stlhoosier

I am a DM and for the 2 trips shown below, I will be traveling with a companion. I would love for us to both sit in F, but if I am the only one who will get upgraded, we would prefer to skip to companion upgrade request and cancel my upgrade request.

Here are the flights:

MSP – LGA July 14, DL 2096 departing MSP at 10:00 AM and then LGA – MSP July 17, DL 1787 departing LGA at 2:05 PM.

MSP – LGA Aug. 25, DL 2096 departing MSP at 10:15 AM and then LGA – MSP Aug. 27, DL 2019 departing LGA at 6:54 PM.

They are the same departures but on different days, the return flights are different days and times.

So, my question is, for these flights, what do you think about the possibility of a companion upgrade?

I know from my experience that MSP - LGA Monday mornings I have always got the upgrade, but I remember the UG list being pretty long otherwise. LGA – MSP Thursday nights are hard for even a DM to get upgraded on, so, given that, I’m leaning toward canceling my upgrade request and not going for a companion upgrade.

What you all think?

SOBE ER DOC

When traveling with a companion on the same PNR the UG priority is based on the LOWER elite status of the two. On that route it's unlikely you'll both be upgraded unless your traveling companion has a relatively high status.

Good luck.

stlhoosier

Sadly she is a member of the Gate Lice.

td_in_training

I was flying MSP-LGA weekly during the spring and I don't think I was ever upgraded on the LGA->MSP thursday night flight. In fact, I can remember at least 3 trips in the very last row of the airplane. I'm a DM and these were often M or B fares.

mlad1101

If you book on the same PNR you will only get the upgrade if you both do.(At the 2 day window if there's bucket availability.)

If don't clear when on the gate upgrade list can speak to GA and remove yourself if doesn't seem both will clear.

markraby

The only times I've been upgraded with a no-status companion were a late-night Saturday flight from SLC to Long Beach, CA, and a red-eye Monday night flight from SLC to JFK. In both cases, the FC cabins were not full.

stlhoosier

So are you saying that I won't upgrade at the 6 day window? So I will only get the UG if she does too?

And when you say "If don't clear when on the gate upgrade list can speak to GA and remove yourself if doesn't seem both will clear" Do you mean wait to check the monitors at the gate and if it doesn't seem like we will clear then take our names off? Will our names be next to each others or will mine be higher cause of my status? If we are together on the list, why would we need to take ourselves off if it seems like we won't be upgraded anyway?

GaryO3

To the first question, yes... your upgrade will not clear at the normal window if you are on the same PNR but would clear with the companion at the 2-day mark after FO's clear.

I'm not 100% but I believe once you go to gate control (T-3 hours), the upgrades request will be based on status meaning you would be higher than your companion. It seems like I've read differing stories here on FT about single PAX clearing before medallion/companion on same PNR at the gate but have no first hand experience.

MSPDeltaDude

Data Point.....scored a comp upgrade on the 7AM MSP-LGA Sunday

mlad1101

For first part yes, if on same PNR you clear at the window of the person with the lowest status. In this situation its a non status companion so would be at the T-2 days mark if there is V/X availability. Also if at that time if it was V1/X1 neither of you would get the upgrade, rather the next in line would as when on same PNR you both have to get upgraded at window or no one.

As for at the gate, by policy in essence you are automatically split and listed in medallion/fare class etc. order.(ie. you won't be together on the list) Delta doesn't release all available first class seats for window upgrades, so it's possible that you won't clear at window since no X/V availability yet on day of flight there are still 4-5 F seats open and as a DM you likely would get one of them, your companion may not because all DM/PM/GM/FO's get it before them. If you get to the airport and see that you are 1 of 2 and companion is 2 of 2 for 2+ seats I'd wait it out. Whereas if you get there and see that you're 1 of 20 and companion is 20 of 20 for 1 available seat, I'd ask to take your name off.

mnredfox

Congrats, but that's Sunday. On another data point, I scored a comp UG on DCA-MSP. Compare that to my MSP-DCA flight with 33 on the waitlist...

stlhoosier

When did your DCA-MSP companion upgrade take place? Day of week? Time?

mnredfox

Monday PM midday, 2pm on 757. If you watch the flights, the late AM or early PM's are the best days out of DCA. I've seen many flights go V9 as late as t-minus 1 day.

stlhoosier

So new twist to this deal. I forgot to mention that I am flying on an award ticket while my companion is flying on a paid ticket. (You may ask why I’m not taking the paid ticket and getting the MQMs, the reason is there is potential for me to have to fly from my client site near IAH, directly to LGA so I needed the flexibility of the award ticket)
So, I called the DL and told them I wanted to connect my companion and I’s ticket. So they said sure, but we can’t share the same reservation #, so, according to DL’s website:
“You and companion have different reservation numbers: Your upgrade will clear based on your individual member status and confirmation window. Your companion’s will clear no sooner than 24 hours prior to the flight's departure.”
As opposed to
“You and companion share same reservation number: Both your upgrades will clear no sooner than 24 hours prior to the flight's departure.”
So basically it seems like clear T-6 and my companion most likely will not clear at all.
Sooo, Is there any way to put us on the same reservation # if I am on a reward tix and she is paying?