And that's the kind of customer Delta wants:) But I would rather save the $360 on that short of a trip and just take my aisle C+ seat. For me $360 isn't worth the difference between First and a C+ aisle seat on that short of a flight but for others it is. We all spend money on things some people are think are worth it others don't, some people in my office thought I was nuts buying an apple watch and was wasting $ but I think it's worth it

Yes, but having met you, you are blessed with the gift of trimness. For some of us that money is very well spent :):):)

I wish I was blessed with the gift of trimness, but thanks:) I am cursed with long legs though but fortunately I usually get the bulkhead C+ seat or Exit row and if there is no wall, a lot of times the C+ seat has more leg room than F seats.

Couple of data points for anyone interested:

June 28, CDG-JFK on AF metal, DL/006 ticket stock - 660USD upgrade via online check-in on af.com. (I took it). Of note, when checking in via DL.com that throws you to af.com, the price was 692USD, but on af.com it was 660USD. Must have to do with some conversion algo.

July 28, JFK-SVO on DL metal, DL ticket stock. Offered D1 upgrade only when checking in via mobile app. Price was 650USD (did not take it). Offer was not available when checking in via dl.com. Worth noting, I checked in on DL app first, then re-confirmed/checked in again on dl.com.

Aug 10, SVO-JFK on Aeroflot metal, Aeroflot ticket stock. Was told by Aeroflot that if business class doesn't fill up, I can buy-up for 234EUR (~255USD) because of my fare class (B). Will definitely go for that if it's available.

Conventional FCM, no. Buy up offers during OLCI do sometimes show up, typically either for $450 or $750.

Keith

how long did you wait between on-app check-in and DL.com recheck? if it was more than a couple minutes (or -- perhaps more realistically -- hours), someone else likely snarfed up the D1 seat(s) offered for paid UG

So I've never been offered FCM. Ever. Is this weird?

I think I can explain it for work travel, as I've heard stories of the same being true for others booking corporate tickets through Concur. It appears some employers have used Concur to set rules that prevent Delta from offering FCM.

But I've never had an FCM offer on personal paid travel or on award tickets (though I confess I don't even know if DL does FCM on award tickets). All I ever get is the Comfort+ banner across the top of the page when I looked at my itinerary.

(Full disclosure: I have been offered OLCI buy-ups for TATL tickets, but I don't consider that the same thing. It doesn't occur ahead of time, and it doesn't offer additional MQM's or until recently even additional MQD's)

Any thoughts?

Keith

What routes? Are there lots of available F seats on your flights?

Do you keep checking after purchase? (If you look at the seat map, it shows F seats available only if it's offering FCM.)

Do OLCI buy-up offers ever happen with award tickets?

It was about 20 minutes or so.

Guess it pays to check all check-in methods since we can't be guaranteed if/where an upgrade offer will appear. Unfortunately I couldn't check in online or at the kiosk my last trip ex-AMS, so I did an (expensive) miles+cash co-pay upgrade at the ticket counter. We ended up with the entire rear D1 cabin to ourselves. :D

A few new data points
DCA-MSY 10/1-10/3. Purchased coach for $272 all in -- have EC aisle seating on relatively short flights.
At time of purchase offered upgrade for $325 total. Three days later upgrade is $392, two more days pass and now it is $475.

I don't fly domestic a whole lot, but if I remember correctly...

Last award ticket was ORF-LGA, but it was on an ERJ-145 so no F.
Last business was ORF-ATL-SAT-DTW-ORF. But Concur booking probably blocked any FCM.
Last personal paid was ORF-ATL-SAT-ATL-ORF. No memory of any kind of FCM offer.

Keith

Also booking V/V and below, FCM is not offered based on a few other threads.

I have booked a few ?/V, V/? that has yielded FCM though (though they just appear to be the fare differences)

I currently have a V/V ticket (assuming this references fare class) and am being offered FCM. It's $600+ for a <2 hour flight, but being offered nonetheless.