I agree with the last two posters that I would generally not buy unless SDC might be valuable. But as a GM, I have to consider whether I can get C+ at 72 hours. If that's questionable, it makes the purchase more valuable. Flew MCO-ATL-MSY today (return in a week) and first class offer varied between 700-900 so obviously didn't purchase even though I got stuck in a preferred seat both flights.

On a flight next month MCO-ATL-ROA the upgrade offer was around $100 so I snapped it up. May be interested in the SDC on the return flight.

The only person that truly knows if that price is worth it is you. If it works for you then go for it, if not then don't. Why does the opinion of other people matter?

That's my strategy as well unless there's some reason that the buy-up is really enticing or I need the MQMs.

I've become a convert and a fan of some of the FCM fares, recently, as well. I had Christmas week miles tickets reserved for a couple of months, and just recently switched to PWM tickets in F, as the miles difference was worth it to me (30k PWM vs. 20k).

On a side note, this upcoming trip home for the holidays will be the first trip for us with our newborn daughter. She will be almost 3 months at that point. I hope she does well on the flight, but if not, I can only hope that some stuck up DYKWIA's will be seated in the forward cabin with us :)

~$115 for SDF-MSP "round-trip", way out is on either e145 or crj, can't remember, declined. All other DL trips are booked via TA, so no offer.

Needed a RDU-NYC ticket for next week. Options were Y for $165 or F for $240. Options were good on connections so I'll be flying RDU-MSP-JFK in F and earning a little over 3,000 MQM.

Because I was on the fence and this is a discussion board where I find reading people's rationale for evaluating the relative value to be interesting and helpful. If my gut instinct had kicked in strongly at the outset, I would have just decided without soliciting input.

I bought coach, by the way.

if (cost differential + MQM differential) > (cost of time constraints), this is a no-brainer

I don't need to be there until 8 PM, this gets me in at 1 PM and I can get a lot of work done on the flights so yeah it worked out really well for me.

And not to mention you'll have the SDC flexibility providing there is a FC seat. Sometimes I'll buy a FCM fare for DTW/NYC if it's only $50 difference in fare just for SDC flexibilty. I really don't care if I sit up front or not on that short of a flight but it's nice having the flexibility on getting on any flight to any of the three NYC airports that day.

$50 for SDC is for non-status passengers; co-terminal SDC is for Diamonds.

Or do you mean that FCM costs $50?

Sorry meant if the FCM fare difference was $50 (which I've had for a few DTW/NYC) between coach and first. The $50 SDC difference is worth it for me on NYC trips for the SDC and coterminal flexibility.

Is there any rhyme or reason as to when you see the FCM offers? I have 2 trips coming up (one ot ANC and one to LAX) and I get the C+ offer, but I'm already in C+, but no F offer even tho the F cabin appears empty.

I probably won't pull the trigger, but might on the MSP>ANC leg depending on price.

It is my assumption that you see an offer only if there is a -UP fare defined for the class you booked, but that doesn't even seen to be a guarantee that you'll be offered.

I imagine they're a product of the revenue algorithms just like everything else. On long advance bookings you'll see the FCM offer come and go, the price will fluctuate etc.