RaflW

Known flaw in the system, DL says you cannot change back via seat maps. You have to call in to be returned to the Y "travel experience."

By then of course your exit row seats together may be gone.

BTW for the first time, on Tues coming back from SJU I was phantom placed on the C+ Upgrade Requested list about 2 hours before departure even though I have never requested C+ since I hate middle seats. I had looked at the app at 2.5hrs before flight and was not on the C+ standby list (wanting to see my meager F chances), at just under t-2 I was on it. I got the GA to remove me, but ugh. I had heard of it happening to others, so now it's happened to me. Do not like.

Flamenguista

So is it Delta policy to split up companion travelers booked on the same ticket if there are non consecutive C+ or First seats available? I'm trying to gauge my line of attack for future flights, as sitting next to my spouse means more than the extra 4" in C+. I can't find the policy written anywhere, but I assumed they would never split passengers up on the same ticket.

BHammy

Adding to this data point for that trip - particularly in reference to splitting record.

As above, 1x DM got upgraded before 2x (DM + SkyMiles member with no status)

At check-in, 1x DM was back in C+ with 2x (DM + companion) as #1 and #2 of 2 on upgrade list.

Note: 1x DM (wife) is alphabetically higher than me (other DM), although I've got more DL 'credit'...? I have more BIS miles, more MQMs this year, longer member, etc...not sure if there was any play of this involved?

Getting to the gate, 2x DM (me and my daughter) get the seats on the outbound.

At this point, the rest of our segments, even return have upgraded all three of us - printed out boarding passes and itinerary to be sure.

I offer to give my seat to my wife and I take hers. Our gate agent (who knows us quite well) offers to split our record to put wife in first and me keep my seat in C+....fine, boarding paused while she is on the screen...good to go.

After con-x-shun in ATL, we go to board and she gets a flag/beep on the scanner. Turns out, she has been DOWNgraded on ALL flights. She's holding a 4C boarding pass, but system says she's in 86Q (somewhere way back in coach)

After getting redcoat to the scene, it's too late to get her back up in first as the next person on the upgrade list boarded just as redcoat arrived (he was a 360 DM, so I feel good for him, but wonder how he was below us on the upgrade list...unless he was last minute add to flight and we cleared a week ago.)

It then took an agent on the phone to get her situated back to first for the return flights.


So as complex as the DM +1 upgrade schema is to get upgrades, apparently DOWNgrades are instantaneous if you split a record....DON'T DO IT!

GoldenGopher15

Quick question regarding this new companion procedure: Does anyone know how this works with RUCs? I have several trips coming up where I am traveling with a companion, and I'm wondering if I could only use one regional upgrade for myself. Would my companion then also get the same level of upgrade priority based on my RUC, or would it not apply?

I'm assuming this doesn't work, but I figured I would check (and finally create an account on here) before I go off wasting RUCs.

miraclebear2003

I wouldn't call it a policy. If you ask to get upgraded and there are 2 seats in the cabin, you'll get the 2 seats as you asked. No other choices.

Now with F, we have either been able to change to seats next to each other, or asked people to switch. We do not want to sit apart either by the way.

Now C+ is a different story. There is no flaw as suggested above, you can only switch to another seat in the same cabin. Therefore, as a number of posts have suggested, and I do, don't select the "upgrade" unless there are seats that you want. Therefore, you might have to keep checking, especially depending on your status. Sometimes C+ seats will appear at the upgrade points for DM and PM and you have to be ready to grab them.

I'm not going to say I like it, but we have to play the rules. It's easier now that we're PM for the first time so we'll take advantage of that for at least next year.

Widgets

Yes, it is Delta's policy to clear a group of two on the upgrade list into any two available seats, with obvious preference for seats together.

flyerCO

You've can't upgrade one and not the other on one PNR. It's why two seats must be available for upgrade to occur. Otherwise it skips you for the next reservation with only 1 passenger.

jdrtravel

Except, as a previous poster shared, for PNR's with 3 or more pax:

TRAVELING WITH TWO OR MORE COMPANIONS:

You and two companions are in the same reservation: all Members must have Medallion Status or be a partner airline elite member in order for any Members to be eligible for Complimentary First Class Upgrades. Each Member should check in separately and they will clear for their upgrade at their respective clearance priorities. If there are any General Members in the reservation and everyone checks in together, nobody will be eligible for Complimentary First Class Upgrades.

TrojanTraveler

Do you know if this also happens with two people with the same status? For example, 2 DMs on the same PNR, both have RUCs, in advance of day of departure, if one seat opens up for RUC inventory, will it skip the two DMs and go to the next person on the list, or will it just sit open? I've asked DL and have gotten conflicting responses. I just wanted to know the rules...it's not that hard to divide a record if necessary.

jdrtravel

Yes I do think this is how it will work. What we don't know is if Delta has built anything into their algorithms to help prevent this. We don't know, and have never know, how and when DL decides to release upgrade inventory, but perhaps it has something to do with the status of members who are waitlisted. What will solve this problem is when they get rid of advanced upgrades all together (except maybe for Diamonds) and do it all at the gate. I would not be surprised to see this in the next few years as they continue to monetize first class.

TrojanTraveler

I was actually thinking of how it works now. Mrs. TrojanTraveler and I are both DMs and often on the same itinerary, and I've always wondered if dividing the record would improve our advance upgrade chances when using RUCs and GUCs. Some DL agents have told me I should always divide the record when using these instruments, some have told me it doesn't matter. I do know that on two occasions I have divided a record when using GUCs, and the upgrades cleared within the week (had been on the waitlist for months). But that could have been a coincidence.

uppereastsider

Having a very weird Delta upgrade process this weekend

Scenario: 4 friends are booked on LGA BOS round trip flight. Friend who booked them used a delta voucher. Friend and I are both PMs with the Reserve Card. Other 2 are general members.

We split up the reservations, so it comes out as:
Me (PM) + 1 general member on T fare
Friend (PM) + 1 general member on T fare.

For the return flight (Sunday), Me + the 1 general member were upgraded at the PM window, while the friend + companion who booked the ticket weren't upgraded. We ultimately determined it went:

Status (Same)
Fare Class (Same)
Reserve Card (both yes)
Time of Purchase (same)
Quickest to MQD Waiver (that would be me)

HOWEVER....

On the LGA to Boston flight on saturday, none of us cleared in advance. Went to check the upgrade list, and he and the non status companion are both right above me and the non status companion (with a group of others behind us)

Is this delta.dumb? Or does the MQD waiver only matter for window upgrades, and time of check in is the tie breaker for battle field upgrades?

kitkat77

If time of check in is a tie breaker then I need to start checking in earlier. I thought it made no difference so tend to wait until the last min (in case of SDC, etc).

If you re-request the upgrade, does that make a difference?

Also, how do you know if you are corporate preferred? We have a travel portal but there's no verbiage on whether or not that means anything to Delta.

I wish the algorithm was a bit more transparent.

flyerCO

Delete

spycygrl

Wow, this whole thing is so complicated!!!

I've read through all of the information on Delta.com AND this thread and have to admit I'm still baffled about how it works.

I'm GM and husband is no status. We currently have separate reservations, which I understood to be better for upgrade purposes (he doesn't care about that & I do). However, he, obviously, gets none of my perks on his separate res (i.e. free bags) and will be traveling for a band gig where he will be checking gear. I can check our two clothing bags for free & will, in order to save $.

I was thinking of linking our reservations, but after reading this, it seems like that would actually HURT my chances of an upgrade vs. help his. So, the ONLY benefit would be the free checked bag ($25). Not a huge plane, so the number of FC and C+ seats are already limited.

I'm also Global Entry/TSA Pre and he's not (I travel a lot for biz & they paid for it) and wondered whether the reservation linking would help that carry over.

I tweeted Delta and asked whether it would hurt my chances of a FC upgrade, linking non-Med's reservation.
Their response was The answer is no. You would hold your same status if even if you are traveling with a non medallion. which does not entirely answer the question. It doesn't clarify, for example, the posts in this thread about whether your priority actually DROPS because there are now 2 of you looking for upgrades.

I'm so confused!

UPDATE:
Tweeted @Delta back, asking whether my priority on the upgrade list would drop if only one seat avail (and I would now need two).
Delta Response:
You can still list for the upgrade list, however if only one seat is left, the gate agent would give you the option to take it or decline.

Hmmm...