First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread
Jan 15, 2018, 7:50 pm
#3811
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,507
I got kicked back to Gold this year as I missed 13 weeks with an illness right during my heavy fall travel season. So now I have to either pay for C+, suck it up with C- and hope for the best, or buy F.
United got me today on an upcoming ORD-MCO. DL wanted $164 for C+ with a very manageable stop in ATL. United, an airline which I am very unfond of and generally avoid even considering, was $228 for F (AA was $279, DL was $400). If I was DL PLT, it would have been $118 for C+ instead of Y-, and I'd have taken it.
United got me today on an upcoming ORD-MCO. DL wanted $164 for C+ with a very manageable stop in ATL. United, an airline which I am very unfond of and generally avoid even considering, was $228 for F (AA was $279, DL was $400). If I was DL PLT, it would have been $118 for C+ instead of Y-, and I'd have taken it.
Jan 17, 2018, 12:22 pm
#3815
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Jan 17, 2018, 12:28 pm
#3816
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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
I sure wouldn’t pay $89 for that segment ... yeah, block time is right around 90 min, but in-air is probably closer to 50 (and I’d get a double Woodford for free in C+ anyway)
Jan 17, 2018, 1:32 pm
#3818
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Yeah, but the wine in comfort-plus is bad. I could easily drink a glass of wine before departure and another two glasses in-flight over 90 minutes. Plus, I'll grab some chocolate from the snack basket to take home.
Jan 17, 2018, 9:37 pm
#3820
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: midwest
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 920
MSP-RSW o/w FCM was hovering around $416. As is the return. $832 for domestic 739 F. Too expensive as a fare. Waaaay to expensive as an FCM.
Yesterday the outbound dropped to $170. I have a cold and a backache, and have to make this trip for meetings, so I took it. I don't imagine the return will drop in price, but I have a decent C+ seat on a 752, so I don't care very much.
Considering MSP-DEN offers have been about $106 o/w for me for a while (no meal, just a snack basket for the 90 min MD90 hop), the suddenly reduced RSW deal was Okay.
Overall, though, I've gone from accepting 4 or 5 FCMs in 2016 when they were moderately priced to I think zero last year. I had a nice rollover on top of Plat without any mileage boosts, too.
Yesterday the outbound dropped to $170. I have a cold and a backache, and have to make this trip for meetings, so I took it. I don't imagine the return will drop in price, but I have a decent C+ seat on a 752, so I don't care very much.
Considering MSP-DEN offers have been about $106 o/w for me for a while (no meal, just a snack basket for the 90 min MD90 hop), the suddenly reduced RSW deal was Okay.
Overall, though, I've gone from accepting 4 or 5 FCMs in 2016 when they were moderately priced to I think zero last year. I had a nice rollover on top of Plat without any mileage boosts, too.
Jan 21, 2018, 7:42 pm
#3822
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Vietnam & USA
Programs: Delta PM
Posts: 456
They have been doing this for a while. With millions of tickets sold, are you guys saying no one has taken them up on the "bad" offer?
I don't think they would be doing it if it wasn't working.
The excuse above that it is two departments who don't talk to each other is a canard. They simply don't want the stiffs to feel they got stiffed purposely.
I don't think they would be doing it if it wasn't working.
The excuse above that it is two departments who don't talk to each other is a canard. They simply don't want the stiffs to feel they got stiffed purposely.
Last edited by wxman22; Jan 21, 2018 at 7:47 pm Reason: typo
Jan 22, 2018, 8:24 am
#3824
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,240
Jan 22, 2018, 8:53 am
#3825
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,589
A discounted upgrade of course. Right now coach is about $300 and D1 $900 for JFK-SFO one-way. Do they sometimes offer upgrades under $300? How often?