zedthedeadpoet

Taking Mrs. Zedthedeadpoet to California for a few days this week. Went to use a couple soon-to-expire global upgrade certificates. Never used them before. Figured it would all but guarantee us a couple of upgrades. Complimentary upgrades usually treat me very well. Anyhow - used them - both of us on B fares - checked in and saw that we were 1 and 2 on the upgrade list. mission accomplished, right? Went just now to check our status on the upgrade list only to see that we had slipped to 3 and 4. So, i called SMS and the agent was as suspicious as I was and pulled up the records for new 1 and 2. He reported back that they were both same level medallion as me (DM) but that they were both on cheaper fares than me. So, I should be ahead of them right? Supervisors got involved....blah blah. Finally found out what they are above me - they both have the DL Amex Reserve card.


What the hell?

So my real question: Why would a DM pay for Reserve?

WhiskeyBravo

To be ahead of you and the Mrs. Duh.

KDCAflyer

Wait, so they had cheaper fares than you but the Reserve card trumped that?!

This is big obviously. I wonder if they're going to start doing the same for complimentary upgrades.

nichelle

Well, that's interesting. I had no idea the Reserve card could trump cheaper fares for GUC's.

zedthedeadpoet

Yup.

nfg05

The way they became DM was due to the 30k MQMs from the Reserve.

Youngmiler

I'm just trying to get all the facts:

You're a DM, used GUC's, had B fare, but no reserve which resulted with you as #3/4
#1 and 2 are not on the same PNR, both DM, have AMEX Reserve, unknown fare but lower than B, did they apply GUCs too?

bgriff

Wait, the OP used GUCs, right? We don't know anything for sure about the priority order for GUCs. It is entirely possible that fare class is not a determining factor when using GUCs, and the other travelers might have been ahead because of the Reserve Card, or it might even be as simple as who requested earliest. Though someone did report on another thread that an agent had told them a GUC priority order which I believe did include the Reserve card but didn't seem to include fare class -- but we all know that agents don't always have the full information.

Whereas for complimentary upgrades, Delta has published the priority order and fare class comes ahead of Reserve card. Since that is one of the few things Delta has been transparent about it's pretty safe to assume it still holds.

zedthedeadpoet

Yes to all....

huskerchad

Why would a DM have a reserve? It's probably somewhat the opposite that having a reserve led to being a DM.

Zorak

Plus, the F companion cert has definite value, and the upgrade priority somewhat less tangible but still worth something.

Although I'm still probably going to switch cards or downgrade for next year

thesaints

That's how DL has been making the Medallion experience more exclusive since the institution of spending thresholds...

langbr01

I suspect date/time of waitlist is the determining factor (although we have never had full transparency on it).

Anecdotally, I flew to SEA last week using a RUC on a T fare - Was surprised that I was #1 with 5 other RUC's on the list (others could have been Plat, yes) but as a DM with reserve card it may have had a greater impact than I thought.

Renes Points

Some of us double Diamond have or have had both personal and business and spent 60k on each this past year.

i.e. like: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27381952-post11.html

I will always hold a Reserve card and have for years and have seen it work even before the newest great changes with +1s etc!

rylan

GUCs should put you ahead of other pax regardless of them having the reserve. Sounds to me like it is not coded properly and something else is going on... you should be ahead of the others on just the GUCs along, but also with the B fare being higher than theirs.

Perhaps one of the others is actually a 360?