which is honestly the bigger benefit for me).

And of course on the flights where F/J is important at the get-go...it's WFBF.

CMK10

Oh no we have the same rule. The CMK10 Bright Line Test is that you can't even consider it until it's under $1/Minute. Then you weigh the factors: likihood of upgrade, your current Y seat, meals if any, aircraft etc.

One of the first rules I learned in law school was: all rules have an exception. So any test I make has to have some.