FCM In Action - $50 to UG a $400 Coach Ticket
 

I'm a GM thru 2016, my wife will be a FO in 2015 but not until Dec 30. Flying CLT-LGA-CLT this weekend, linked but on different conf numbers. We are prob 90% UG% out of CLT to LGA/DTW this year, I just cleared but she didn't due to different CN. Looked on her Delta.com and was only $50 to UG her round trip, our work paid close to $350 for her ticket 2 weeks ago. She may have cleared anyway (definitely wouldn't on return according to current seat map) but didn't want to risk making the walk of shame past her (clearly I'd give her FC).

First time I paid to UG to 1st, but for $50 it seemed like a no brainer. Delta certainly wants to squeeze every cent out of the FC product. IMO the CR700/900 that fly that route are pretty nice for smaller jets.

I'm a little surprised it would be that inexpensive round-trip ...
So, is it $400 ... or "close to $350" (which implies to me less than $350)? This is the problem with so many of these pithy anecdotes, they seem a little hard to believe (e.g., is it really just $50 to upgrade round-trip ... or $50 each way?), and then you can't even keep your story straight on the facts for more than a few sentences.

Exactly how much was the original coach ticket? Exactly how much did it cost you to upgrade the ticket, round-trip?

$25/flight seems abnormally cheap.

Way to nit pick and focus on the details rather than the overall message. Poor use of pithy as well, this is a message board thus brevity is appreciated. To appease your concerns:

Original fare: $369 originally booked in T , $50 UG r/t now in G

Air Transportation Charges
Base Fare: $365.58 USD

Taxes, Fees and Charges
Detailed Tax and Carrier Charges Information Table
United States - September 11th Security Fee(Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fee) (AY) $11.20 USD
United States - Transportation Tax (US) $27.42 USD
United States - Passenger Facility Charge (XF) $7.50 USD
United States - Flight Segment Tax (ZP) $8.00 USD
Itinerary Total Ticket Fees and Taxes Table
Total Price: $419.70 USD
Itinerary Total Ticket Fees and Taxes
Balance Information:
Total Ticket Price Difference $50.00 USD
Balance Paid: $50.00 USD

FCM In Action - $50 to UG a $400 Coach Ticket
 

Sitting now having a pre-departure cocktail CVG-BOS in 1A. The CRJ-900 is comfy here.

CLT/LGA NS fares are very low in Y, so I would expect that the UP fares would not be exorbitant. However, it is worth noting that while they are non-stop, virtually all are DL Connection flights in CR7's.

Bottom line is DL is a for-profit business. If it can sell a seat, it should and it should do that before it gives the seat away. Yes, it's FCM. But, monetizing is what for-profit businesses are supposed to do.

So if it's someone with no status and they were going to check two bags or an overweight bag, Delta is actually losing money in the bag fees.

Seeing I'll be flying DTW/MIA a lot next year, I'm praying American decides to start matching Delta's first class fares. Even though I'm a diamond if I can fly in confirmed first on that route on American for as cheap as Delta sells first class fares for, I'll take American on that route

Stop, those facts don't fit the narrative that DL is actually making loads more money through FCM without sacrificing other revenue sources....

:cool:

This thread reminds me of the joke that ends with the punchline..."We've established what you are. Now we're just negotiating the price."

Congrats, OP! ^

I'd jump at a $25 each way UG... and would be gratified to know that I am making the front cabin a classier place because it has one more paid FC passenger.

American has a P fare that's still ~$150 higher than a DL G fare on DTW-MIA-DTW. AA has been selling instant-upgrade fares for years.

That corresponds roughly in total cost to AA's S fare in F CLT-LGA. One can decry this as undercutting DL medallion upgrades or accept that this is the level of front-cabin fare competition on the route.

But it is still $150 higher than Delta. I wish American would match Delta's first class fare on that route. That's a considerable difference over what Delta charges. While it's a discounted first fare on American it's not as low as Delta.

And I forgot to mention the MQM's. That also wouldn't f9it the narrative that DL is trying to thin the ranks:)

I don't blame the OP at all for jumping on the FCM fare at $25 each way. I would do it just for the bonus MQMs, a lot cheaper than a mileage run, although I don't know why I bother chasing status anymore since I have to use FCM if I know I want a shot at SDCing on a trip

All this talk of cheap buy ups had me check my next LAX-ATL R/T. $500 ticket, buy up to FC $700+ (also R/T) No thanks.

Time to burn an RUC :)