Oct 15, 2016, 9:00 am
Last edit by: Utskicat
FEB 1, 2022 New GUC/RUC Inventory Rules
*****GUC*****
Flight has First Class
MC/C+ = Purchased
First = Last Seat J (Old Policy = OY)
Flight has DPS only
MC/C+ = Purchased
DPS = Last Seat (GUC=P / RUC=G) (Old Policy = RY)
Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Flight has D1 with DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
DPS = Last Seat (GUC=P / RUC=G) (Old Policy = RY)
D1 = OY @ T-24h15m
Flight has D1 with DPS
DPS = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Note: If GUC applied to domestic flight, it has better inventory than RUC (better chance for D1 transcon or to Hawaii)
*****RUC*****
Flight has First Class
MC/C+ = Purchased
First = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = OY (no change in old policy = OY)
New Delta.com Upgrade Availability Indicators that appeared 2/1/22 and what they mean
Dom D1 Tag meaning:
Global Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Z (OY = 0 for RUC)
Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Z /or/ RUC in OY both available
Dom F Tag meaning:
Global Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Last Seat J (Z = 0 for RUC)
Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in last seat J /or/ RUC in Z both available
Example D1 Flights from JFK - LAX (flight numbers are fictitious)
DL 01
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J5 C4 D4 Z3
Hidden Availability: OY2
Website indicator: Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (2 RUC (OY) open, 3 GUC (Z) open)
DL 02
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J5 C4 D4 Z3
Hidden Availability: OY0
Website indicator: Global Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (OY) open, 3 GUC (Z) open)
DL 03
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z0
Hidden Availability: OY0
Website indicator: No flag - neither is available GUC (Z0) and RUC (OY0)
DL 04
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z1
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (1 RUC (Z) open, 3 GUC (J) open)
DL 05
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z0
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: Global Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (Z) open, 3 GUC (J) open)
DL 06
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J0 C0 D0 Z0
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: No flag - neither is available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (Z) open, 0 GUC (J) open)
Apparently Delta is using public inventory buckets J Z P G (and non-public bucket OY in some cases) to determine GUC/RUC availability. However once they have confirmed you the system converts the segment in your reservation to a different bucket. Here is the class mapping:
GUC Usage
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to DPS / P class needed / Books into RV (Clears at T-24.15 into D1 as OX if OY available)
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to D1 (no DPS) / Z class needed / Books into OK
DPS purchased / Upgrade to D1 / Z class needed / Books into OK
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to FC (no D1/DPS) / J class needed / Books into OV
RUC Usage
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to DPS / G class needed / Books into RX (Clears at T-24.15 into D1 as OX if OY available)
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to D1 (no DPS) / OY class needed / Books into OX
DPS purchased / Upgrade to D1 / OY class needed / Books into OX
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to FC (no D1/DPS) / Z class needed / Books into OL
PRE FEB 1, 2022 WIKI
More information and discussion about using same-day change after applying regional upgrades can be found in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1709826-sdc-while-using-regional-upgrade-certificates-ruc-definitive-thread.html
While the RUC process is almost entirely opaque, there are a couple of "hints" of a correctly applied waitlist.
1a) When viewing a waitlisted segment on the DL.com web site (not the app), there may be two seat maps for the same flight. The first seat map shows the coach seat you are currently in, and the second seat map for the same flight says "you may not select seats for this flight" or something like that. This second seat map corresponds to a part of the waitlist process, and indicates that at least one step of the multi-step process to add an RUC waitlist was actually done. Unfortunately, this does NOT indicate that the other manual steps of the RUC waitlist process were successfully completed by the agent (i.e. even if you see the second seat map, there still could be something wrong. There is simply no way for the customer to tell.)
1b) The status for a waitlisted segment should say something like "Upgrade Waitlisted"
2) Assuming the waitlist does not clear prior to check-in, the second hint is the upgrade waitlist. If the RUC waitlist request was coded correctly, you should show up at or very near the top of the upgrade waitlist that you can see on DL.com or the app. If you find yourself at your "usual" spot on the upgrade waitlist, this is a clue that the RUC waitlist request was not coded correctly.
3) The RUC is a form of "payment". Until the RUC clears, it remains "unused" so a waitlisted RUC will still show in your wallet as "open".
You may also wish to peruse the wiki for the GUC success thread as some of the considerations/logistics are similar between RUCs and GUCs.
*****GUC*****
Flight has First Class
MC/C+ = Purchased
First = Last Seat J (Old Policy = OY)
Flight has DPS only
MC/C+ = Purchased
DPS = Last Seat (GUC=P / RUC=G) (Old Policy = RY)
Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Flight has D1 with DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
DPS = Last Seat (GUC=P / RUC=G) (Old Policy = RY)
D1 = OY @ T-24h15m
Flight has D1 with DPS
DPS = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Note: If GUC applied to domestic flight, it has better inventory than RUC (better chance for D1 transcon or to Hawaii)
*****RUC*****
Flight has First Class
MC/C+ = Purchased
First = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = OY (no change in old policy = OY)
New Delta.com Upgrade Availability Indicators that appeared 2/1/22 and what they mean
Dom D1 Tag meaning:
Global Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Z (OY = 0 for RUC)
Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Z /or/ RUC in OY both available
Dom F Tag meaning:
Global Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Last Seat J (Z = 0 for RUC)
Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in last seat J /or/ RUC in Z both available
Example D1 Flights from JFK - LAX (flight numbers are fictitious)
DL 01
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J5 C4 D4 Z3
Hidden Availability: OY2
Website indicator: Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (2 RUC (OY) open, 3 GUC (Z) open)
DL 02
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J5 C4 D4 Z3
Hidden Availability: OY0
Website indicator: Global Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (OY) open, 3 GUC (Z) open)
DL 03
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z0
Hidden Availability: OY0
Website indicator: No flag - neither is available GUC (Z0) and RUC (OY0)
DL 04
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z1
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (1 RUC (Z) open, 3 GUC (J) open)
DL 05
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z0
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: Global Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (Z) open, 3 GUC (J) open)
DL 06
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J0 C0 D0 Z0
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: No flag - neither is available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (Z) open, 0 GUC (J) open)
Apparently Delta is using public inventory buckets J Z P G (and non-public bucket OY in some cases) to determine GUC/RUC availability. However once they have confirmed you the system converts the segment in your reservation to a different bucket. Here is the class mapping:
GUC Usage
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to DPS / P class needed / Books into RV (Clears at T-24.15 into D1 as OX if OY available)
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to D1 (no DPS) / Z class needed / Books into OK
DPS purchased / Upgrade to D1 / Z class needed / Books into OK
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to FC (no D1/DPS) / J class needed / Books into OV
RUC Usage
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to DPS / G class needed / Books into RX (Clears at T-24.15 into D1 as OX if OY available)
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to D1 (no DPS) / OY class needed / Books into OX
DPS purchased / Upgrade to D1 / OY class needed / Books into OX
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to FC (no D1/DPS) / Z class needed / Books into OL
PRE FEB 1, 2022 WIKI
More information and discussion about using same-day change after applying regional upgrades can be found in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1709826-sdc-while-using-regional-upgrade-certificates-ruc-definitive-thread.html
The clock begins ticking on RUC expiration when you make your choice benefit selection, so it's possible to time your selection when there is a specific need to use them.You can select your 2017 choice benefit as soon as DL recognizes your Plat status. Certificates expire 12 months from date of issue. 2019 choice benefits (earned based on how much one flew in 2018) must be selected by Jan 31, 2020.- If you select certificates as your choice benefit late in your Medallion tenure, it will still be valid after your status expires -- so for example if you earn Platinum Medallion in 2018, which is valid through Jan 31, 2020, but then only earn Silver Medallion in 2019, which becomes effective Feb 1, 2020 when your Platinum Medallion status expires, RUCs selected in January 2020 would be valid through January 2021 and could be used once you were only a Silver Medallion member, giving you a much higher upgrade list position on those flights where you attempt to use them.
- If you request to use a RUC on a flight and do not receive the upgrade, it is returned to your account for future use, but check your account to make sure.
- RUC may be redeemed for the named Medallion member and up to one travel companion traveling on the same flight (the companion officially no longer needs to be in the same reservation, though that rule was not actually enforced even when it was the official rule). The named member and the companion will each require a separate certificate.
While the RUC process is almost entirely opaque, there are a couple of "hints" of a correctly applied waitlist.
1a) When viewing a waitlisted segment on the DL.com web site (not the app), there may be two seat maps for the same flight. The first seat map shows the coach seat you are currently in, and the second seat map for the same flight says "you may not select seats for this flight" or something like that. This second seat map corresponds to a part of the waitlist process, and indicates that at least one step of the multi-step process to add an RUC waitlist was actually done. Unfortunately, this does NOT indicate that the other manual steps of the RUC waitlist process were successfully completed by the agent (i.e. even if you see the second seat map, there still could be something wrong. There is simply no way for the customer to tell.)
1b) The status for a waitlisted segment should say something like "Upgrade Waitlisted"
2) Assuming the waitlist does not clear prior to check-in, the second hint is the upgrade waitlist. If the RUC waitlist request was coded correctly, you should show up at or very near the top of the upgrade waitlist that you can see on DL.com or the app. If you find yourself at your "usual" spot on the upgrade waitlist, this is a clue that the RUC waitlist request was not coded correctly.
3) The RUC is a form of "payment". Until the RUC clears, it remains "unused" so a waitlisted RUC will still show in your wallet as "open".
You may also wish to peruse the wiki for the GUC success thread as some of the considerations/logistics are similar between RUCs and GUCs.
Using Regional Upgrades on Delta (pre 2/1/2022)
Oct 25, 2018, 7:29 am
#1291
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Delta DM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,046
Flight departing today from SEA to KOA. Called yesterday after check-in after seeing we were 6 & 7 on the upgrade list with only 6 seats available to apply two regional upgrades. Agent was able to confirm us immediately into first class.
Oct 25, 2018, 7:48 am
#1292
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
I mean, I book a lot of last-minute tickets, I would love it if NOBODY got a seat assignment until the gate. But I don't think the people who are making use of the rules and benefits are entitled brats.
Oct 28, 2018, 10:24 am
#1293
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,211
JFK- PHX
Is it worth waitlisting a RUC for 2 people flying in the winter from JFK- PHX and back? F is wide open both ways- around 20 seats (although selling for $2,000+ r/t). Outbound mid week and return on a Friday? As I only have 4 RUC's, I'm trying to be careful where I use them, and this could burn all of them, although so far using them on JFK-LAS has been an exercise in futility.... Should I just earn and burn?
Oct 28, 2018, 11:23 am
#1294
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,789
Struck out trying to use these to/from Hawaii. I had them waitlisted for six months. Ended up 3&4 for 2 seats on LAX-HNL and 4&5 for 0 seats on HNL-SLC.
The LAX-HNL flight was changed the night before departure from an international configuration 763 with 26 D1 seats (domestic F service on that route) to a 753 with 24 F seats, so we presumably would have just made the cut if not for that change.
The LAX-HNL flight was changed the night before departure from an international configuration 763 with 26 D1 seats (domestic F service on that route) to a 753 with 24 F seats, so we presumably would have just made the cut if not for that change.
Oct 28, 2018, 12:19 pm
#1295
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM. 1MM
Posts: 2,045
Is it worth waitlisting a RUC for 2 people flying in the winter from JFK- PHX and back? F is wide open both ways- around 20 seats (although selling for $2,000+ r/t). Outbound mid week and return on a Friday? As I only have 4 RUC's, I'm trying to be careful where I use them, and this could burn all of them, although so far using them on JFK-LAS has been an exercise in futility.... Should I just earn and burn?
Oct 28, 2018, 1:40 pm
#1296
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,211
JFK-PHX is a tough upgrade. Lots of paid F and consultants. Winter is peak season for PHX because nobody wants to visit May through September with 110+ temperatures. I'm flying JFK-PHX next Thursday. applied RUC a few months ago. F cabin went from 19 open F seats to 3 as of now. Upgrades almoslways go to the gate. Although PHX-JFK red eye (seasonal) can be an easier upgrade though still a tough spot.
Oct 28, 2018, 6:29 pm
#1297
Join Date: May 2015
Location: NYC/Paris
Programs: DL Diamond
Posts: 111
Struck out trying to use these to/from Hawaii. I had them waitlisted for six months. Ended up 3&4 for 2 seats on LAX-HNL and 4&5 for 0 seats on HNL-SLC.
The LAX-HNL flight was changed the night before departure from an international configuration 763 with 26 D1 seats (domestic F service on that route) to a 753 with 24 F seats, so we presumably would have just made the cut if not for that change.
The LAX-HNL flight was changed the night before departure from an international configuration 763 with 26 D1 seats (domestic F service on that route) to a 753 with 24 F seats, so we presumably would have just made the cut if not for that change.
Oct 28, 2018, 6:32 pm
#1298
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,211
Oct 28, 2018, 7:48 pm
#1299
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, AA, WP
Posts: 840
So I'll apply opposite logic. Yes, the Friday return should be harder, and thus more likely to not happen at all. The midweek might be easier to upgrade anyways, but as a Plat like me, those DMs will come ahead of you. I would say that you are more likely to improve your chances measurably on the outbound. In contrast, improving quite bad chances on the return to sorta bad chances, is still bad. I don't fly PHX, but this is my experience TCON to LAX and SFO.
Oct 28, 2018, 8:15 pm
#1300
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,211
So I'll apply opposite logic. Yes, the Friday return should be harder, and thus more likely to not happen at all. The midweek might be easier to upgrade anyways, but as a Plat like me, those DMs will come ahead of you. I would say that you are more likely to improve your chances measurably on the outbound. In contrast, improving quite bad chances on the return to sorta bad chances, is still bad. I don't fly PHX, but this is my experience TCON to LAX and SFO.
If I request a RUC waitlisted for a flight, can I change my mind and pull it before it clears? How about after?
Oct 28, 2018, 8:56 pm
#1301
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM. 1MM
Posts: 2,045
Oct 28, 2018, 9:13 pm
#1302
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,211
In that scenario the mid week flight is probably the easier upgrade but not by much. I would not expect to get the upgrade without using RUC unless you are DM on a higher fare class. So I would recommend using the RUC on the flight that is most important to you for the upgrade. I tend to take red eye flights traveling from west coast to east so the upgrade isn't usually that important to me. I can sleep in just about any window seat with a couple glasses of red wine
Welcome to the club!As this is a family trip, I may just waitlist both flights to make it enjoyable, and employ an earn and burn strategy.
Oct 28, 2018, 10:07 pm
#1303
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, AA, WP
Posts: 840
You can remove the RUC before it clears, because it is still open, but once you clear, your ticket will reissue and the RUC's status will change to closed and you cannot claw it back. You could SDC to another flight to the front cabin, but that doesn't save your RUC. But like you suggest, unused RUC at the end of the year = bad.
Oct 28, 2018, 10:11 pm
#1304
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,211
You can remove the RUC before it clears, because it is still open, but once you clear, your ticket will reissue and the RUC's status will change to closed and you cannot claw it back. You could SDC to another flight to the front cabin, but that doesn't save your RUC. But like you suggest, unused RUC at the end of the year = bad.
Oct 29, 2018, 7:38 am
#1305
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
You can remove the RUC before it clears, because it is still open, but once you clear, your ticket will reissue and the RUC's status will change to closed and you cannot claw it back. You could SDC to another flight to the front cabin, but that doesn't save your RUC. But like you suggest, unused RUC at the end of the year = bad.