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)
Sep 27, 2021, 2:11 pm
#2086
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minneapolis MN
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 488
Thank you both. I impatiently & naively thought I had to have selected the choice benefit to see that availability in the search results. Thanks for clarifying - I am now seeing that as well. One additional question: when I'm ready to use an RUC, does the process of choosing them as your benefit make them available almost immediately or is it multi-hour or multi-day process between selecting a choice benefit and "having" them?
Sep 27, 2021, 3:05 pm
#2087
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion, Hyatt Explorist, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 313
Thank you both. I impatiently & naively thought I had to have selected the choice benefit to see that availability in the search results. Thanks for clarifying - I am now seeing that as well. One additional question: when I'm ready to use an RUC, does the process of choosing them as your benefit make them available almost immediately or is it multi-hour or multi-day process between selecting a choice benefit and "having" them?
For me, it took a couple of hours for the RUCs to show up in my account.
Sep 28, 2021, 5:56 am
#2088
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: 27,042
Thank you both. I impatiently & naively thought I had to have selected the choice benefit to see that availability in the search results. Thanks for clarifying - I am now seeing that as well. One additional question: when I'm ready to use an RUC, does the process of choosing them as your benefit make them available almost immediately or is it multi-hour or multi-day process between selecting a choice benefit and "having" them?
Sep 28, 2021, 7:58 am
#2089
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: Delta DM (3 MM) ; Sky Club (Lifetime)
Posts: 327
Main -> First?
Route is LAX-ATL
Only C+ seats are middle on the currently available.
I would prefer not to choose a C+ middle seat, and would prefer an aisle in Main.
Can I nevertheless apply a RUC to wail list for First (and skip my complimentary Diamond upgrade to C+)?
Only C+ seats are middle on the currently available.
I would prefer not to choose a C+ middle seat, and would prefer an aisle in Main.
Can I nevertheless apply a RUC to wail list for First (and skip my complimentary Diamond upgrade to C+)?
Sep 28, 2021, 8:55 am
#2090
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minneapolis MN
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 488
Sure can! Just make sure you uncheck the comfort plus upgrade request in your DL app or on the website when looking at the booking. RUCs would only ever clear you in to first (not comfort).
Sep 28, 2021, 9:07 am
#2091
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: Delta DM (3 MM) ; Sky Club (Lifetime)
Posts: 327
Thanks, much appreciated.
Sep 30, 2021, 8:47 pm
#2092
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 764
Alternatively, would you consider waiting until the DM window to see if any aisle C+ seats open up?
Oct 2, 2021, 7:51 pm
#2093
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Huntsville (for now)
Programs: DL DM, Hilton Gold; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 125
RUC limited to long leg
When using a RUC this past week I asked the agent to only apply/burn the RUC inly if the long leg of my itinerary cleared; I was flying a 22-35 min flight to ATL from my home base and then on to PHX so I didn't need it for a 30 min flight. At the airport I was checking to see if my long leg was going to clear and noticed my name was not on the short leg complimentary upgrade list; I'm an only PM and this is only this is a short flight so this is less a complaint and more an observation. But, is there something I should have done/said to the phone agent or GA to make sure my complimentary upgrade was still processes on the short leg or is this just the price you pay when you try to apply a RUC to only a single leg?
Oct 2, 2021, 8:42 pm
#2094
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
When using a RUC this past week I asked the agent to only apply/burn the RUC inly if the long leg of my itinerary cleared; I was flying a 22-35 min flight to ATL from my home base and then on to PHX so I didn't need it for a 30 min flight. At the airport I was checking to see if my long leg was going to clear and noticed my name was not on the short leg complimentary upgrade list; I'm an only PM and this is only this is a short flight so this is less a complaint and more an observation. But, is there something I should have done/said to the phone agent or GA to make sure my complimentary upgrade was still processes on the short leg or is this just the price you pay when you try to apply a RUC to only a single leg?
Oct 3, 2021, 2:53 am
#2095
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: 27,042
However this wasn't the case at one time. Thus a lot of agents still think it's one or the other.
Oct 3, 2021, 6:48 am
#2096
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Huntsville (for now)
Programs: DL DM, Hilton Gold; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 125
OK; by default I thought those selection for complimentary upgrades were affirmatively selected (an in this case at least the C+ one was as I was upgraded shortly after purchase) but next time I will go back once I request the RUC to make sure that it was not turned off in the application process. Thanks!
Oct 3, 2021, 12:15 pm
#2097
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: Delta DM (3 MM) ; Sky Club (Lifetime)
Posts: 327
I have had some (Diamond) phone agents recommend that passengers "turn off/disable" the complimentary upgrade checkbox for the segment to which the wait-listed RUC is applied.
Is this correct?
Is this correct?
Oct 3, 2021, 12:38 pm
#2098
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
I think your odds would be just as good by praying to the Great Gumby God next time you check the status online. Or HUCA every day. Or .......
Oct 3, 2021, 1:12 pm
#2099
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,925
I have recently cleared a wait-listed instrument upgrade inside the Medallion window (as seen by the resulting OY class) even though I also had the comp upgrade request box checked. Make of that whatever you will.
Oct 3, 2021, 1:17 pm
#2100
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: 27,042
Who knows. Getting RUC's applied once waitlisted is black magic. It gets far worse if you have to actually check in at the airport for any reason with a waitlisted RUC. That will be a total disaster.
I think your odds would be just as good by praying to the Great Gumby God next time you check the status online. Or HUCA every day. Or .......
I think your odds would be just as good by praying to the Great Gumby God next time you check the status online. Or HUCA every day. Or .......