Oct 15, 2016, 9:00 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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

~~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)

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Feb 27, 2015, 6:22 am

#241

GrizShel

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: Mid-Atlantic

Programs: AA Plat, UA Silver, DL Silver, Marriott Titanium, etc.

Posts: 4,210

Can we call and find out if the regionals can be applied immediately on trips we already have booked?

(Trying to decide whether to choose these as an Elite Choice Benefit)

Feb 27, 2015, 6:47 am

#242

JBJ2435

Join Date: Feb 2013

Location: LAX

Programs: DL DM, 2 MM; OW Emerald; MVP Gold 100k;Marriott/SPG LTPlat; HH Diamond

Posts: 968

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrizShel

Can we call and find out if the regionals can be applied immediately on trips we already have booked?

(Trying to decide whether to choose these as an Elite Choice Benefit)

Yes

Mar 2, 2015, 2:55 pm

#243

WyomingBound

Join Date: Feb 2013

Programs: Delta DM MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite, TSA Pre-Check

Posts: 343

Upgrade Clearing

My wife and I (DM and non status companion) are traveling Friday and have applied a RUC to both of our reservations. Anyone have any experience as to when they clear as we are already passed the upgrade window.......Delta is using FCM on this flight and has done any Comp upgrades.....only sold seats.......the flight is currently F7 Y2.

I also asked this earlier but got no answer.....assuming no one else is using RUC we should be #1 and #2 on the upgrade list if it goes to the gate, correct?

Mar 2, 2015, 4:53 pm

#244

vgb2001

Join Date: Dec 2006

Location: ORD/MDW

Programs: DL DM; SPG Gold

Posts: 1,733

Quote:

Originally Posted by longing4piedmont

Theresa Wise needs to be fired.....

LOL

Mar 2, 2015, 6:53 pm

#245

sethb

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2004

Location: MSP

Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others

Posts: 12,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by CVFDCHIEF180

I don't know the relative priority of GUC and RUC. (Yes, I know it's a waste to use a GUC for something small, but if it expires soon, it's more of a waste to just lose it.)

Mar 2, 2015, 7:09 pm

#246

captiveguru

Join Date: Apr 2011

Location: MCO

Programs: DL exDM MM

Posts: 762

Is There a deadline for Withdrawing an RUC?

Trying to use a RUC: BDA-ATL-MCO. ATL-MCO leg has cleared... If the BDA-MCO leg does not clear can I text @deltaassist after boarding (and the no UG is confirmed) and get the UC removed from the ATL-MCO leg? The BDA-ATL flight takes 2.5+ hours...

Same question could apply to a domestic flight where i would probably use GoGo to communicate with @deltaassist... I might get GoGo for the last 45 minutes of the flight.

Mar 2, 2015, 7:18 pm

#247

rdrink25

Join Date: Feb 2014

Location: Hotlanta

Programs: Delta DM .5mm

Posts: 214

Trying to use a RUC for the first time for a flight in Sep. Seat map has FC completly empty but when I call DL to apply RUC's I get they are not available for use. Am I missing something here?

Mar 2, 2015, 8:04 pm

#248

landeej

Join Date: Jan 2012

Location: NYC

Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat 100 (LT Gold), IHG Spire, Hyatt Diamond, HH Gold, National EE, Hertz Prez Circle

Posts: 473

International, but not a Delta ONE cabin

Does anyone here know if JFK-KEF (when it resumes this summer) will be a GUC or RUC upgrade type?

In the small print of today's Delta ONE announcement email, it states clearly that Keflavik won't be getting the Delta ONE cabin:
(Terms & Conditions
1Delta One is available on all long-haul international flights that are 6.5+ hours and all domestic flights between JFK and LAX. Excludes JFK>BOG & JFK>KEF. )

Mar 2, 2015, 8:32 pm

#249

tfly212

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: San Marcos, CA

Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum ; Hilton Gold; Hertz 5*, Delta DM. Hyatt Platinum, Amtrak Select

Posts: 215

Quote:

Originally Posted by landeej

Very likely GUC as it counts as Europe technically. I did this route last summer as a PM and got op up upgraded both ways if that is helpful.

Mar 3, 2015, 7:04 am

#250

bgriff

Join Date: Aug 2005

Location: Brooklyn

Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too

Posts: 5,050

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrizShel

Can we call and find out if the regionals can be applied immediately on trips we already have booked?

(Trying to decide whether to choose these as an Elite Choice Benefit)

You can also get a sense of whether they are available by doing an advanced search for the same routes while logged in and specify fare bucket Y ... then the "upgrade availability" link above the price will show Upgrade Available if they can be confirmed right now or Upgrade Eligible if not. (In theory this is not 100% accurate since RUCs go into a different upgrade bucket than complimentary upgrades, and this is showing the latter, but they are usually going to be pretty similar.)

Mar 3, 2015, 9:52 am

#251

suvayanr

Join Date: Dec 2012

Location: JFK/LGA

Programs: DL DM, HH Gold, SPG Platinum 100, National Executive Elite

Posts: 1,687

Quote:

Originally Posted by captiveguru

Nope, if your ATL-MCO clears in advance, then the ticket will be reissued at some point, and the RUC is gone. The correct thing to do would have been to only waitlist BDA-ATL, and if that cleared, THEN waitlist ATL-MCO. Since you say that ATL-MCO has already cleared, your RUC is likely lost.

Mar 3, 2015, 12:42 pm

#252

Deemus7

Join Date: May 2011

Location: Treasure Coast of FL (MCO/MLB/PBI)

Programs: AS MVP, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum

Posts: 844

Quote:

Originally Posted by CVFDCHIEF180

If I were you, I would call back within 24 hours of the flight if you still haven't cleared. I had waitlisted two RUC's for last week, but my wife wasn't on the upgrade list after checking in. I called the PM line and was told that she wasn't eligible as a companion. I hung up and called back and had a second rep immediately clear us into F. My guess is that there was RP inventory but our RUCs were not coded properly.

And unless you have DMs using a GUC or RUC (on a higher fare class), you should be 1 and 2.

Mar 3, 2015, 2:32 pm

#253

shukar

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: ATL

Programs: DL: 2MM/DM Marriott: LT Platinum

Posts: 249

Quote:

Originally Posted by orca15

Had this happen many times with SWUs. They showed "closed" in My Wallet but a phone call sufficed to free them up again for a second try. I agree with BGriff.

I had this happen to me three times with RUC and once with GUC. In fact, I just got off a call with DM Line where they agreed to re-open the "Closed" RUC (that was never used).

Last edited by shukar; Mar 3, 2015 at 2:33 pm Reason: Typo fix

Mar 3, 2015, 2:58 pm

#254

HDQDD

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: RDU

Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum

Posts: 3,227

Quote:

Originally Posted by shukar

I had this happen to me three times with RUC and once with GUC. In fact, I just got off a call with DM Line where they agreed to re-open the "Closed" RUC (that was never used).

Yeah, I've had that happen too. The whole RUC/GUC system is a joke in it's current state.

I tried to RUC last month on an ATL-SFO. Waitlisted. Called res the day before, right after I checked in to make sure everything was cool. Agent assured me that it was. I told him I couldn't see myself on the upg list. He said that's normal, because RUCs are processed from a "separate" upgrade list that has priority over the normal list. He said the agent at the gate would take care of it. At the time I had no reason not to believe him.

Get to the gate right as F has started boarding. See there are still 2 seats unassigned. Then I noticed that one of the peeps I earlier saw on the upgrade list on the GIDS just got an upgrade?

Went to the agent and it went like this:

Me: "Hello, just checking to see if you processed the upgrade list yet".
(Randomly we discover that the agent and I went to rival HS's so we chat about that for a sec.)
Agent: "You aren't on the upgrade list".
Me: "Res told me I'm on the "secret" upgrade list."
Agent: "Yeah I see something, but you're not *activated*".
Me: Wait...WHAT?! "Well, activate me".
Agent: "I can't do that, I don't know the code. You'll need to go to a sky club or call res."

I was pretty upset at this point and now the flight is boarding sky. But I see one seat left... Call res, and the res agent doesn't know how to activate it so I get put on hold for 8 minutes. Then I'm told that res can't activate it. I about lost my shiznit, but I stayed cool with the res agent and asked for a supv. She put me on hold for a supervisor. After another 5 minutes go by they were now boarding Z3 and I wanted to have some space for my bag so I gave up and boarded in coach.

TL;DR version: By trying to RUC not only did I not have a chance at the upgrade that apparently wasn't activated, but I also found myself removed from the regular medallion upgrade list. Double negative.

Never found out what happened to the seat, but they were full in F.

I don't often get worked up enough to write DL, but in this case I did. It's inexcusable to create a program that none of it's own people understand. I requested 100,000 sky pesos. 20,000 for the trouble and 80,000 in punitive damages. I didn't get it.

Final kick in the pants, afterward the RUC showed closed in my wallet, so I had to call to get it reopened. It really doesn't have to be this difficult.

Mar 3, 2015, 4:15 pm

#255

AtlantaAngel

Join Date: Sep 2014

Programs: Hilton Diamond; Delta Diamond; Hyatt Diamond; IHG Platinum; Emerald Exec Elite

Posts: 93

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDQDD

I don't often get worked up enough to write DL, but in this case I did. It's inexcusable to create a program that none of it's own people understand. I requested 100,000 sky pesos. 20,000 for the trouble and 80,000 in punitive damages. I didn't get it.

Wow--that is pretty bad. Did you get anything from Delta? I just chose the 8 regional upgrades today as one of my 2015 choice benefits. Hope I don't live to regret it....