SWUs Now Eligible for Use on Select AZ Flights
 

Not sure if this has been posted but I haven't seen it... if it has, please merge...
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Effective January 27, 2012, Delta can book Systemwide Upgrades (SWU) on select Alitalia (AZ) flights for service beginning in May 2012. SkyMiles members will now have the option to redeem SWUs for a one class upgrade on select AZ flights operating to and from Rome (FCO) and three U.S. cities- BOS, ORD and LAX.

*SWU bookings on AZ flights must be completed at least 3 days prior to departure. No waitlisting or standby upgrades will be permitted.
*Only Y, B and M classes of service are eligible to be upgraded to the business award/upgrade fare class – Z. (Award code: PU503)
*SWUs are valid for a one-way/one class upgrade.
*SWUs on AZ operated flights are valid only for transatlantic travel on select flights to/from North America and FCO.
*AZ operated flights beyond FCO (i.e. to/from other European destinations, Middle East, Africa and the Pacific) are not eligible to be upgraded using a SWU.
*No Award seat upgrades will be permitted.
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Great news! I imagine these are the markets without Classica plus - so the upgrade is straight to Business. Maybe I should look into BOS-SOF fares for the summer instead of my usual NYC :D

This is the first I've heard of the new benefit. I guess it reflects the tighter relationship between AZ and AF/KLM.

Are you sure? You might as well check the I fare (Business) as it appears to be cheaper then their M fares. Checked EF published fares with departures from LAX and BOS and in both cases cheaper I fares are listed then the cheapest M, Y, B fares (all above $2900). Plus, the upgrade class is the same one as for award tickets, so availability will be quite low... I would use an award ticket to get to BG.

Thanks for doing the research for me :)

Those fares are certainly not the best use of money! I have done awards for several years now and i guess this will continue to be the case. I'm bummed about 'missing' those MQMs but there are certainly better and cheaper ways to earn them :D

I cannot take all credit... I plan to visit SOF in the summer too, but looking at the upgradable fares in AZ there is no chance I will change my award ticket to a SWU upgrade to Business with AZ. AF W/S fares in Premium Voyageur seem far better option for SWU upgrades in terms of price.

By the way, with award ticket you can book a AZ/AF coded FB flight in Business rather then being limited to MQM-earning flights operated by AZ and AF only (for the paid ticket MQM-earning option).

I was not able to book AZ 7177/7178 (op by FB) last year - hopefully things have changed. I did get on an AF codeshare by FB and it was a truly enjoyable intra-EU flight. Real seats, great service, legit food :D

Probably more because AZ is part of the DL-AF-KL TATL JV.

Any idea when/if mileage upgrades will become possible in addition to the SWUs?

Good news, look forward to using miles/SWU's on the rest of the ST airlines on other than full Y fares. KE would be the next nice addition to the SWU list.

Any idea on AZ YBM fares and how they compare to AF S/W for instance? I'm guessing better than DL YBM still.

See VladQ's post above. Not much of a bargain

Of course the direct flight out of BOS is almost $3k and the Y fare to FCO from JFK is sub $1.6k, where the SWU isn't applicable...!

M fare out of Boston $3,443.20. B fare out of Boston $2,701.20. These prices are on dl.dumb. Wonder who's hitting that crack pipe hard lately. With these prices it makes the SWU's effectively USELESS. Why buy and be waitlisted for a potential business class seat when I can confirm a Biz seat by buying the B fare...:rolleyes::confused::rolleyes:

That's exactly what I was alluding to.

Should be identical to DL YBM on all JV flights.

And closer inspection reveals only 3 routes. Not much of an enhancement.