Definitive Thread: Use Sky Miles to upgrade on VS
 

Sorry if I missed this and it's already been posted, but I did not see it.

I wanted to share that, as of 7/17, you can now use SM to upgrade VS flights.

(https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...d-updates.html)

I called to try to upgrade my r/t booked in premium economy this fall. The first agent was not aware of the new rule, and insisted that it was not permitted.

HUCA. Good agent, she knew exactly what I was talking about but there was no space available.

However, learned that it would only be 20K miles each way from prem. economy, plus the UK luxury tax (agent said around $100). And, there are often GREAT PE fares available for advanced purchase. I purchased these VS A PE tickets for aprox. $900 a few months ago. This means that, if you found the right tickets and available space, you can fly VS UC for aprox. $1k and 40K miles r/t. That's a fantastic deal.

You can also upgrade from Y to PE, and Y to UC, but I did not get the numbers.

There is no waitlisting available. Fingers crossed that I will find open seats before the flight. I'd gladly spend 40K miles and $100 to upgrade SFO-LHR.

Jdrtravel, thanks for posting this. I just called the PM line a couple of days ago to ask about a SkyMiles upgrade from PE to UC on a VS flight from MAN-BOS; I was told that it is not possible. I'll call again. On the same itinerary I had no trouble upgrading for 20,000 SM from PE to Business on MSP-CDG on AF.

Did you call DL to do the upgrade? VS referred me back to Delta. I called AF to get the AF upgrade.

I didn't do quite as well as you on the original fare; mine was $1200 in PE (on the TATL flights) for MSP-CDG-MAN-BOS-MSP, booked a month in advance for an August trip. Still pretty good, I think. It's a Delta ticket with the fare classes showing as W on the outbound and G on the return, including an F seat on the domestic US segment.

Yes, I called the medallion line. I don't think that VS can access your Sky Miles account, only DL can. The 2nd agent I spoke with knew exactly what I was asking to do and said she had already helped a few other pax get mileage upgrades on VS.

I plan to call regularly to try to get the upgrade. In the future, when they say it's not possible, I will probably ask them to double check and explain that it's a new thing. However, that also concerns me that they would do it wrong...

fyi it's got to be a delta marketed flight -- just tried to do it on my 992 stock and no dice

I struck out too.. My fare class on the "trips" page shows A which is upgradeable but the receipt shows W which isn't and the agent said it's not doable. Considering the great rate I got I am not real surprised (I paid $800 RT, over in PE and back in DL Comfort)

I would try again. It sounds like you have an A fare on the outbound and a W fare on the return. Both should be upgradeable but with for different amounts.

Your receipt may show a W fare for the outbound because VS PE was being sold as W until a recent change. You fare is now probably an A fare and should be treated as such. There are no W fares on VS for DL tickets. W is DL C+.

Well I did do the HUCB and got an agent who was totally confused. She finally figured out it could be done, but the flight I am on shows no upgrades eligible which agrees with what I see on Expert Flyer. I will keep watching just in case.

Update 8/2. This process still has some issues. I called this morning and they have available upgrades but my poor agent can't convince the upgrade department that my "w" on DL os really PE A on Virgin. She's waiting on a supervisor. So far it's taken 30 minutes. No idea if this will be successful

Thank you,,,

45 minutes later it's done. I am in business to London. 20k miles, no fee.

The original ticket was about $700 (PE over, Economy on Delta home) so this was a great deal overall

So does this mean that they also fixed being able to upgrade on VS with GUCs?

Nice! I think they should have charged you the luxury tax. I hope that does not cause any issues.

Also, When is your VS flight? Trying to figure out when they release upgrade inventory.

Be aware that upgrades on Virgin book into the same fare classes as award tickets used for upgrades. If a mileage upgrade works the same as a GUC theoretically does and the upgraded ticket is rebooked on a VS flight number using the award/upgrade fare bucket, Delta will give you zero mileage credit for the ticket after flying because it will read in their system as an award.

So keep an eye on your mileage earning and get ready to fight for the credit you deserve (which in this case would be the miles and MQMs that you would have been entitled to based on the original coach ticket booked).

See: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...l#post28572076

VS upgrade and award inventory are usually the same so if you see awards available there should also be upgrades. VS does generally do some near-in (2-6 weeks before departure) releasing of additional award seats, but not guaranteed of course.

Thanks, that's helpful. So no need to pay for EF, I can just do a delta.com search for mileage UC inventory?

In theory yes, though as with all things DL it's not guaranteed the systems will all be talking to each other correctly (nor that the agents will know how to do everything correctly). Could be worth checking VS's website award search for a second free data point. Good luck.

i asked about the tax. Agent says it's only on departure from U.K.

my flight is 10/7. I did use Expert Flyer. Got an alert yesterday but by the time I called it was gone. Woke up early today and saw another alter so I tried again. (The alerts both came around 3 am eastern)