About to go on my first Delta MR (Status Run) this weekend to achieve PM. Flying ATL-SLC-RNO-SLC-ATL. (All back-to-back with 30-40 mins between flights.)

Three questions:

On the off-chance my first flight is late and I miss my SLC-RNO connection, can I just tell Delta I want the next flight back to ATL (or just wait in SLC for several hours until my originally scheduled return flight SLC-ATL and that I also want original routing credit? Or would I have to wait around for another flight to RNO and mess up the whole run?

Also, all of the flights seem to have at least a few seats free, so I don't expect any bump opportunities. BUT, if I were presented a bump opportunity, what can I expect. If I accept a bump on the original ATL-SLC leg, can I just NOT fly and still get Original Routing Credit? I doubt it, but figured I would ask. If I get a bump on the SLC-RNO leg, can I just skip the SLC-RNO-SLC leg and head back to Atlanta and still get ORC?

Since this is a fairly easy run (about 14 hours of flying with only 4 segments and no redeyes), I'm prepared to put in the extra time for additional MQMs to rollover. What are my options for doing a same-day confirm / standby? For example, on the way home, could I try to add a stop in NYC, LAX, SEA, CVG, MSP, DTW, etc. (eg. SLC-NYC-ATL vs SLC-ATL) or even RNO-SEA-ATL?

How do I know what routings are allowed? Could I do something like change to ATL-SEA-RNO-SEA-ATL?

Also, if I do something simple like just add a stop in NYC (SLC-ATL becomes SLC-JFK-ATL), could I do it as a standby? What would happen if I get "stuck" at JFK and can't get out that day .. and have to take a flight the next day?

Sorry for so many questions .. just trying to figure this all out.

Since you are relying on this for your status, I would strongly advise against trying to get too cute.

If you abandon your trip due to IRROPs, that's called trip-in-vain. You can get a refund and credit for your flown segments, but I definitely would not count on getting credit for the unflown segments.

If you take a bump, you are making a voluntary change and already getting compensation. Again, I would definitely not count on ORC.

Standby travel does not permit any routing changes. So no, you can't just standby for a different route.

SDC requires original fare class availability, so you will not likely find anything there as I assume you are in a cheap fare class. As far as routing, I see DL selling ATL-SLC-RNO and ATL-LAX-SLC-RNO routings as a single fare..

If you get messed up anywhere on your trip, just take the best you can get to anywhere and then call the elite line and request original mileage.

Request ORC, but don't assume that you'll get it. It depends on the circumstances.

Got it. Thanks for the help everyone!

For future reference, how do you know if a route is valid for SDC? How do you know if a route includes a broken fare?

You need to plan ahead of time.

First, If you have your numbers correct and you need this trip, as booked, to make status, it's too late in the year to screw around. Plan to fly the route and flights you booked and if everything goes smoothly, have a nice trip.

Second, prepare for the worst. If you have a mis-connect, have your alternative routes and flight numbers written down for a mis-connect at each stop so that while others are scrambling to try to figure out what to do, you can call the elite desk an get protected. When planning your alternates, you can take other routes. If you give a CSR reasons and options, you make their job easier and they're usually glad to help you out.

I do some very tight same day turns, some as MQM runs. As an example, I had a same day MSY-LAX-SEA-PDX-SLC-MSY a few weeks ago with a 30 min SCL connection. While in PDX, the inbolund was late and the GA announced a delayed departure for my PDX-SLC which would put me under the MCT at SLC. I was on the last SLC-MSY of the day and would also miss the last SLC-ATL-MSY possibility. The earliest connection from SLC the following day wouldn't get me to MSY until mid-afternoon. I explained this to the CSR and asked him to protect me on an SLC-LAX-ATL-SLC which would get me to MSY early the next morning and he did so immediately. As it turned out, my connecting flight was late into SLC and I made a 17 minute connection. I had a second alternate of PDX-SEA-ATL-MSY an a third of PDX-SEA-MSP-ATL-MSY. None of my alternates were published routes for my trip but all would get me to MSY early the next morning AND ALL were greater mileage than my original flights.

As has already been stated, don't fly a shorter route under any circumstances. ORC can be a PITA and even if you get turned down for "the wrong reasons", it's hard to get someone to change the original decision.

^^ both of these, many times over

I don't see any issue with you trying to SDC on the return but I wouldn't attempt it until you are in RNO. You can get an idea of what's available by booking a dummy flight on delta.com ahead of time and then calling and asking.

As far as not making the SLC-RNO flight, I would ask about just flying right back to ATL and asking for ORC. I got ORC earlier this year on that mistake B fare, MSP-SEA-EAT-SEA-MSP, as did a lot of other FTers after our AS flight couldn't land in EAT due to visibility issues. We all jumped on the first flights out of SEA back to MSP the following morning. I got my ORC and I know of one other FTer who got his and I would assume everyone else did as well. In fact, other people mentioned that it had happened on other attempts into EAT and that they got it for those flights.

I did two of those flights but others had booked as many as 8 of them. I believe at least 3 of those never made it to EAT and I saw no rumblings in the MR forum thread for that fare about not receiving ORC. BTW, all of the SEA-EAT-SEA flights were on AS.