FAQ: Upgrading with Delta and SkyMiles
Nov 7, 2016, 1:09 pm
#91
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta, Hilton, Hertz
Posts: 456
I've found it ridiculously annoying trying to upgrade with miles. I don't have the exact number. But I've tried at least 10 times to use miles and upgrade on atl-west coast flights with no luck.
Nov 7, 2016, 1:50 pm
#92
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: PDX
Programs: DL DM MM Marriott Plat Hertz PC
Posts: 225
I'm not usually offered F upgrades using miles when booking BUT as I was finishing booking a PDX/SLC/PDX flight the end of November, was offered the option of using 5,000 miles each way. Went for it. Just was comped 10,000 for a major delay a while back so felt they were free miles anyways. And SLC is a medallion hub and F upgrades are 50/50.
Nov 7, 2016, 1:56 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,040
Thanks. I tried again. The problem, I now see, is that I have an Alitalia flight number (AZ ticket stock) on a DL-operated flight. "You can use your miles for a one-class upgrade for a purchased ticket on most Delta-operated flights and certain Air France/KLM-operated flights," per Delta's web site, but the CSA this second time said that mileage upgrades are not possible on AZ ticket stock even if the flight is Delta operated.
Nov 7, 2016, 2:01 pm
#94
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
this. it should be insanely easy to do, delta seems hellbent on making this process as opaque and convoluted as possible. I wouldn't even mind the exorbitant rates they charge currently if the process was easy to understand and there was actual availability.
Nov 7, 2016, 2:38 pm
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,023
Note that mileage upgrades are only possible on certain eligible DL fare classes (and AF/KL Y/B/M fares). Since it's an AZ coded flight and fare class, I don't think it's going to be possible.
Last edited by xliioper; Nov 7, 2016 at 2:46 pm
Nov 7, 2016, 2:41 pm
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,023
Thanks. I tried again. The problem, I now see, is that I have an Alitalia flight number (AZ ticket stock) on a DL-operated flight. "You can use your miles for a one-class upgrade for a purchased ticket on most Delta-operated flights and certain Air France/KLM-operated flights," per Delta's web site, but the CSA this second time said that mileage upgrades are not possible on AZ ticket stock even if the flight is Delta operated.
Nov 7, 2016, 5:16 pm
#97
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 754
Aside from being an AZ ticket, only certain DL fare classes (the higher priced ones) are eligible for mileage upgrades. X/V/E fare classes are not eligible on domestic flights and L/U/T/X/V/E are not eligible on international flights. If you are on a relatively cheap ticket, there's a good chance your flights would not have been eligible even it was a DL ticket with DL coded flights.
Jan 16, 2017, 6:35 pm
#98
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Hilton Head Island, SC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3
Mileage Upgrade Awards
International outside N. America: M+
International within N. America: M+
Domestic incl. Hawaii: K+
International outside N. America: M+
International within N. America: M+
Domestic incl. Hawaii: K+
The Delta website says:
For travel on or after Jun 1, 2016:
Within North America (US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean) and Northern South America (Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela), Mileage Upgrade Awards may be used to upgrade on published fares booked in Y, B, M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, or T class.
So why K and not L for example?
Dec 27, 2017, 7:54 am
#99
Used to be guidogh
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: FB Ultimate, Hertz Platinum, Star Aliiance Gold
Posts: 364
Question: I have a AMS-DTW leg upcoming in W class. Its the sort of premium class and also omong the full fare Y tickets. Yet I see these tickets are not eligable for miles upgrade.
1: Is it true they dont allow upgrades on W class to D1?
2: If there is a D1 seat available on DoD, what would be the payment? V is the lowest class which requires 450 Euro payment. H is the highest which requires 100 euro payment. Where does W stand in the chart that i have attached? Thanks
1: Is it true they dont allow upgrades on W class to D1?
2: If there is a D1 seat available on DoD, what would be the payment? V is the lowest class which requires 450 Euro payment. H is the highest which requires 100 euro payment. Where does W stand in the chart that i have attached? Thanks
Dec 27, 2017, 8:34 am
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,023
It's not a "premium class", it's only Comfort+. While third party booking sites may erroneously refer to it to "premium economy", Delta does not. The chart above predates DL selling C+ as a separate W fare class (previously, C+ was simply an extra purchase item). There are actually a multitude of W fares corresponding to the DL HQKLUTXV economy fares listed above (there are no W fares corresponding to E fares which are now Basic Economy and ineligible for upgrades). You can find the underlying fare class for your W fare by looking at the fare code in the Fare Details: section of the DL emailed receipt. It's possible they could use that underlying fare class to determine the price, but who knows.
Last edited by xliioper; Dec 27, 2017 at 8:49 am