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Delta Adding Post-Purchase Comfort+, FC Upgrade Purchases

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Old May 24, 2017, 7:48 am
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Last edit by: gooselee
How post-purchase upgrades work: Based on Delta's announcement 24 May, anyone who purchases a ticket for coach can purchase a Comfort+ or First Class upgrade. No mention was made of Delta One. Upgrades are available as of 24 May via phone or web; app functionality is pending according to the airline. No mention of relative cost was provided.

Some further details here:Delta to Offer A Variety of Ways to Upgrade Tickets After Purchase

Link to Delta's press release: http://news.delta.com/delta-expands-...age-upgrades-0

Link to Delta.com page about the changes: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...-upgrades.html

Partial T&Cs, emphases mine:

Terms and Conditions:

The advertised price is not an offer and is subject to change. No contract exists until you receive confirmation that payment was received and processed. Upgrades may only be purchased for Delta- or Delta Connection- operated flights and are not available for Award Tickets and certain discounted and exception fares. Additional eligibility restrictions may apply at Delta's sole discretion. All passengers within the confirmation number must be upgraded to Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+ TM, or First/Delta One fare classes. Fare rules of your initial reservation will apply regardless of whether rules that would otherwise apply to the fare class of your upgraded ticket are less restrictive, i.e. changeability/refundability. Upgraded tickets are eligible for additional mileage, Medallion Qualification Miles and Medallion Qualification Dollars accruals due to the selection of Delta Comfort+ TM or First/Delta One and associated fare classes, and the increase in base fare or carrier imposed surcharges paid in connection with your upgrade.
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Delta Adding Post-Purchase Comfort+, FC Upgrade Purchases

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Old May 25, 2017, 10:15 am
  #76  
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Originally Posted by yohanson
Why don't they show two people sitting next to the woman? Notice her shoulders spilling into the middle seat? They should have a pic of two guys with broad shoulders like mine sitting next to her.
Marketing.

Equates to disingenuous.
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Old May 25, 2017, 10:23 am
  #77  
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Originally Posted by Jump
I don't remember how far in advance but it was multiple days. I called the Diamond line and they told me this was a brand new product they were rolling out and it didn't qualify for the 150%. However, I just went in to look at my account and they have since apparently changed their minds and they gave me the 150% for the date in question. So either they decided they had messed up or they decided to change the policy of the new product.
Or... alternate explanation... the phone agent did not know what he/she was talking about.
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Old May 25, 2017, 10:25 am
  #78  
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I hope this doesn't mean they rolled back the C+ at booking for DM/PM with a companion.
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Old May 25, 2017, 10:25 am
  #79  
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Originally Posted by Orange County Commuter
So Delta is offering me the opportunity to upgrade to C+ on an upcoming flight to Cleveland....It's only $77 each way. There's just ONE small problem. I am sitting in a C+ seat I paid for at booking. IT needs to work on this!
I have had tickets for paid FC where DL IT subsequently offered me the opportunity to buy an UG to C+.
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Old May 25, 2017, 10:34 am
  #80  
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I received the email and read the parts that were relevant to me... that is, that content that was related to complementary FC UGs. (IIRC, I have sat in a C+ seat once since the concept was introduced.)

So, what is new WRT complementary FC UGs? Other than, perhaps, the ability to opt-out of FC UGs? A situation that, I would expect, would be relatively rare.

Perhaps some of the changes make C+ a more desirable and/or convenient option for some.

Mostly, what I see here is continued brainwashing intended to somehow equate C+ sidegrades and FC upgrades. Preparing us for a potentially ominous future state where the only complementary UGs are to C+.
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Old May 25, 2017, 11:47 am
  #81  
 
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Originally Posted by gooselee
My standard play these days is to leave automatic C+ unchecked, and then after ticketing if it shows UG available and there's a desireable C+ seat, I will check it on that PNR/flight only and then DL.com will refresh with the WU upgrade and I pick my seat. Otherwise I stay in Main Cabin. I assume this is still a viable way to do things.
Now you don't have to go thru that whole process. You just take the opt-out option. Then, if an UG is available, and there's a seat you like, you simply select that seat on the seatmap and you are upgraded into it. Done.
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Old May 25, 2017, 11:52 am
  #82  
 
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Originally Posted by jdrtravel
What is not clear is what will happen when someone is upgraded and does not select a seat in F: When does that inventory become available for others to use? At the gate? If a DM is upgraded 5 days out but has opted out, and does not move, can an FO have that inventory at 24 hours, or does the DM retain that inventory throughout the window until the gate?
That person doesn't get upgraded until they select a seat in the new cabin. Inventory is never reseverved for that person. The upgrade only gets assigned to you when you take it (ie, select a seat). Until then, it's available for others (including lower status) to take. As soon as you chose a new seat, then you are upgraded, and the inventory is no longer available to others.
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Old May 25, 2017, 12:56 pm
  #83  
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Originally Posted by kjnangre
Now you don't have to go thru that whole process. You just take the opt-out option. Then, if an UG is available, and there's a seat you like, you simply select that seat on the seatmap and you are upgraded into it. Done.
Originally Posted by kjnangre
That person doesn't get upgraded until they select a seat in the new cabin. Inventory is never reseverved for that person. The upgrade only gets assigned to you when you take it (ie, select a seat). Until then, it's available for others (including lower status) to take. As soon as you chose a new seat, then you are upgraded, and the inventory is no longer available to others.
Do you know these things from experience or inside knowledge?

I can see the first one re: C+ being a possibility, since there is often a bunch of WU space open before PMs/DMs have booked at all...thus they're just sitting on a shelf waiting to be taken.

But I think the second one re: FC upgrades is pretty unlikely. Most of the flights I'm on, there are enough DM/PMs so that if they have 3 RU seats available, all of them get assigned immediately once the window hits. For the second scenario to be possible, there would have to be fewer PM/DMs opted-IN to FC upgrades than DL releases RU seats. Then, and only then, could a PM/DM log in at 4 days out, see an empty seat in FC, and just decide to take it.

Given how stingy DL is with RU availability in general (and even WU at times), I just don't see that happening.
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Old May 25, 2017, 1:03 pm
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by gooselee
But I think the second one re: FC upgrades is pretty unlikely. Most of the flights I'm on, there are enough DM/PMs so that if they have 3 RU seats available, all of them get assigned immediately once the window hits. For the second scenario to be possible, there would have to be fewer PM/DMs opted-IN to FC upgrades than DL releases RU seats. Then, and only then, could a PM/DM log in at 4 days out, see an empty seat in FC, and just decide to take it.
You're completely right. Let's say there are 3 upgrades available, and 5 DMs (3 who opted in, 2 who opted out). The 2 opt outs are guaranteed to lose. As I noted, opt-outs aren't upgraded until they pick a seat, and until that time, the upgrade is available to other passengers. Opt-ins, on the other hand, are upgraded immediately. It's been stated that opting-out will lower your priority. Hopefully my example demonstrates that
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Old May 25, 2017, 2:12 pm
  #85  
 
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Originally Posted by kjnangre
You're completely right. Let's say there are 3 upgrades available, and 5 DMs (3 who opted in, 2 who opted out). The 2 opt outs are guaranteed to lose. As I noted, opt-outs aren't upgraded until they pick a seat, and until that time, the upgrade is available to other passengers. Opt-ins, on the other hand, are upgraded immediately. It's been stated that opting-out will lower your priority. Hopefully my example demonstrates that
This is especially bad for DM's who opt-out as they would loose their priority over PM's who are upgraded on the same day. GM's and FO's who opt out would only be competing against other medallions at their level.
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Old May 25, 2017, 6:03 pm
  #86  
 
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Originally Posted by CosmosHuman
I received the offer on the manage my trips. It would cost me $1296 to upgrade my flight. PIT-JFK-LHR-ATL-PIT. I already paid for C+ on the JFK-LHR-ATL segments. This is for this August.
What should I do? This is a huge chunk of change to spend for the D1 r/t. I paid the original fare with miles and cash. Paid extra for the C+.
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Old May 25, 2017, 6:25 pm
  #87  
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Originally Posted by CosmosHuman
What should I do? This is a huge chunk of change to spend for the D1 r/t. I paid the original fare with miles and cash. Paid extra for the C+.
Whether or not a price for D1 is worth it is generally a very personal decision. I think it's a reasonable offer however, unless you are on a very expensive ticket already.

That said, I don't really find D1 worth it from the east coast to London because there isn't enough time to eat and properly sleep. I save my miles and D1 budget for west coast TATLs.
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Old May 25, 2017, 6:46 pm
  #88  
 
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Originally Posted by C W
Whether or not a price for D1 is worth it is generally a very personal decision. I think it's a reasonable offer however, unless you are on a very expensive ticket already.

That said, I don't really find D1 worth it from the east coast to London because there isn't enough time to eat and properly sleep. I save my miles and D1 budget for west coast TATLs.
I really can't afford to pay that amount.
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Old May 25, 2017, 7:00 pm
  #89  
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Originally Posted by CosmosHuman
I really can't afford to pay that amount.
Then it sounds like you have an answer.

Honestly, like I said, you're not missing much on those short flights from the east coast to London. Fly D1 on a real long-haul sometime and you'll enjoy it much more.
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Old May 25, 2017, 7:02 pm
  #90  
 
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Originally Posted by C W
Then it sounds like you have an answer.

Honestly, like I said, you're not missing much on those short flight from the east coast to London. Fly D1 on a real long-haul sometime and you'll enjoy it much more.
I'll save my pennies up for my next adventure to Asia. Thanks for your sound advice.
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