When a revenue flight shows upgrade available ...
Mar 23, 2017, 12:57 pm
#1
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When a revenue flight shows upgrade available ...
I'm still trying to navigate the DL elite system, so pardon my ignorance ...
If a flight search shows upgrade eligible, I understand this means that the fare is eligible for an upgrade, and if it becomes available closer to flight time I might get something.
If, at the time of booking, it shows upgrade available, does that mean that the upgrade should clear upon purchase? Is the upgrade available only with certain fare buckets?
What if I have a ticket that is already purchased (a month ago) and I am on the waitlisted for first... Now, when I look online, that segment shows upgrade available. Should Delta be able to clear me?
What if I have a ticket that is a P, Z, or D fare, but one of the segments is in coach because it's a one cabin aircraft. What if there is a schedule change and that segment becomes it two cabin aircraft?
One final question… Is there a way to see upgrade availability with miles or upgrade certificates for long-haul or business one flights?
Thanks and advance!
If a flight search shows upgrade eligible, I understand this means that the fare is eligible for an upgrade, and if it becomes available closer to flight time I might get something.
If, at the time of booking, it shows upgrade available, does that mean that the upgrade should clear upon purchase? Is the upgrade available only with certain fare buckets?
What if I have a ticket that is already purchased (a month ago) and I am on the waitlisted for first... Now, when I look online, that segment shows upgrade available. Should Delta be able to clear me?
What if I have a ticket that is a P, Z, or D fare, but one of the segments is in coach because it's a one cabin aircraft. What if there is a schedule change and that segment becomes it two cabin aircraft?
One final question… Is there a way to see upgrade availability with miles or upgrade certificates for long-haul or business one flights?
Thanks and advance!
Last edited by zrs70; Mar 23, 2017 at 1:14 pm
Mar 23, 2017, 1:07 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Upgrade eligible = upgrade not currently available, but fare eligible for upgrade.
Upgrade available = inventory in the RU/OU bucket is currently available.
HOWEVER - for you to clear - you must also be within your complimentary upgrade clearance window (5 days, after DMs are cleared). If, at booking, you are within your Medallion window for a comp upgrade and it says "upgrade available," then yes, it should clear immediately after booking.
If you have a first class fare and there is a schedule change, you can switch to whatever logical routing you'd like, in first class all the way (assuming there is availability in F all the way). This is no issue whatsoever.
Upgrade available = inventory in the RU/OU bucket is currently available.
HOWEVER - for you to clear - you must also be within your complimentary upgrade clearance window (5 days, after DMs are cleared). If, at booking, you are within your Medallion window for a comp upgrade and it says "upgrade available," then yes, it should clear immediately after booking.
If you have a first class fare and there is a schedule change, you can switch to whatever logical routing you'd like, in first class all the way (assuming there is availability in F all the way). This is no issue whatsoever.
Mar 23, 2017, 1:09 pm
#3
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How soon is the flight? If you're expecting an upgrade to FC months in advance on a deep discount ticket, it won't happen on DL and would not happen to a 1K on UA either.
Available just means that the upgrade inventory is currently greater than zero, i.e. OU > 0 for business class and RU > 0 for FC (or WU > 0 for C+ if you call that an upgrade). You won't be upgraded before your window opens and upgrade inventory must be available at that time. On "domestic" flights, all fare classes except E are eligible for free elite upgrades while on all flights, instrument supported upgrade require different inventory classes, namely OP, RP (and presumably WP but most elites wouldn't waste upgrade instruments just to get C+).
OTOH for C+ "upgrades", they tend to clear a few minutes after ticketing if WU > 0 for DM and IIRC also for PM.
Available just means that the upgrade inventory is currently greater than zero, i.e. OU > 0 for business class and RU > 0 for FC (or WU > 0 for C+ if you call that an upgrade). You won't be upgraded before your window opens and upgrade inventory must be available at that time. On "domestic" flights, all fare classes except E are eligible for free elite upgrades while on all flights, instrument supported upgrade require different inventory classes, namely OP, RP (and presumably WP but most elites wouldn't waste upgrade instruments just to get C+).
OTOH for C+ "upgrades", they tend to clear a few minutes after ticketing if WU > 0 for DM and IIRC also for PM.
Mar 23, 2017, 1:11 pm
#4
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I think it depends on where you are relative to the PM window (T-72 hrs)
if you're inside the window, I interpret "UG Available" to mean you should get the UG (and it's probably worth a call if you haven't); if you're outside the window, I interpret it to mean you can confirm an upgrade with miles or a GUC/RUC (but there's no guarantee that UG inventory will still be around when the PM window actually opens)
if you're inside the window, I interpret "UG Available" to mean you should get the UG (and it's probably worth a call if you haven't); if you're outside the window, I interpret it to mean you can confirm an upgrade with miles or a GUC/RUC (but there's no guarantee that UG inventory will still be around when the PM window actually opens)
Mar 23, 2017, 1:17 pm
#5
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I think it depends on where you are relative to the PM window (T-72 hrs)
if you're inside the window, I interpret "UG Available" to mean you should get the UG (and it's probably worth a call if you haven't); if you're outside the window, I interpret it to mean you can confirm an upgrade with miles or a GUC/RUC (but there's no guarantee that UG inventory will still be around when the PM window actually opens)
if you're inside the window, I interpret "UG Available" to mean you should get the UG (and it's probably worth a call if you haven't); if you're outside the window, I interpret it to mean you can confirm an upgrade with miles or a GUC/RUC (but there's no guarantee that UG inventory will still be around when the PM window actually opens)
Isn't the PM window the same time as the DM window, namely officially T-5 but really 5 pm ATL time six days before departure? I think T-3 (72 hours) is for GMs.
Mar 23, 2017, 3:58 pm
#7
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Upgrade available only shows within your upgrade window. For a PM searching for flights 6-330 days away, "upgrade available" will never appear on a search.
Within your upgrade window, "upgrade eligible" means the flight is eligible for an upgrade but there's no inventory to clear it right now, and "upgrade available" means there is inventory and in theory it should clear shortly after booking. ("Upgrade available" is going to be pretty rare because it will only appear if there are upgrades available in advance -- increasingly rare -- and they haven't already been taken by other elites of your level or higher already booked on the flight.)
Outside of your upgrade window, any flight where complimentary upgrades are offered should show "Upgrade eligible".
Within your upgrade window, "upgrade eligible" means the flight is eligible for an upgrade but there's no inventory to clear it right now, and "upgrade available" means there is inventory and in theory it should clear shortly after booking. ("Upgrade available" is going to be pretty rare because it will only appear if there are upgrades available in advance -- increasingly rare -- and they haven't already been taken by other elites of your level or higher already booked on the flight.)
Outside of your upgrade window, any flight where complimentary upgrades are offered should show "Upgrade eligible".
Mar 23, 2017, 4:52 pm
#8
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NO. I have a current booking that's more than a week away and it shows upgrade available.
Mar 23, 2017, 5:45 pm
#10
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If you are outside the upgrade window and see upgrade available, it means you can apply a RUC and clear immediately. I have used them numerous times especially when traveling with a companion. 1 month-6 months out I have done it.
Mar 23, 2017, 5:46 pm
#11
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For example:http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...l#post27940708
Granted I'm DM but I doubt that matters.
). However I would also guess that in most cases OP/RP >= OU/RU, so it might be a fairly reliable proxy indicator.