Are there really this many DMs?
 

After checking in for my Monday afternoon flight from ATL-PHL, I saw I was 11/40 on the upgrade list on a T fare. I realize T is a rather low fare, but I was surprised to see 10 people ahead of me on the upgrade list, especially on a flight that has plenty of inventory remaining (the lowest of which is Q). I DMed Delta on Twitter to confirm there wasn't a mistake (after all, upgrade ordering mistakes have happened to me before) and they responded that there was no mistake and no one was using an upgrade certificate.

Do others here have experience on this route? Is this a notoriously elite-heavy route, or is this an anomaly?

It's ATL. I've learned to deal with it.

I have seen DM and PM in the 20s or higher before.

I've been 15/30 as a PM before on DCA-ATL.

Don't forget DL's new UG policy that brings the upgrade priority to the person with the higher status now. So the 10 people ahead of you could have been anywhere from 10 DMs to 5 DMs with companions. And perhaps even a few PMs using RUCs on the list too.

Good points although in this case no one above me appears to be companions since the first three of the last names are all different, and the Twitter agent confirmed no RUCs were being used.

I don't think you can go by last names -- companion doesn't have to be a spouse and many couples have different last names anyway...

I was once something like 40th as a Plat.

You didn't have your emotional support vest on? :D

I was recently on a very high fare as a PM and 28th on the list LAX-ATL. Not sure how that compares to ATL-PHL but as a PM I don't even think about upgrades anymore since I fly predominately elite-heavy routes.

I used to travel with 8-10 other co-workers and the majority were top-tier status. So it could be a situation like that.

T is on the lower end of the fare classes. There is a whole group of business travelers who book just a day or two in advance and are lucky if they get an H fare. To have 10 or so of them ex-ATL isn't suprising at all.

Was 5/58 SFO-ATL yesterday on H fare. Didn't clear on the A330 with 1 seat in first.

As PM I never got upgraded when connecting thru ATL

Yes, there really at that many DMs. If you are flying out of ATL, DM on T fare means your upgrade odds are still LOW.

One's position is really, really going to vary by route, day of week, and time of flight. There are lots of business travelers on Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons. Their (our?) travels are not randomly nor evenly distributed across the seven-day week.

I've been as high as 13 before as a DM, and definitely land in the 6-9 spot quite a bit, esp on Thursday evening.

Friday morning 2/24 SLC-ATL I was #15 as a DM on an H fare.