JHIN

How does $300 rate for a Transcon upgrade to F? This is in advance of checking in.

sethb

That's under the $1/minute threshold that has been suggested. (Much better if it's round trip.)

Is that a real switch to F (earning extra MQMs) or just an upgrade?

gooselee

My other question would be whether we're talking a TCON with D1 service/equipment, or just a coast-to-coast flight.

If DeltaOne and an eastbound redeye...absolutely worth it IMO.

JHIN

Im not a regular DL flyer so not sure what a D1 plane is. Its a lie flat F seat which Ive read are much newer seats. And its indeed a $$ upgrade. Assume its merely a fare difference as the agent said Im on an agency booking already from my corporate travel site.

Mileage upgrades I understand would be 12,500 depending on availability which monetarily is like a $250 value. If I flew AA it would cost me $180 in sticker purchases one way on an A321T.

gooselee

D1=DeltaOne, which is the branding DL has given their international business class and the JFK-SFO/LAX premium cabins. As you mention, they entail full-flat seats, amenity kits, multi-course meals, etc. As you're comparing it to the A321T on AA, I'd assume you're on one of these routes.

I'd have to check, but I feel like the mileage UG cost for these particular routes is higher than the standard 12.5k, and very often DL does not release this inventory as they know they can sell the premium seats.

That said, $300 one-way is at the higher end, but probably an okay deal. Round-trip, I'd take it in a heartbeat, particularly if it actually is an up-fare resulting in additional mileage earnings (both redeemable and elite qualifying).

Lastly, someone is bound to come in here and tell you that 12.5k SkyMiles is not worth anywhere near $250. Based on my recent redemptions, I'd say that's actually a fair valuation, though YMMV of course.

jamesteroh

Looks like AA is finally getting into the FCM game out of DTW^^^^

I have a DTW/MIA flight later this year and AA was the same price as Delta in first!! This has been a hard upgrade for me to get lately and I don't need the coterminal flexibility of being able to use FLL on this trip so I booked with AA. I figure if I'm going to pay for first I may as well do it on an airline that has a better time schedule for that flight.

sethb

Delta doesn't have lie-flat seats in F, they're in BE (Business Elite), now called D1 (Delta One). If it's between JFK and LAX or SFO that's the case; SEA maybe, but Delta swaps planes for those with F seats without notice or compensation.

captiveguru

Just scored MCO-SLC RT UG to "A" for $79 RT. I booked this several weeks ago and have been checking since the UG price was over $400 RT. Not sure when it dropped to $79, but glad I keep watching.

Is there a way to know, short of logging in every day?

PS - The flight is just over 2 weeks off... Original fare was $580...

miraclebear2003

I haven't seen any pattern, but check when I get a chance. I've gotten 2 good deals and purchased them and, of course, you don't know what would happen later. I've got a flight in November MCO-ATL-ROA roundtrip. Offer started at over $900 and it's been $431 for a couple of weeks now. It would have to go very low since it's 3 short flights (no FC on one).

FullTimeFlyer

Or a new low for me anyway.

Less than 3 hours until checkin. I'm a Plat with a regional upgrade coupon on my reservation (added maybe 10 days ago) for a redeye flight to JFK tomorrow night. There are EIGHT, count'em EIGHT empty FC seats for the flight; 50% of the cabin. (Yes, I checked and that many FC are for sale, not just shown empty.) It's a holiday but before most people are leaving and there's about 10 empty coach seats.

So a few hours before checkin, 50% empty first class seats and they won't release one to a plat with a regional upgrade because they're desperately hoping they can sell that last one for an extra $25 (heck, they've got 8 in inventory) to someone who isn't even sure what airline they are getting on.

Yeah, I'll probably get upgraded in the end, or at least I hope so. It'll be the last one, and I'll get the window bulkhead with no place to put my legs (ie, under a seat) and sleep.

And for any apologist who says I've got no right to even thing negative thoughts about an upgrade - this isn't even free, it's paid with a coupon that took a heck of a lot of paid travel to earn.

MF, I should just go back to United, where at least I don't have to work to keep Plat status since I've got lifetime. FU DL.

Disgustedly,

FTF

DAV2355711

I've booked a handful of award tickets in coach over the past couple months and haven't ever gotten an offer to upgrade for cash the way they are offering nowadays on paid tickets. Has anybody else? I'd jump on it if the price were right...

JHIN

Would like to know your final outcome!

xliioper

There are no cash upgrade offers for award tickets. Can't say I see them all that often on revenue tickets (perhaps because I mostly purchase X/V fares).

ND76

They are definitely into it at DCA. My octogenarian mother-in-law with no status was on a $303 one-way ticket DCA-ORD in Y; when I checked her in on line, aa.com offered her an upgrade to F for $90.00, which I grabbed for her. Probably much to the chagrin of some ex-plat who got stuck in stools and ropes.

FullTimeFlyer

I ended up in FC in the end...not sure quite when because I don't get an e-mail for an upgrade, but some time after the check-in window and after a number of FC seats disappeared. But I nabbed the last non-bulkhead FC seat and so it all ended well.

Next flight after this is UA and I've got a regional upgrade on one of those as well...I'll be curious to see if they do better.

FTF