Apologies if this was already discussed up-thread - if it was I didn’t see it.

Its interesting to me that the FCM offer doesn’t comprehend the fare paid at booking. Example: SJC-SLC FCM is currently $68 for a flight next week (using the new seat map functionality). I bought that ticket on a U fare. This week’s flight was the same $68 charge for FCM on an M fare.

I need to to look at this again but it looks to me like I can fly up front for U + FCM for less money than an A fare. For a short flight like SJC-SLC, you can argue about whether the value is there, but if i could buy a U/T/X/V fare + FCM for less than an A fare on SLC-JFK, That becomes interesting.

So I went and looked at an active booking I have for SLC-JFK in Nov. U outbound/ T return for 457. FCM is being offered now at 267 each way, so I’d be at -990 all-in if I bit. An A fare for the same dates is 924. Not cheaper in this case, but close.

has anyone else looked at it this way on routes they fly frequently? There have to be other examples where a low Fare class plus FCM is less than an A fare.

Last week I paid $108 for JFK>ORD but my RT fare was $170 and I had gotten RU'd on outbound due to Plat status. There were 2 F seats left on the seat map of the CR9 and C+ was mostly full, so I didn't want to risk it as a lowly Plat. It was a breakfast flight and I do like meals on planes. But yeah it was way less last year.

I think Delta may suspect that it left a lot of money on the table in the past with FCM. I suspect FCM is mainly targeted at corporate travelers where corporate travel policy doesn't permit F, A, I, or P fares. So the calculation from the base fare isn't as important. Any hope by Medallions that 'loyalty' will warrant a cheaper FCM offer is a pipe dream. If anything, the 'captive' audience will be fleeced for even more dollars.

Don't believe for a moment that I am expecting any loyalty-related bargains. I no longer expect loyalty to yield much of anything.

I predicted from the beginning that Va Ave would roll out FCM at bargain rates to get folks used to the concept (like free drugs handed out on a street corner) and then, when the time seemed right, the prices would be ratcheted up.

Look at this thread for proof. It started out with folks decrying the concept of FCM and now, 3600 posts later, we have folks bragging about the offers they have found.

In my profession, we call that normalizing the deviation (or, as some say, normalizing the deviance).

The money previously left on the table was just a business development investment.

StayingHomeIsBetter - my comment was made to reinforce what you had written, not suggest you believed that FCM offers would improve. Apologies if you took it as applied to you.
I mentioned this only to quel any prediction that FCM offers will become more 'generous' in the future, especially for Medallions. The fact that C+ buy ups are rising too suggests to me that the only thing stopping DL from making F only CPU eligible from C+ as opposed to from Y is the fact that AA's and UA's Y+ products aren't quite the same as DL's. As soon as that does happen though, FCM rates will 'keep climbing' higher...

I find the FCM offers via the App a little misleading too. It lists the price, but that is per leg usually. And sometimes, the offer isn't for your roundtrip and just either the outbound or return only.

Delta.com at least specifies that the price is per leg and lists what segment the offer is good for.

Now it's up to $138 each way LGA-ORD-LGA and I'm on a C+ paid ticket lol. Um no, thanks DL. :td:

I have pretty good UG % on the route so that is getting too high.

No offense take, No apology needed. ^

I certainly agree with you. We have seen FCM as generous as it will ever be, short of some industry-shaking event that requires the airlines to profess to be restoring customer focus in order to survive.

Apart from that, we will continue to see what the airlines now call "competition"... the three legacies will take turns cutting benefits to see if the other two follow. If so, the benefit cuts will remain, across the board. If not, the cut will be withdrawn, and the next airline will try a different benefit cut.

Booked a ticket... the price displayed for FC was $577 RT more than coach price.

Bought the coach ticket. The confirmation page offered me a buy-up to FC for $712 RT.

Went to the seat selection page, was offered the buy-up for the original $577 RT.

:rolleyes:

It seems like the only reasonable FCM offers I see are for mid-range 2-3 hour domestic flights, e.g., $150 for ATL to ABQ. On the shorter flights, I usually see something like $80 for the one hour TYS to ATL flight. I wouldn't imagine that most people would pay over $10 for that one. On my longer flights, SEA-ATL was $650 and I have an offer of $950 for ATL to LAX. I guess on the longer ones they know that enough people will book in F that they don't really need to offer good FCM deals.

I wish they would offer FCM buyups on Skybonus tickets. Now that you can no longer use them in C+ I might be willing to bite and pay a reasonable FCM fare on a couple trips I have booked. Seems like it would make sense for Delta to do that it's pure revenue and the passenger wouldn't be getting the bonus MQMs

Hello savvy FTs!! I am traveling on Oct. 5 one way SJU-JFK-YQB (on a 739 and a CRJ9). No elite status. Previously upgraded to C+ for $16 (a bargain). Now looking if upgrade to FC is possible or worth it. Current bookings for FC seats are selling for $166 more than I paid for my ticket a couple of months ago. Only one FC seat occupied on both legs. Is this a good price for an upgrade? Should I wait until Check-In to see if a better offer is available?

"is it worth it" is really in the eye of the beholder. C+ already got you more legroom, free drinks, and snacks. F will give you a larger baggage allowance, a full meal, and a bigger seat on the SJU-JFK flight, while providing no material difference in experience from C+ on the JFK-YQB flight except for a bigger seat.

If it's a flatbed seat (I don't think they have D1 service on that route) and/or you need the additional luggage it would be worth it.

If not I wouldn't bother if it's $166 more one way since you are already in C+ with free drinks and better snack. The only other advantage I could see if you will have lounge access at JFK if it's a long layover since it's considered international.