Complete newb upgrade question on trans-Atlantic (DTW-AMS)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,211
Complete newb upgrade question on trans-Atlantic (DTW-AMS)
Hi all...my question is as follows. I'm on DL248, DTW-AMS this Thursday and am wondering if there's anything at all I could do to get an upgrade. I'm not even to silver status, but do have an Amex Platinum (not Delta-branded) credit card if that helps at all, as well as about 10K miles in my Delta account. I've pretty much accepted the default answer of "no" as my baseline at this point, but having read a number of "you too can get an upgrade on a flight!" on Lifehacker, etc. So, any tips you have would be appreciated. As of right now, I can see there are a LOT of empty Business Elite seats on the aircraft map.
Alternately, taking tips on how to fall asleep in a window seat on a 777. Melatonin won't work, just an FYI.
Alternately, taking tips on how to fall asleep in a window seat on a 777. Melatonin won't work, just an FYI.
#2
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta DM, 4MM, SC, AmEx Reserve, UA Plat, SPG/Marriott Platinum, Hertz Gold
Posts: 2,383
The simple answer is that officially there are no international upgrades though many of us on this board have gotten OPUPs generally as a result of economy being oversold. In that event, they generally go by elite status so without status, your chances are zero unless you buy up to a more expensive fare class that is upgrade-able and then happen to have a SWU you could use (and there is availability). I'd plan to sit in the back!
Rather than start a new thread, search would have identified plenty of others on international upgrades that would have answered your question for you.
As for sleeping on board, Ambien works great but you'll need a prescription and I would recommend waiting to take it until the plane is in the air. Last you want is the flight to be cancelled after boarding and after you've drugged up and you're immobile for awhile trying to maneuver around as you de-plane.
Rather than start a new thread, search would have identified plenty of others on international upgrades that would have answered your question for you.
As for sleeping on board, Ambien works great but you'll need a prescription and I would recommend waiting to take it until the plane is in the air. Last you want is the flight to be cancelled after boarding and after you've drugged up and you're immobile for awhile trying to maneuver around as you de-plane.
#3
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Makati City, Philippines
Programs: Delta Skymiles DM, CX GO, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,361
You will need a ticket with a M, B, or Y fare and then OP availability on your flight. Cost is 25K miles each way, so it seems you do not have enough miles to do that, an option would be to purchase miles if you bought the correct fare, but it may be cost prohibitive. That is up to you.
As far as sleeping on the flight, the best suggestion I can give is to go to your doctor and get a prescription for Valium, take those and a drink or 2 and this you do the trick.
As far as sleeping on the flight, the best suggestion I can give is to go to your doctor and get a prescription for Valium, take those and a drink or 2 and this you do the trick.
#4
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: DTW & CDG
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 77
SOL
Hey there... welcome...
Yeah, you're pretty much screwed. Short of a 1 in a 1,000,000 Act of God, you won't be able to make it up there. Delta doesn't give upgrades on overseas flights away to anyone, even Diamonds. There are generally three ways to get from coach to business on a Delta trans-oceanic flight :
1) using their "System Wide Upgrade" certificates, which is difficult to do even if you have them, which I'm assuming you don't, given your sub-silver status.
2) using SkyMiles. This probably would have been your best chance - in situations where they have seats open and they, well, feel like it, they might open some seats that you can get using 25,000 miles each way. From what you said you're short on miles though.
3) Operational Upgrade, or "Op-Up"... this is the only "free" way to get upgraded, and happens only when they oversell coach class [sell more tickets than they have seats], and to aviod paying people to take a different flight they just move some people to Business. They will usually start with Diamonds and work down in this case.
Your only longshot option is to call Delta and see if that flight has availability to upgrade using miles... I checked Thursday DL248 and you might be in luck, it shows 3 seats available for certificate upgrades. If they say yes, you can buy 15,000 or so miles from Delta [$200 maybe?] and then upgrade on the flight over.
Yeah, you're pretty much screwed. Short of a 1 in a 1,000,000 Act of God, you won't be able to make it up there. Delta doesn't give upgrades on overseas flights away to anyone, even Diamonds. There are generally three ways to get from coach to business on a Delta trans-oceanic flight :
1) using their "System Wide Upgrade" certificates, which is difficult to do even if you have them, which I'm assuming you don't, given your sub-silver status.
2) using SkyMiles. This probably would have been your best chance - in situations where they have seats open and they, well, feel like it, they might open some seats that you can get using 25,000 miles each way. From what you said you're short on miles though.
3) Operational Upgrade, or "Op-Up"... this is the only "free" way to get upgraded, and happens only when they oversell coach class [sell more tickets than they have seats], and to aviod paying people to take a different flight they just move some people to Business. They will usually start with Diamonds and work down in this case.
Your only longshot option is to call Delta and see if that flight has availability to upgrade using miles... I checked Thursday DL248 and you might be in luck, it shows 3 seats available for certificate upgrades. If they say yes, you can buy 15,000 or so miles from Delta [$200 maybe?] and then upgrade on the flight over.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,211
Your only longshot option is to call Delta and see if that flight has availability to upgrade using miles... I checked Thursday DL248 and you might be in luck, it shows 3 seats available for certificate upgrades. If they say yes, you can buy 15,000 or so miles from Delta [$200 maybe?] and then upgrade on the flight over.
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,326
SWUs are nontransferrable except to one travel companion on the same PNR and in the same cabin as the DM or PM who owns the SWUs. So someone with no status would not have access to any.
OP can use his/her AmEx Plat card to pay the difference between his/her coach fare and the current fare for BE.
OP can use his/her AmEx Plat card to pay the difference between his/her coach fare and the current fare for BE.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,211
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,326
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: ATL- DL FF since '81, MM since '94
Posts: 127
Looks like your SOL on the upgrade.
I take Diphenhydramine 25 mg (Benadryl) to help sleep at home and in the air. It's over the counter and you can find it in the allergy and the sleep aid sections of the drug store. I use it mainly in the air to keep my ears from stopping up and hurting (decongestant properties) but makes many people sleepy (side effect). A cocktail seems to hasten the effectiveness.
I take Diphenhydramine 25 mg (Benadryl) to help sleep at home and in the air. It's over the counter and you can find it in the allergy and the sleep aid sections of the drug store. I use it mainly in the air to keep my ears from stopping up and hurting (decongestant properties) but makes many people sleepy (side effect). A cocktail seems to hasten the effectiveness.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,211
I take Diphenhydramine 25 mg (Benadryl) to help sleep at home and in the air. It's over the counter and you can find it in the allergy and the sleep aid sections of the drug store. I use it mainly in the air to keep my ears from stopping up and hurting (decongestant properties) but makes many people sleepy (side effect). A cocktail seems to hasten the effectiveness.
#14
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Summit County UT
Programs: Delta PM Hilton Diamond Bonvoy Ti/LTP Hertz PC
Posts: 636
It does, but it also contains tylenol. If you're going to mix with alcohol, it's probably safer to stick to benadryl alone. I am not any sort of clinician, this is just what I do myself
#15
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere above the Mason-Dixon
Programs: DL Ham Samich
Posts: 1,652
SWUs are nontransferrable except to one travel companion on the same PNR and in the same cabin as the DM or PM who owns the SWUs. So someone with no status would not have access to any.
OP can use his/her AmEx Plat card to pay the difference between his/her coach fare and the current fare for BE.
OP can use his/her AmEx Plat card to pay the difference between his/her coach fare and the current fare for BE.