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)
Aug 30, 2018, 3:36 pm
#1186
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Plat Pro, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic 3, Amtrak Select
Posts: 966
Aug 30, 2018, 5:04 pm
#1187
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
Aug 30, 2018, 5:52 pm
#1188
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: missing YX more every day
Programs: Delta KM/PM/MM, Nexus, CLEAR, Sharriott Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,105
Aug 31, 2018, 4:46 am
#1189
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Delta Platinum & MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, National Car Executive
Posts: 400
I don't think this is quite right. My understanding is if there is value left to the ticket the RUC goes with the ticket and can be used on a new itinerary booked with the residual value. Of course there may not be inventory and that would mean going on the wait list. If the wait list fails to clear then, yes, it would be gone. Also, I would expect that this wouldn't work if the new itinerary is past the expiration date of the RUC.
Aug 31, 2018, 6:26 am
#1190
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: DL Charter DM/DM/2MM, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,925
Apologies if this situation has been mentioned in an earlier reply in this thread:
I waitlisted an RUC earlier this month for an SFO>JFK flight today and immediately after doing so I received the normal "Upgrade Status:Upgrade Waitlisted" message on DL.com., so it appeared that the agent had done her job correctly in waitlisting me. Upon check-in at T-24, when I opened the Upgrade/Standby List, I am nowhere on the Upgrade List of 5 persons. So I waited until now (7 hours later) to see if anything has changed, and I'm still not appearing on the list which now has 24 persons on it. There is also no second seat map showing up for the flight either. Time to see if the RUC was applied correctly, despite showing that I'm waitlisted, as mentioned above?
I waitlisted an RUC earlier this month for an SFO>JFK flight today and immediately after doing so I received the normal "Upgrade Status:Upgrade Waitlisted" message on DL.com., so it appeared that the agent had done her job correctly in waitlisting me. Upon check-in at T-24, when I opened the Upgrade/Standby List, I am nowhere on the Upgrade List of 5 persons. So I waited until now (7 hours later) to see if anything has changed, and I'm still not appearing on the list which now has 24 persons on it. There is also no second seat map showing up for the flight either. Time to see if the RUC was applied correctly, despite showing that I'm waitlisted, as mentioned above?
Aug 31, 2018, 6:46 am
#1191
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Vietnam & USA
Programs: Delta PM
Posts: 456
I had this exact situation two months ago.
I had a ticket with RUC applied and had to change the entire ticket.
There was not point in using RUC on new ticket, since it did not entail a redeye like before.
RUC was put back into my wallet after a week.
Aug 31, 2018, 6:58 am
#1192
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
Apologies if this situation has been mentioned in an earlier reply in this thread:
I waitlisted an RUC earlier this month for an SFO>JFK flight today and immediately after doing so I received the normal "Upgrade Status:Upgrade Waitlisted" message on DL.com., so it appeared that the agent had done her job correctly in waitlisting me. Upon check-in at T-24, when I opened the Upgrade/Standby List, I am nowhere on the Upgrade List of 5 persons. So I waited until now (7 hours later) to see if anything has changed, and I'm still not appearing on the list which now has 24 persons on it. There is also no second seat map showing up for the flight either. Time to see if the RUC was applied correctly, despite showing that I'm waitlisted, as mentioned above?
I waitlisted an RUC earlier this month for an SFO>JFK flight today and immediately after doing so I received the normal "Upgrade Status:Upgrade Waitlisted" message on DL.com., so it appeared that the agent had done her job correctly in waitlisting me. Upon check-in at T-24, when I opened the Upgrade/Standby List, I am nowhere on the Upgrade List of 5 persons. So I waited until now (7 hours later) to see if anything has changed, and I'm still not appearing on the list which now has 24 persons on it. There is also no second seat map showing up for the flight either. Time to see if the RUC was applied correctly, despite showing that I'm waitlisted, as mentioned above?
Aug 31, 2018, 7:48 am
#1193
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
My question is what the heck is going on here when agents think they're applying the RUC but they do it incorrectly? Why is this process so complicated that this exact same ....up happens so frequently?
I get why DL doesn't fix it, they have zero motivation to do so, but I'm just wondering what the actual process looks like to the phone agent.
I get why DL doesn't fix it, they have zero motivation to do so, but I'm just wondering what the actual process looks like to the phone agent.
Aug 31, 2018, 8:26 am
#1194
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: 18,944
From reading various FT posts and my own conversations with agents, the understanding I have pieced together* is that at least part of the process involves typing in the certificate number that will be used if it clears, plus maybe the redemption code and some other codes, into a free form text field in an ancient system that performs no input validation, and any variation in that input means it won't work.
e.g. I think I already posted this, but recently while asking a phone agent to double check for inventory and if everything was coded correctly they looked and changed something and said the previous agent had put an extra slash in while typing in the cert and "if this didn't get fixed, you never would have cleared"
*Any incorrect info is the product of my own extrapolation, insert parable about blind people describing an elephant here etc.
e.g. I think I already posted this, but recently while asking a phone agent to double check for inventory and if everything was coded correctly they looked and changed something and said the previous agent had put an extra slash in while typing in the cert and "if this didn't get fixed, you never would have cleared"
*Any incorrect info is the product of my own extrapolation, insert parable about blind people describing an elephant here etc.
Aug 31, 2018, 8:32 am
#1195
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
It’s ridiculous. UA allows you to use certs on their website. It shouldn’t be this difficult.
Aug 31, 2018, 8:41 am
#1196
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
I see the responses above and think they are wrong.
I had this exact situation two months ago.
I had a ticket with RUC applied and had to change the entire ticket.
There was not point in using RUC on new ticket, since it did not entail a redeye like before.
RUC was put back into my wallet after a week.
I had this exact situation two months ago.
I had a ticket with RUC applied and had to change the entire ticket.
There was not point in using RUC on new ticket, since it did not entail a redeye like before.
RUC was put back into my wallet after a week.
From reading various FT posts and my own conversations with agents, the understanding I have pieced together* is that at least part of the process involves typing in the certificate number that will be used if it clears, plus maybe the redemption code and some other codes, into a free form text field in an ancient system that performs no input validation, and any variation in that input means it won't work.
A lot of agents either mix up the two certificate codes, or have the syntax off, or in my case they entered the date as the date of the request instead of the date of the flight.
If this is so difficult for agents to get correctly I don't know why they don't make a cheat sheet for PM/DM agents to put at their desk and reference when someone calls in
Aug 31, 2018, 9:03 am
#1197
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
To successfully waitlist a cert, you pretty much have to get an experienced MSP/SLC agent. I don’t think anyone else is trained on their use.
The last two RUCs I’ve used, the agents put me into A when they cleared immediately. Not that I’m complaining since I got the extra MQMs, but it’s pretty much a crapshoot.
The last two RUCs I’ve used, the agents put me into A when they cleared immediately. Not that I’m complaining since I got the extra MQMs, but it’s pretty much a crapshoot.
Aug 31, 2018, 9:27 am
#1198
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
well, he didn't say if the ticket had been re-issued and it wasn't clear that it was a voluntary change, either.
Aug 31, 2018, 1:18 pm
#1199
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: 27,046
I see the responses above and think they are wrong.
I had this exact situation two months ago.
I had a ticket with RUC applied and had to change the entire ticket.
There was not point in using RUC on new ticket, since it did not entail a redeye like before.
RUC was put back into my wallet after a week.
I had this exact situation two months ago.
I had a ticket with RUC applied and had to change the entire ticket.
There was not point in using RUC on new ticket, since it did not entail a redeye like before.
RUC was put back into my wallet after a week.
Sep 15, 2018, 11:00 pm
#1200
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,774
How to search for the availability for RUC?
I want to get a confirmed upgrade at booking. How do I search for the availability before booking the flight? If i see multiple seats for low-level award (for example, < 50000 miles for first class LAX-Hawaii), does that mean there is availability to get a confirmed upgrade at booking by applying RUC immediately after booking?
Does the number of low-level award seats correlate to the available seats for RUC after booking?
I want to get a confirmed upgrade at booking. How do I search for the availability before booking the flight? If i see multiple seats for low-level award (for example, < 50000 miles for first class LAX-Hawaii), does that mean there is availability to get a confirmed upgrade at booking by applying RUC immediately after booking?
Does the number of low-level award seats correlate to the available seats for RUC after booking?