andymo99

Starting yesterday, Delta is testing "upgrade with miles" at time of purchase in select markets. There are only ~10 city pairs currently live with this pilot.

It looks like the "cost" is consistent with "Pay With Miles" at one cent per mile.

This won't help medallion upgrades at the upgrade window!!!

At present, this is only available at delta.com.

Some screenshots below for your review.

MSPeconomist

Does anyone know the full list of the ten city pairs? What fare classes are required? None of the examples above are deep discount coach fares. Does using miles result in 100% MQM? Or 150% for FC? Or zero for pay with miles? Finally, is it correct to assume that OP or RP upgrade inventory is needed?

NotAFreqFlyer

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know what the 10 city pairs are?

baccarat0809

+1 Million. What happens to MQM - MDM, etc

andymo99

I saw the 10 city pairs but they aren't in front of me at the moment. 4 are above.

I got it to work with anything that priced out in coach. And the first example is a "deep discount coach" in T bucket.

I assume it is the same MQM as your PAID portion.

No. See DL 565 on 29APR ATL-CVG. There is no RU/RP inventory as per EF, but you can upgrade for $99 or 9,900 miles.

james318

The mileage cost seems to vary by fare bucket as well.

A roundtrip T between MSP-SNA wanted 41,000 each way. A roundtrip K wanted 21,000.

DLroads

I did quick testing, it is booked as:
SA07A0QX/WNUP
(when you book a ticket, and use- upgrade with miles)
That seems to be a regular UP fare, eligible for miles and MQM. It seems like a copy/paste of the old NW system, with modifications to the pricing (e.g. 1 cpm is not a good deal, IMHO, but to each their own)

The cost in miles is based on 1 CPM from the rate that the website would offer you for an upgrade of the paid ticket...

e.g. ticket in T that requires 398 per direction for an UG would be 39,800 miles each way for UG
e.g. ticket in K that requires 59 per direction for an UG would be 5,900 miles each way for UG

Seat1A

looks like it's just allowing burn at a penny a mile on the standard UP fares... if they get people to take that, more power to 'em...

i'm particularly amused by the ATL-SJC flight at 16,900 miles.. if there's RP space available, that's a normal 12,500 mile domestic upgrade award....

wonder what happens if you change your flight -- the $$ upgrade is issuing a genuinely higher fare, so that can be applied. wonder what the receipt for the miles upgrade looks like....

eturowski

When I tried an ATL-CVG, the page initially said 625 RDMs/500 MQMs.

When I checked the "Upgrade to First Class for just 58,900 (!) miles per person each way," the page changed to say 937.5 RDMs/750 MQMs. It also changed the fare basis from "L" to "P." On the previous page, the price difference between an L and a P fare was exactly $589. So, this just appears to be a "pay with miles" way for people to buy up to a paid FC ticket (as Seat1A said).

Therefore, these fares appear to be eligible for the 50% MQM bonus.

It will be interesting to see if the MQM bonus "sticks," because regular PWM tickets are not eligible for mileage accrual, so it makes sense that the PWM upgrade wouldn't be eligible for the bonus miles - unless Delta REALLY wants to push these seats.

Unless, of course, there is an error in calculating and displaying the correct number of RDMs and MQMs earned. Thankfully, that NEVER happens on Delta's wonderful new website.

Without upgrade (625/500):


With upgrade (937.5/750):

motytrah

So, does this mean they will get rid of the fixed point UPGs on Y/B/M?

MSPeconomist

For the K fare, one can use the regular miles for upgrade and save a lot of miles. For the T fare, why not try to book a FC award ticket instead and compare the miles that are required?

eturowski

Not to mention knowing that the upgrade is guaranteed at purchase - none of the waitlist crap or worrying if/when the miles will be pulled or phone-stalking Delta reps to try to get the upgrade through before that one last RP/OP spot slips away.

andymo99

That is likely because the FARE difference was $410 vs. $210.

thirtyfour

Well this just lowered my UG expectations after dropping to GM this year from slim to none. I doubt my corporate booking tool is going to have this functionality, and I can see a ton of people taking advantage of this if the MQM bonuses stick.

akonradi

That's a big if across the network, and a huge if on ATL/SJC and v.v.