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Old 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.


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Using Regional Upgrades on Delta (pre 2/1/2022)

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Old Jul 6, 2017, 5:51 am
  #826  
 
Join Date: May 2013
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Originally Posted by audidudi
I can't wait to see how you think that an RUC will work on TATL flights! Did you even read the thread title? This thread is specifically related to RUCs, not GUCs! Why do people get sidetracked so easily to discuss topics unrelated to the thread title?
This poster has posted several times on this thread about using RUCs for JFK-LAX flights when flying between Europe and the West Coast. In fact, he even had a question further up the page about whether this is still allowed.

Originally Posted by TheMadBrewer
Today I canceled an international trip that had an RUC waitlisted on the JFK-LAX leg -- which I've done 3 times this year 2 -- two cleared and the last I was on the upgrade list but there were no seats.

The DM line agent said "Oh, they weren't supposed to do that, you can't use an RUC on a domestic leg of an international itinerary." When I said that I have been doing that since they let you use RUCs between LAX and JFK she replied that she had to ask for help on doing just that the other day and was told in no uncertain terms that wasn't allowed.

I asked if this was a new "feature" but she didn't know.

Passing this along as a data point, don't know if anybody has heard anything similar.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 5:53 am
  #827  
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Originally Posted by audidudi
I can't wait to see how you think that an RUC will work on TATL flights! Did you even read the thread title? This thread is specifically related to RUCs, not GUCs! Why do people get sidetracked so easily to discuss topics unrelated to the thread title?
Poster never said a RUC would work on a TATL.

If you read all his posts from thay day, you'd see his questions resolved around a RUC. However getting bad info from agent on RUC, asked if info given about GUC was also incorrect. The question on the GUC being one that is the same for a RUC. If it bothers you that much change GUC to RUC in your mind. The question/answer is still the same regardless if OP said GUC or RUC.

Of course it's easier to not read the thread, take one reply and ignore the rest of the context. Each post even quoted the one before. No reason to not be able to follow the complete discussion.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 8:03 am
  #828  
 
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Originally Posted by audidudi
I can't wait to see how you think that an RUC will work on TATL flights! Did you even read the thread title? This thread is specifically related to RUCs, not GUCs! Why do people get sidetracked so easily to discuss topics unrelated to the thread title?
If you read the thread I wasn't trying to use an RUC on a TATL flight. I was told some information about about RUC use that was new to me, asked about it here and somebody knowledgeable replied that the agent gave me false information. That agent also gave me information about a GUC and I asked that same FT-er if that information was also false (it wasn't). Since it was in the context of questionable information from a Delta agent, it seemed clearer to ask that person in this thread.
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Old Jul 10, 2017, 2:49 am
  #829  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Posts: 7,899
is anyone seeing the same ?

Instead of the double seatmap (as per wiki) the RUC request on a TCON shows as "Upgrade status: upgrade waitlisted" on the itinerary page.
At first I tought the RUC had been coded incorrectly, but two different reps on the phone confirmed everything is as it should be.
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Old Jul 10, 2017, 3:37 am
  #830  
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Originally Posted by thesaints
is anyone seeing the same ?

Instead of the double seatmap (as per wiki) the RUC request on a TCON shows as "Upgrade status: upgrade waitlisted" on the itinerary page.
At first I tought the RUC had been coded incorrectly, but two different reps on the phone confirmed everything is as it should be.
The double seatmap usually indicates its been done correctly. However it being displayed or not actually is not definitive either way.
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Old Jul 10, 2017, 6:47 am
  #831  
 
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Originally Posted by thesaints
is anyone seeing the same ?

Instead of the double seatmap (as per wiki) the RUC request on a TCON shows as "Upgrade status: upgrade waitlisted" on the itinerary page.
At first I tought the RUC had been coded incorrectly, but two different reps on the phone confirmed everything is as it should be.
Yes, I have the very same thing with my 2 GUC flights. "Upgrade status: Upgrade waitlisted". No double seatmap, and the DeltaOne seats in the one seatmap are all greyed out.
ats262 is offline  
Old Jul 10, 2017, 8:33 am
  #832  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BWI
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 165
I expect to be a first-time PM this year, so forgive me if this is a silly question:

Assume I am flying BWI-MSP-SEA. I call in my request for an RUC. I get upgraded to FC BWI-MSP, but no upgrade MSP-SEA. Can this happen with an RUC? If it did happen, would that be considered a use of the RUC even though I did not get upgraded for my whole trip?

Thanks
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Old Jul 10, 2017, 8:46 am
  #833  
 
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Originally Posted by Dalewood
I expect to be a first-time PM this year, so forgive me if this is a silly question:

Assume I am flying BWI-MSP-SEA. I call in my request for an RUC. I get upgraded to FC BWI-MSP, but no upgrade MSP-SEA. Can this happen with an RUC? If it did happen, would that be considered a use of the RUC even though I did not get upgraded for my whole trip?

Thanks
Yes, your RUC is considered spent.
In fact, in itineraries such as OAK-LAX-JFK, where a segment is a lot more "valuable" than another, one would normally ask the RUC to be applied only to LAX-JFK, lest it is spent just to upgrade OAK-LAX.
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Old Jul 10, 2017, 8:51 am
  #834  
 
Join Date: May 2015
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Originally Posted by thesaints
Yes, your RUC is considered spent.
In fact, in itineraries such as OAK-LAX-JFK, where a segment is a lot more "valuable" than another, one would normally ask the RUC to be applied only to LAX-JFK, lest it is spent just to upgrade OAK-LAX.
Now I get it!! Thanks Loads.
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Old Jul 11, 2017, 5:36 am
  #835  
 
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Can I apply a RUC to a flight after the expiration of the cert if it is booked and space is available before the expiration?
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Old Jul 11, 2017, 6:07 am
  #836  
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Originally Posted by 123Go
Can I apply a RUC to a flight after the expiration of the cert if it is booked and space is available before the expiration?
Technically no. However, as long as it clears, plus is reticketed before expiration there's normally no issue.
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Old Jul 11, 2017, 11:22 am
  #837  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
Technically no. However, as long as it clears, plus is reticketed before expiration there's normally no issue.
Have you actually tried this before?
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Old Jul 11, 2017, 1:32 pm
  #838  
 
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So I just booked MSP>ANC>MSP in Nov and am waitlisted both segments. The agent confirmed FC is currently empty on both flights. If I call back will I have any luck getting them cleared if I ask for a supervisor?
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Old Jul 11, 2017, 2:31 pm
  #839  
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Originally Posted by Start_at_UIN
So I just booked MSP>ANC>MSP in Nov and am waitlisted both segments. The agent confirmed FC is currently empty on both flights. If I call back will I have any luck getting them cleared if I ask for a supervisor?
No. Untill rev mgmt releases upgrade space nothing to be done.
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Old Jul 11, 2017, 2:37 pm
  #840  
 
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Originally Posted by 123Go
Can I apply a RUC to a flight after the expiration of the cert if it is booked and space is available before the expiration?
Originally Posted by flyerCO
Technically no. However, as long as it clears, plus is reticketed before expiration there's normally no issue.
Just to emphasize, the key is it must be reticketed. Which requires a phone agent who is willing to process the cert and send it for immediate reticketing. If it's not reticketed, you can't check in (and you probably won't get your upgrade). If it's queued for reticketing instead of immediately processed it probably won't get processed in the queue.

So, basically YMMV and/or HUCA.
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