BexDev

I'm a Diamond medallion (but admittedly a bit of a leasure travel noob) with a Gold medallion husband flying from bumblef*ck Pennsylvania, to SJC. Just want to clarify...if I book with miles (fully or miles+cash) there will be no upgrades? Should I just suck it up and pay cash for the tickets with the assumption that's the only way we'll both get upgraded? What's my best plan of attack to spend the least actual cash and have the highest chance of us both getting upgraded?

TTT

Welcome to FT!

Do you have a Delta SkyMiles Amex card? If so, I would consider using pay with miles to buy down the cost of the first class ticket.

It's hard to plan for upgrades as it is so route, date, and time dependent.

xliioper

Since you both have status, you will both be eligible for upgrades on award or miles+cash tickets and your priority level will be the highest of the two passengers (if booked together on the same record). It's only when the companion has no status where you will be ineligible for upgrades on award tickets. Miles+cash is generally not a very good deal as you are paying around 2 cents/mile for miles. MSP-SJC will likely be an easier upgrade than ATL-SJC. Of course there are no guarantees and I would be prepared to sit in coach. Many people will use upgrade certificates or miles to upgrade these longer domestic flights (as well as paying outright). Weekend or mid-week flights will generally be easier upgrades.

PHXflier

I think LBJ's statement is incorrect. According to https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...ml#firstclass:
Medallion Members and their companions must be booked in a revenue class of service: Y, B, M, W S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, or V.
Companion upgrades are not available for travel on Award Tickets or Pay with Miles.

Indeed, I have flown on an award ticket with another Elite-level passenger on the same reservation, and it was not upgrade-eligible.

xliioper

There have been recent changes that a) allowed Silver's to get upgraded on award tickets (October 10th), and b) provides for upgrades at the highest level of status when on the same PNR (October 13th). Was you travel before or after these dates? What was the elite-level of your companion? These all matter.
I have traveled on an award ticket after these changes with a companion (Gold status) on the same PNR and can confirm we were both eligible for upgrades and we were grouped together in the upgrade list (generally at or near the top). I didn't confirm with an agent that we were above anyone with Plat or lower status, but based on our position on the list I think it's reasonable to infer that. Based on my experience, I think it's pretty clear those terms in the T&C's only apply when the companion has no status even though it is not explicitly stated that way.

Zorak

I think that applies to non-status companions though.

I would join LBJ in asking when this was, because there's been at least one report of two Medallions together getting a C+ "upgrade":

It seemed from further discussion in that thread that two Medallions remain upgrade-eligible even on an award ticket because they would each be eligible individually.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...-level-42.html

matthew64832

When it says "Companion Upgrades", it is talking about upgrades given to a non-status companion. An upgrade given to a GM who happens to be on a PNR with another medallion is not a companion upgrade, it's just an upgrade.

budblab

This was not our experience. We flew ATL-SJC in Feb 2017 and all medallions were upgraded both ways. There were even some empty first class seats.

rylan

As other said, the current rules allow for the upgrade, since both pax are eligible to get upgraded based on their status.

You will be upgraded at the higher DM ranking, however with an award ticket (either full miles or pay with miles) you will be ranked within the DM list after full cash tickets... but still above PM/GM/FO.

tentseller

Get both onto one PNR then both of you will be upgraded at the bottom of the DM list for complimentary upgrades.
This would get both of you the highest possible position on miles ticket.