First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread
Nov 2, 2016, 11:04 am
#3316
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: SQ Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, DL Silver, AS MVP, B6 Mosaic, QR, EY, KE, CX, PR
Posts: 317
Finally!!! Got an FCM offer for my SJC-LAS flight this Saturday. I immediately grab it before someone beat me into it. USD835 one-way. 
Nov 2, 2016, 11:06 am
#3317
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: BWI
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 312
A possible explanation is that you bought the final seat in a Y inventory bucket that was tied to a Y-UP fare. Say you bought a T fare, and the inventory was T1 when you purchased...depleting the T bucket would also take away the T-UP fare, meaning your FCM would get bumped up to the next available UP fare class (if there is another one for that city pair).
Without looking at the fare structure in EF, we don't know what the explanation is though.
Without looking at the fare structure in EF, we don't know what the explanation is though.
Nov 2, 2016, 11:23 am
#3318
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 436
Nov 2, 2016, 12:04 pm
#3319
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Not that this is what happened to you, but I had a similar issue a few weeks ago. I was watching the F buy up rate for a trip I was taking. It was hovering around $150 for a while and I was tempted to buy it. A schedule change came along and suddenly the $150 price is up to $900!! It seems that one of the legs changed flight numbers to one shared by an international flight. So apparently the FCM algorithm was now treating the buy up as a transatlantic Delta One buy up (I could tell because as it had previously said "Upgrade to First Class" it now said "Upgrade to Business".)
It's a pretty big flaw in the system and stopped me from paying Delta $150 to upgrade.
It's a pretty big flaw in the system and stopped me from paying Delta $150 to upgrade.
I didn't take the offer as I knew I wouldn't have a chance to get done with work early enough to SDC (which is my main reason for buying domestic FC in most cases). Got upgraded at the gate anyway.
Nov 2, 2016, 3:07 pm
#3320
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: MSP
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, UA Silver (via Marriott)
Posts: 642
we have available.
Nov 3, 2016, 2:01 pm
#3322
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
I'm flying DCA-ATL-BHM next Tuesday. I'm on a cheapie V fare southbound, X fare northbound (next Friday).
At the 5 pm window opening last night, Delta offered to upgrade me for the value price of $121.50 each way. Sometime in the middle of the night, I got the upgrade DCA-ATL (new 321, 20 F seats). At the 5 pm window, there were 12 F seats open; when I learned about the upgrade, the number was down to 10 (presumably, one other DM got upgraded).
At the 5 pm window opening last night, Delta offered to upgrade me for the value price of $121.50 each way. Sometime in the middle of the night, I got the upgrade DCA-ATL (new 321, 20 F seats). At the 5 pm window, there were 12 F seats open; when I learned about the upgrade, the number was down to 10 (presumably, one other DM got upgraded).
Nov 3, 2016, 7:16 pm
#3323
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: missing YX more every day
Programs: Delta KM/PM/MM, Nexus, CLEAR, Sharriott Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,105
Nov 3, 2016, 10:51 pm
#3324
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Orlando, FL Area
Programs: Delta SkySponge ExtraAbsorbent, SPG Gold
Posts: 29,988
Booked MCO-ATL-MEM-ATL-MCO for Thanksgiving for $488 in Z and G. Both 757's have the new seat maps so it will be interesting to see if they change between now and the trip dates.
Nov 4, 2016, 8:55 am
#3325
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: home airport RSW
Programs: Delta Plat, Marriott Life Gold, ***Princess Status***
Posts: 875
Nov 8, 2016, 11:26 am
#3326
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,375
here's a twist ... the $170 FCM for DCA-SEA isn't out of line (unfortunately neither is the $200+ premium for the JFK-SEA flight on a new-config 20F 757), but interestingly the orange "lowest fare" flags are for the flights where C+ is priced below main cabin (H)
Nov 8, 2016, 12:29 pm
#3327
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Big Muddy Mile Marker 332
Programs: Delta-PM, HHonors-Diamond, Hyatt-Explorist, Hertz - Presidents
Posts: 335
End of the month trip STL>MSP>DEN was offering $90 buy-up each way when purchased last week. Today it's $66 each way......must be trying to hit some year end quota or something, never see offers this low. FC cabins are EMPTY, I think I'll hold out, but it IS tempting.
Nov 10, 2016, 8:07 pm
#3328
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
End of the month trip STL>MSP>DEN was offering $90 buy-up each way when purchased last week. Today it's $66 each way......must be trying to hit some year end quota or something, never see offers this low. FC cabins are EMPTY, I think I'll hold out, but it IS tempting.
Then it started to fill up, FAST! I assume a lot of people jump on the low offer PLUS business travelers will book at any point in time.
Nov 11, 2016, 12:32 pm
#3329
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Big Muddy Mile Marker 332
Programs: Delta-PM, HHonors-Diamond, Hyatt-Explorist, Hertz - Presidents
Posts: 335
It's $137 today with the same amount of FC seats open.
Nov 11, 2016, 12:56 pm
#3330
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
Too many government travelers?