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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 Oct 3, 2018, 12:13 pm
  #1246  
 
Join Date: May 2011
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Originally Posted by btonkid12345
It just says "Upgrade: Waitlisted" in the top right of the rectangle for that segment, if viewing on PC.
Mine does not show that. For this segment I see a link to Manage Complimentary Upgrades. if I click on that it expands the box to manage complimentary medallion upgrades.

There is no mention anywhere about being waitlisted for an upgrade.

All of this despite multiple agents and supervisors confirming the RUC is applied correctly.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 1:44 pm
  #1247  
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Originally Posted by mridley2
Mine does not show that. For this segment I see a link to Manage Complimentary Upgrades. if I click on that it expands the box to manage complimentary medallion upgrades.

There is no mention anywhere about being waitlisted for an upgrade.

All of this despite multiple agents and supervisors confirming the RUC is applied correctly.
Sounds like it wasn't applied right. I had that happen a couple months ago on a DTW to LAX flight. I noticed it when I looked at the reservation a couple hours after booking the flight and called and the agent verified that the certs weren't waitlisted and on the return there was availability and she cleared it right away so glad I caught it.

It's bad enough Delta hides the inventory and the certs are hard to use it, it would be nice if they would train the agents on how to apply them correctly and enable the passenger to verify they are applied correctly when looking at the reservation.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 6:00 pm
  #1248  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
Yes. What used to be called Business on routes to KEF, SNN,and the new BOS-LIS is now PS since they use domestic F planes instead of lay flat D1 planes.
Found one! Yes, it shows the front cabin as PS; but the seat description doesn't match domestic F (13.3" screen rather than 11", adjustable headrest and footrest).
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 7:28 pm
  #1249  
 
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Originally Posted by jamesteroh
I think it's a YMMV situation. I was able to use an RUC to LIM in March.
Wow! And it cleared, I assume?
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 9:50 pm
  #1250  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by btonkid12345
How did they get your C+ seat back on the return? Did they remove the person upgraded into your seat, put you into a blocked C+ seat, what?
There was another free seat in C+ and I think they relocated the person upgraded into my seat to that seat and put me back in 19D.
Originally Posted by sethb
The agent screwed up; I've never had my seats lost applying a RUC (or GUC).
I don't know, but I feel that the RUC I applied six weeks ago was lost and put back later because after the whole fubar, I no longer saw the ghost map third seatmap. I called back the next day and the agent said, you have a RUC applied correctly. After that call I could see the ghost map again.

Now, I applied a RUC nine hours before flying and I went from 16 of 57 to 5 of 57 for 15 seats, but my six-weeks-ago-applied-RUC has me at 7 of 46 for 0 seats. Of course it's a different time, different plane and can't be compared, BUT if both RUCs were applied the day before, and I'm in a vaguely similar place on the upgrade list, it might suggest the original fubar reset my RUC clock as well.
Originally Posted by MarkP24
That's absolutely RIDICULOUS!!!!
It was extremely frustrating. Sure its a first world problem, but that's what we complain about all the time.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 3:30 am
  #1251  
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Originally Posted by sethb
Found one! Yes, it shows the front cabin as PS; but the seat description doesn't match domestic F (13.3" screen rather than 11", adjustable headrest and footrest).
It pulling the description of PS on A350. These are domestic F configured 757s. There's no specially configured PS 757 subset. It's either D1 lay flat or domestic F configured. Again the whole point of calling it PS is the fact that it's not lay flat up front.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 11:59 am
  #1252  
 
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OK-- so now we have to call at least 3 hours in advance to apply GUC/RUC, no last-minute option?

What happens if we're on the edge and would have naturally upgraded anyway-- does the GUC/RUC get applied first? That is, are we in a Catch-22 if we are on the edge of upgrading?
Last edited by kthomas; Oct 4, 2018 at 12:19 pm
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 12:40 pm
  #1253  
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Originally Posted by kthomas
OK-- so now we have to call at least 3 hours in advance to apply GUC/RUC, no last-minute option?

What happens if we're on the edge and would have naturally upgraded anyway-- does the GUC/RUC get applied first? That is, are we in a Catch-22 if we are on the edge of upgrading?
Technically the rules have required T-3. However most ignore it. If it's waitlisted and you get upgraded it is used. Itd be hard do otherwise, wasting time for agent. Ie Three open seats, you'd be number 3 w/O, but with it applied are #1 . Agent now has to waste time figuring out if you would've still got upgraded.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 1:30 pm
  #1254  
 
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Haven't had this situation but last minute booking. No open C+ seats either way so I am in exit rows. I have a few RUCs and first class is pretty open on both flights. If I apply the RUC it won't get burned if a C+ seat opens up and it auto clears and moves me there will it? Never not already instantly cleared into C+. Don't want to get stuck into C+ and a RUC burned.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 2:26 pm
  #1255  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Delta DM
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Lord, it's a miracle. I cleared for a RUC upgrade!
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 2:59 pm
  #1256  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
It pulling the description of PS on A350. These are domestic F configured 757s. There's no specially configured PS 757 subset. It's either D1 lay flat or domestic F configured. Again the whole point of calling it PS is the fact that it's not lay flat up front.
So they're basically lying about the footrests. I wonder when that will bite them.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 3:01 pm
  #1257  
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Originally Posted by kthomas
OK-- so now we have to call at least 3 hours in advance to apply GUC/RUC, no last-minute option?

What happens if we're on the edge and would have naturally upgraded anyway-- does the GUC/RUC get applied first? That is, are we in a Catch-22 if we are on the edge of upgrading?
The GUC/RUC might get applied, or you might get the medallion upgrade. It's Delta IT. If the GUC/RUC gets applied, it's used up, even if you would have cleared anyway.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 3:03 pm
  #1258  
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Originally Posted by dinanm3atl
Haven't had this situation but last minute booking. No open C+ seats either way so I am in exit rows. I have a few RUCs and first class is pretty open on both flights. If I apply the RUC it won't get burned if a C+ seat opens up and it auto clears and moves me there will it? Never not already instantly cleared into C+. Don't want to get stuck into C+ and a RUC burned.
RUCs don't upgrade to C+. (GUCs upgrade to PS.) You can call and see if the RUCs clear instantly, in which case you're in F with no worries (other than the usual).
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 6:29 pm
  #1259  
 
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Originally Posted by sethb
RUCs don't upgrade to C+. (GUCs upgrade to PS.) You can call and see if the RUCs clear instantly, in which case you're in F with no worries (other than the usual).
That is what I thought. Just wanted to make sure.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 7:02 pm
  #1260  
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Originally Posted by MarkP24
Wow! And it cleared, I assume?
The inbound there was inventory available when I booked on the ATL/LIM portion and the agent cleared it and was waitlisted on the DTW/ATL segment (cleared a couple weeks later but really didn't care on that segment). Coming back I would have had to have been waitlisted and J was only $400 more so I just bought a J ticket returning instead of risking it
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