I fly 20,000 miles per month. I haven't SDC'd in over a year. Today my normal flight doesn't work because of a last minute wedding (don't ask). I have a paid ticket up front (P). I want to get on an earlier flight. There are currently 17 seats available in business class on the flight I now want. I can't SDC because the same fare class is not available.

Currently business class for the flight I'm on is 60% more expensive than the first class ticket on the flight I want. I have no idea which of the flights was cheaper when I bought my ticket because I always buy the same flight regardless of price.

At some point someone just has to say - hmmmm..... seems we should break our rules here this once or even hmmmmm..... seems we should change our rules.

I can't wait until Jetblue installs their lie flats beds. I'm not sure if the grass is greener there but I'm certainly going to find out.

Don't you know everyone who SDCs is a gamer, a low-rent mistake fare medallion, the lowest of the LVCs?

And about that last-minute wedding: I'm asking!

The results are in!

Wow. Good reason to SDC and perfect example of broken system when looked at through the lens of plain common sense!

17 BE seats....and no "P"?? Mind providing flight number?

Yeah I'm curious as to what flight that is where you can't get on with a P bucket and that many open seats. If the flight you want is marketed as 'business' then you need D (C could work, but not entirely sure if that always maps to P or just F)

Agree the fare bucket thing has many bad examples, and this is another one. It makes it even worse when you're holding a first class ticket and can't change.

My guess as well but one never knows.

Sky Mag, Richard Anderson and Richard Branson interview: " Sure, we have to have rules, but our values help us know when the rules aren�t sufficient. Bending the rules�especially for our most loyal customers�is often just the right thing to do."

OP, the takeaway is you're not important enough. Try harder.

Phone roulette?

Here is B6's same day change policy for you... much simpler, albeit $50 fee with no waivers, and very limited options for alternate routings (due to B6's limited network).

Note in general changes on B6 are $75 - $150 (+ fare difference), depending on when you make the change and how much your ticket cost. Looks like they haven't matched the "industry leading" $200 change fee.

Agreed that this is clearly an example of how the policy doesn't work. I'd try calling and doing SDC. Maybe you'll get an agent who has some sense and sympathy.

Flight number is 1830
Last night the price for a ticket upfront was $1,000ish - now it's $1,600 and they haven't sold any since I've been watching (8 hours).

Couple was speeding?

My point is that for me Delta doesn't even have an SDC policy. There "policy" has so many restrictions that I can't use it.

I hardly ever have a need for an SDC so even if B6 didn't have an SDC policy it would change my interest in switching. I haven't switched to them because of their lack of F and lack of a nondedicated phone line for elites. Once they have F then I'm going to give it a try. Plus they only have one terminal at JFK. I'm tired of DL telling me I leave from T4 and then showing up and it's T2. Or I'm tired of leaving out of T2 and parking my car there and then flying back in to T4 where my car is obviously not parked.