First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread
Jan 24, 2018, 3:21 pm
#3841
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,505
Looking at dates in April (8th to 17th):
ORD-JFK/DTW-LHR, C+/C+ on DL, is $964
ORD-CDG-LHR, PE/Y on AF, is $1170
ORD-JFK-LHR, C+ on DL connecting to PE on VS, is $1258
ORD-DTW-FRA, C+/C+ on DL is $946
ORD-CDG-FRA, PE/Y on AF, is $2140
Jan 25, 2018, 8:01 pm
#3842
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,589
JFK-SLC: could be purchased two months ago for 200 in coach, 300 in C+ or 425 in F for a one-way. I bought C+ and never saw an upgrade offer under 275... I should have bought F from the start... or C+ will be fine and save me $125.
Feb 2, 2018, 5:48 am
#3844
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
Usually at least when Delta offers me $400 one way buy-ups (which is usually more than the F refare for the whole trip as I usually end up on H/S/M/B fares) they at least offer it on flights that are more than 350 miles..
Feb 2, 2018, 9:57 am
#3845
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
Seven years and over 3800 posts... this thread has gone from generally decrying the concept... to bragging about the low FCM offers obtained... to complaining about the escalating FCM costs.
It looks like Va Ave in not yet fully victorious. Close, but not all the way there yet.
As I predicted early on... the strategy would be to lure folks in with low introductory prices, make them dependent/addicted, then start escalating the prices.
It looks like Va Ave in not yet fully victorious. Close, but not all the way there yet.
As I predicted early on... the strategy would be to lure folks in with low introductory prices, make them dependent/addicted, then start escalating the prices.
Feb 5, 2018, 8:13 am
#3846
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DEN
Posts: 136
Haven't ever bought up on DL, but was checking my wife's itinerary that her work had booked for her: fare was in L RST-MSP-IAH for $258. Was checking yesterday to make sure it was added to her Skymiles account and saw an F offer of $55 RST-MSP (76 miles, ha) and $100 MSP-IAH. No C+ offers. Ended up upgrading the MSP-IAH leg, just to give her a marginally more comfortable regional jet flight after a long week and since there were A seats available.
Feb 5, 2018, 11:07 am
#3847
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,830
Haven't ever bought up on DL, but was checking my wife's itinerary that her work had booked for her: fare was in L RST-MSP-IAH for $258. Was checking yesterday to make sure it was added to her Skymiles account and saw an F offer of $55 RST-MSP (76 miles, ha) and $100 MSP-IAH. No C+ offers. Ended up upgrading the MSP-IAH leg, just to give her a marginally more comfortable regional jet flight after a long week and since there were A seats available.
Feb 5, 2018, 12:09 pm
#3848
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,043
DTW-ATL trip in a couple weeks and the offer is $117.18 each way. The fare difference between my X/V fares and cheapest G fares is about $159 each way. Booked my son on a separate award ticket on same flights and he is getting the exact same $117.18 offer.
Feb 7, 2018, 9:37 am
#3850
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
ATL-FLL is what, a 75 minute flight? So does $.73/minute seem like a big ask?
Feb 23, 2018, 12:58 pm
#3853
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
Mar 2, 2018, 9:21 am
#3854
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SJC/SFO
Posts: 373
$200 upgrade offer from H fare on SJC-LAS. I bought my ticket only a week out. Back then a first class ticket was $250 while my H fare was $200. Mind you, SJC-LAS is the flight where I had 100% upgrade success when I was silver, so clearly nobody really wants or cares about first class upgrades on a this 1 hour flight. So why on earth would Delta think they can sell a first class upgrade for $200?