First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread
Feb 17, 2019, 9:49 am
#4277
Join Date: Mar 2012
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Feb 17, 2019, 4:31 pm
#4280
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A perfect example of how bad the pricing is with this buy-up scheme. With that many empty seats, Delta could drop the price to $500 and fill them in 5 minutes with diamonds and platinums. $949-ish is a couple hundred bucks more than I'd pay. I don't think I would go over $650.
Feb 17, 2019, 5:52 pm
#4281
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
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A perfect example of how bad the pricing is with this buy-up scheme. With that many empty seats, Delta could drop the price to $500 and fill them in 5 minutes with diamonds and platinums. $949-ish is a couple hundred bucks more than I'd pay. I don't think I would go over $650.
Then again, if I'm on a $600 off-peak TATL ticket or something, paying $900 on both flights puts the total price to $2400. Pretty good for TATL J (plus you get the MQMs).
Feb 17, 2019, 6:31 pm
#4282
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: MSN
Programs: DL Diamond, AA Lifetime Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott LTPPE
Posts: 60
Monetization $ different for same itinerary
The last few times that I booked travel via work (Concur), the 1st Class upgrade cost for both miles and dollars was very steep ($1300 MSN to TPA with open cabins (confirmed via ExpertFlyer). However if I did a dummy booking for the same itinerary, the upgrade cost was at least 50%, or less. I did call Delta and was quoted a figure that was comparable to the personal booking. Thoughts on why this is happening?
Feb 17, 2019, 7:13 pm
#4283
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL PM 1MM
Posts: 3,439
The last few times that I booked travel via work (Concur), the 1st Class upgrade cost for both miles and dollars was very steep ($1300 MSN to TPA with open cabins (confirmed via ExpertFlyer). However if I did a dummy booking for the same itinerary, the upgrade cost was at least 50%, or less. I did call Delta and was quoted a figure that was comparable to the personal booking. Thoughts on why this is happening?
Feb 17, 2019, 7:38 pm
#4284
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: MSN
Programs: DL Diamond, AA Lifetime Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott LTPPE
Posts: 60
Interesting thoughts and do not disagree. However, I did the dummy booking immediately after ticketing and was logged in to Delta. The less expensive up-sell was at the very end of booking vs ticketed (which many have noted previously) so that could be ta factor. The surprise is the amount of the difference...
I'll keep monitoring to see if the trend continues and call the desk if I want to buy up and there is a big differnece.
I'll keep monitoring to see if the trend continues and call the desk if I want to buy up and there is a big differnece.
Feb 17, 2019, 8:31 pm
#4285
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Interesting thoughts and do not disagree. However, I did the dummy booking immediately after ticketing and was logged in to Delta. The less expensive up-sell was at the very end of booking vs ticketed (which many have noted previously) so that could be ta factor. The surprise is the amount of the difference...
I'll keep monitoring to see if the trend continues and call the desk if I want to buy up and there is a big differnece.
I'll keep monitoring to see if the trend continues and call the desk if I want to buy up and there is a big differnece.
I always call when this happens and have never had an issue (and they always waive the upcharge fee).
Feb 18, 2019, 7:44 am
#4286
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SE MI
Programs: DL SM, DL Amex Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 247
A perfect example of how bad the pricing is with this buy-up scheme. With that many empty seats, Delta could drop the price to $500 and fill them in 5 minutes with diamonds and platinums. $949-ish is a couple hundred bucks more than I'd pay. I don't think I would go over $650.
Thanks!
Feb 18, 2019, 7:57 am
#4287
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
I know this is a total YMMV situation, but don't pretty much all of the DTW-Asia route arrive late afternoon/early evening? The TATL upgrades are way more valuable because they all land in the morning, and no sleep on in the air makes for a rough day on the ground. My TPAC strategy (for flights arriving in the early evening) is just to power through the flight and pass out from 8 PM to 7 AM local time. Wake up feeling refreshed and now at least "somewhat" in sync with the local time.
Feb 18, 2019, 11:52 am
#4289
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