Paid upgrade offered at check in with elites on the waitlist
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: WAS
Posts: 3,006
Paid upgrade offered at check in with elites on the waitlist
Note: have RBP this thread already; I didn't find a thread specific to this issue, but it may be appropriate for discussion in one of the existing upgrade threads.
To now, it had been my understanding that if there were elites on the upgrade waitlist, DL wouldn't be offering paid upgrades. When checking in for a BOS-ATL-BZN flight today on the Android app, I was presented with the option to buy an upgrade on the BOS-ATL leg for $119. The app said that an upgrade for ATL-BZN was unavailable. A little surprising, in that only a few seats remain on the BOS-ATL leg, but when I last checked ATL-BZN had 13/16 open up front.
Did I miss an announcement or something?
To now, it had been my understanding that if there were elites on the upgrade waitlist, DL wouldn't be offering paid upgrades. When checking in for a BOS-ATL-BZN flight today on the Android app, I was presented with the option to buy an upgrade on the BOS-ATL leg for $119. The app said that an upgrade for ATL-BZN was unavailable. A little surprising, in that only a few seats remain on the BOS-ATL leg, but when I last checked ATL-BZN had 13/16 open up front.
Did I miss an announcement or something?
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: WAS
Posts: 3,006
I was aware of FCM, but had only heard of that taking place before check in--whether that be during the booking process, or while viewing the reservation at some point prior to check in.
#4
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: KUL/TPA/OTP
Programs: UA1k, DL
Posts: 3,138
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 8_1_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/600.1.4 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/8.0 Mobile/12B436 Safari/600.1.4)
FCM can occur at any point, even after checkin while elites are waiting for the gate lottery. Been that way for quite some time.
Originally Posted by cmn.jcs
I was aware of FCM, but had only heard of that taking place before check in--whether that be during the booking process, or while viewing the reservation at some point prior to check in.
#5
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: DL Million Miler
Posts: 1,963
There is also a holiday 1st Class for cheap promo between now and February 17th (I guess the holidays end February 16th) which, to me, looks like it not only is designed to bring in more bucks for F seats, but also to give kettles a taste of the good life, so that they will be thirsty for more.
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Whle fare differences vary widly, looking at ranom mid-January flights BOS-ATL, the difference between mid-range Y and cheapest F runs about $60-80. $119 absolutely is "monetization", but that's wha for-profit businesses do.
DL is selling for $119 what it is otherwise selling for a lot less. Why on earth would a for-profit company dole out as a freebie, that which it can sell for a reasonable premium?
Yes, an improved economy with more people willing to pay for F, means fewer freebies, but that is a zero-sum game. There is still a passenger in the F seat.
DL is selling for $119 what it is otherwise selling for a lot less. Why on earth would a for-profit company dole out as a freebie, that which it can sell for a reasonable premium?
Yes, an improved economy with more people willing to pay for F, means fewer freebies, but that is a zero-sum game. There is still a passenger in the F seat.
#7
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Formerly at PIT, now planted near MSP.
Programs: No flights since April 2019 (Medical Issues). Lost all my status.
Posts: 1,483
How Much is Too Much?
OP ..... Sounds like you thought $119 was too high a price to pay for a confirmed FC seat. If $119 was too high, then how much would you have paid? .... $99? .... $59? .... $29?
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
They are just trying to increase revenue - smart move.
There will almost always be somebody with status waiting for an upgrade, even us lowly silver/FO types.
Though many elites would disagree - it is good business to get CASH for seats whenever possible.
There will almost always be somebody with status waiting for an upgrade, even us lowly silver/FO types.
Though many elites would disagree - it is good business to get CASH for seats whenever possible.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MCO
Programs: DL-DM/1MM, HILTON-DIA, .HYATT-DIA/GLOB , IHG-PLT,HERTZ 5*, NATIONAL ES
Posts: 8,691
There is also a holiday 1st Class for cheap promo between now and February 17th (I guess the holidays end February 16th) which, to me, looks like it not only is designed to bring in more bucks for F seats, but also to give kettles a taste of the good life, so that they will be thirsty for more.
#10
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MCO
Programs: DL-DM/1MM, HILTON-DIA, .HYATT-DIA/GLOB , IHG-PLT,HERTZ 5*, NATIONAL ES
Posts: 8,691
Or just re-allocate cash from fees they would have received such as baggage, & throw in a few more freebies. But who's counting.....
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: WAS
Posts: 3,006
To clarify, I know DL is going to do what a business does, and try to make money. I was simply surprised to see an offer like that during check in.
I wasn't interested. I have an exit row seat, I'm ok with not getting a snack basket (or meal, if that's the item for the flight, don't recall for sure), the 2.5 hours to ATL isn't that big a deal.
I wasn't interested. I have an exit row seat, I'm ok with not getting a snack basket (or meal, if that's the item for the flight, don't recall for sure), the 2.5 hours to ATL isn't that big a deal.
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
#14
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: DL PM/1.4MM, Marriott Titanium Elite, TSA Pre✓, Global Entry
Posts: 87
I bought tix for the new flights to Barbados. Flying first week on January and coach was 470. Log in a few days later and offer to upgrade to 1st for 1.4k. Few days later and offer was 580. Now its down to 450 but with not one seat taken in 1st seems like an easy upgrade.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: 45° North
Programs: DL DM MM, HH Diamond
Posts: 10,196
The GIDS upgrades aren't supposed to happen unless all elites have been accommodated in F. The offers at checkin and on Delta.com are essentially buy-ups to F. The benefit is you get the extra MQMs and RDMs (for 2014) if you buy into F whereas the GIDS upgrades didn't give you anything but the F seat.