Steve007NY

I'm PM. Flying SAN-ATL-JFK on 3/12.
ATL-NY cleared at the window.
It's now in the 1 day window, SIXTEEN seats open in FC and haven't cleared.
Is this becoming the norm? (Partner, also PM, seems to be finding same sort of issues on ATL-west coast flights.)

mtkeller

I just booked a ticket to SAN for two months from now with the TATL sectors in W (SWU'd to O), so the domestic legs are booked into Y. I could not find any V or G inventory out of SAN on my say of travel (or the entire week). I checked closer in and couldn't find V or G inventory, either, although it did look like they had probably cleared some upgrades since I didn't see 16 open F seats on the first flight of the day on any flight. Would have avoided ATL, but SAN-MSP was the only other viable option and it's on an A320 with V0 G0 and two F seats already taken.

generaltao

Yes it's bad. So far this is shaping up to be my worst ever year for upgrades.

Sez_Who

Seems like there is a new thread every day on this same topic. Fewer seats clearing at the early windows, more clearing at or near the gate. Yes, this is the new norm.

stevekstevek

FCM will only stop when Delta seen that giving away $49 first class upgrades causes them to lose high revenue elites.

Maybe we'll need to get to the point where our upgrade situation is as bad as UACO, but I'm starting to think it will get worse before it gets better.

8 hours out and I'm number 4/10 for 1 seat on a crj9. I will probably be number 7 or 10 before I board. I never missed an upgrade, even as a silver, on a crj9 until the past 6 months or so.

Dovster

I was surprised when Delta opened a "G" fare on my MCO-JFK flight, giving me an upgrade 6 days out. When I got to the gate I found out why -- the flight was so empty that all of the medallions were upgraded and they were selling FC seats to the kettles at $75 each.

bcj1949

Yes it's bad especially in MSP IMHO. So far only way I have been successful has been to use some miles to UG. Last Monday #16/42 to SFO. I was 100% RT on AA with stickers in Feb. Also see a lot of DM's heading to the back with me. As I look at my travels for the rest of the year I think I'm going to use more of AA. While I have to do some connections I think I have a better shot at UG's which is important to me. I know there are concerns there by my trip in Feb at least gave me a 100% UG. On my last trip the GA had a good sense of humor and said once FC was boarded we would board then just as one major zone since 80 people had status. It's damn crazy and especially fruststating when you look out and see it's an A319 or A320 with 12 FC seats!!! EC is going to help but unlike UA there will be only 3 rows. Again time to think through stategy for the rest of the year.

3Cforme

That just shows other people - those who paid for first, Diamonds, higher fare classes - were willing to pay more than you. Why wouldn't any business exploit that, and reward that?

Steve007NY

Since I'm the original poster, I just wanted to clarify. My issue was not that upgrades weren't clearing at the gate, or that even as platinum I'm sometimes in the teens on the upgrade list, but rather that on a flight with so many seats still open in first class, I wasn't clearing at an upgrade window. Used to be that with 15+ open FC seats it wasn't a gate lottery flight.

Thomas Hudson

I missed an upgrade last week with a full Y fare and was upgraded at the gate on a full Y fare. If this continues to happen, I am done flying Delta for 99% of my travel.

nystateofmind

If people will pay why should Delta give it away for free?

Thomas Hudson

Good question. I fly every week on Delta and my fares this year have averaged over $1k per ticket. If they do not clear Diamonds on these routes and instead throw in some P fares cheaper than my ticket in the last few days before in an attempt to sell them, then I am stupid for contiuing to be loyal to Delta.

nystateofmind

If the fare difference is greater than any change fee why don't you rebook. I do agree that if Delta is making this available it should be first offered to medallions who paid more for their ticket than the discounted seat is worth then sell a coach seat though the issue may be that if you paid 1000 for your coach seat and someone is willing to pay 800 for first class Delta is getting 1800 for two seats but if they cannot get someone to pay 800 for your coach seat Delta is losing money

DL2SXM

Not that I'm contesting what your saying Thomas, but I've been around DL for quite a bit myself, just as you have, and if your averaging over $1K per ticket, that should get you a first class ticket on most itineraries. The exception to that would be the Domestic BE routes. Of course, it all depends on when your buying the ticket.

If DL is making more money by the actual sale of F seats, or by upselling over comp upgrades, I'm pretty certain they could give a rats a$$ if a few DM/PM's who say they are gonna jump ship, actually do it. The bottom line is what DL is probably most concerned about. Not whether Dick, John and Jane who are all DM's and paid a T fare for a domestic ticket didn't get a comp upgrade on JFK - ATL.

localady

Agreed.. but then Delta should not be flaunting the benefits of a loyalty program where one of the incentives for flying with them on a regular basis (and paying higher fees) is upgrades...

Not necessarily stupid, but in the future, you might question that $1000 fee on Delta when you see a $750 fee on UA/US/AA for the exact same flights within 15 or 20 minutes with just a layover in a different city..