Plat vs. Plat, both on award tickets. One upgraded.
Dec 29, 2017, 8:20 am
#1
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Plat vs. Plat, both on award tickets. One upgraded.
Interesting data point: for tomorrow’s MSP LAS 7am flight my friend and I (both Platinums) booked award tickets. His was 9,000 Miles, then I booked 10 min later at 13,000 miles. So mine cost a bit more. He was upgraded a few days ago; I’m still in Economy Comfort and am #6 for the 4 Open F sears. So, no chance of upgrade. While I don’t care much on an early morning, 3 hour flight, I’m pretty amazed how far apart we are in the upgrade queue.
Thoights/ explanations?
Thoights/ explanations?
Dec 29, 2017, 8:40 am
#2
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its becoming pretty clear that either the process doesn't work as advertised or there are additional factors that are not described or clearly understood that influence the upgrade process.
it's possible that several other folks with higher status and/or fare class booked or changed to that flight between when your friend was upgraded and the present time, since you say he was upgraded "several days ago". it's also possible that there was a couple of other PMs who are on an award fare ahead of you and who are ahead of you in the queue due to reserve card, earlier check in, or other factors.
it's possible that several other folks with higher status and/or fare class booked or changed to that flight between when your friend was upgraded and the present time, since you say he was upgraded "several days ago". it's also possible that there was a couple of other PMs who are on an award fare ahead of you and who are ahead of you in the queue due to reserve card, earlier check in, or other factors.
Dec 29, 2017, 9:09 am
#3
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its becoming pretty clear that either the process doesn't work as advertised or there are additional factors that are not described or clearly understood that influence the upgrade process.
it's possible that several other folks with higher status and/or fare class booked or changed to that flight between when your friend was upgraded and the present time, since you say he was upgraded "several days ago". it's also possible that there was a couple of other PMs who are on an award fare ahead of you and who are ahead of you in the queue due to reserve card, earlier check in, or other factors.
it's possible that several other folks with higher status and/or fare class booked or changed to that flight between when your friend was upgraded and the present time, since you say he was upgraded "several days ago". it's also possible that there was a couple of other PMs who are on an award fare ahead of you and who are ahead of you in the queue due to reserve card, earlier check in, or other factors.
Dec 29, 2017, 9:22 am
#4
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OP here. More details:
He was upgraded 2 days out, on an "N" fare. 7,000 miles, not 9K as i I'd thought.
Mine is "NX" and was 13,500 miles. Booked about 10 minutes after him.
Checked in a couple hours after him.
He defintely spends more $$ per year than I do.
He was upgraded 2 days out, on an "N" fare. 7,000 miles, not 9K as i I'd thought.
Mine is "NX" and was 13,500 miles. Booked about 10 minutes after him.
Checked in a couple hours after him.
He defintely spends more $$ per year than I do.
I have a Gold Amex Skymiles credit card; he doesn't. He was Diamond for a year, last year, expired in February -- these tickets were booked in early December.
Dec 29, 2017, 9:28 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Yeah, something isn't kosher here. There have been many threads with other reported anomalies.
I'd be interested to know if DL's apparently screwed up priority sorter considers an N_ ticket as a higher fare class or it can only base it on a single letter booking code.
I'd be interested to know if DL's apparently screwed up priority sorter considers an N_ ticket as a higher fare class or it can only base it on a single letter booking code.
Dec 29, 2017, 9:35 am
#6
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If DL treats all award tickets the same (N class rather than subsets of inventory such as NX), which would be consistent with their "fare class groupings" language, then it could be that DL released one upgrade seat and he had the earlier upgrade request timestamp. The others above you on the list could have requested companion upgrades on the same PNR (I would expect this to be common for LAS flights) or might have purchased their tickets after you, but have DM status, higher fare classes, or the Reserve card for example.
IMO there's still a chance you'll get a gate upgrade as #6 for 4 open seats as no shows are not infrequent, but of course your position on the list could sink dramatically as more passengers check in for the flight.
IMO there's still a chance you'll get a gate upgrade as #6 for 4 open seats as no shows are not infrequent, but of course your position on the list could sink dramatically as more passengers check in for the flight.
Dec 29, 2017, 5:16 pm
#7
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It is a tie-breaker. Mrs. P. And I have identical status and buy tickets on same PNR. I've tried checking her in first and myself in first as an experiment. We are always consecutive on the upgrade list but the first to checking is always higher on the list.
Dec 29, 2017, 7:33 pm
#8
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DL's rules say that the ultimate tiebreaker is time of upgrade request, which is often time of ticket purchase. However, on the same PNR, it won't matter as you'll either be upgraded together or not at all.
Dec 29, 2017, 7:36 pm
#9
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its becoming pretty clear that either the process doesn't work as advertised or there are additional factors that are not described or clearly understood that influence the upgrade process.
it's possible that several other folks with higher status and/or fare class booked or changed to that flight between when your friend was upgraded and the present time, since you say he was upgraded "several days ago". it's also possible that there was a couple of other PMs who are on an award fare ahead of you and who are ahead of you in the queue due to reserve card, earlier check in, or other factors.
it's possible that several other folks with higher status and/or fare class booked or changed to that flight between when your friend was upgraded and the present time, since you say he was upgraded "several days ago". it's also possible that there was a couple of other PMs who are on an award fare ahead of you and who are ahead of you in the queue due to reserve card, earlier check in, or other factors.
Dec 29, 2017, 8:57 pm
#10
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Also, if a fellow PM cleared the UG on a lower fare class, I would be calling the Medallion line and asking them to manually clear me due to errors in their published upgrade processing. Has happened to me before and Supervisor clears it into G/OY/RU depending on the person and situation, and apologizes for the error. They have no problem doing this as long as they can verify that someone else with lower status or a lower fare class cleared before someone with a higher one on the same flight.
Dec 29, 2017, 9:19 pm
#11
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I've missed only 1 UG in 2017 and have never bought anything higher than a K fare this year. Also, it just cleared me today at the 120 hour mark exactly for a flight next week. Anecdotal is just that: good for that situation only. I'm betting time of upgrade request made the difference here, but frankly, if I were the OP, I'd be peeved at paying a nearly 100% premium for a flight booked 10 minutes after a friend.
Also, if a fellow PM cleared the UG on a lower fare class, I would be calling the Medallion line and asking them to manually clear me due to errors in their published upgrade processing. Has happened to me before and Supervisor clears it into G/OY/RU depending on the person and situation, and apologizes for the error. They have no problem doing this as long as they can verify that someone else with lower status or a lower fare class cleared before someone with a higher one on the same flight.
Also, if a fellow PM cleared the UG on a lower fare class, I would be calling the Medallion line and asking them to manually clear me due to errors in their published upgrade processing. Has happened to me before and Supervisor clears it into G/OY/RU depending on the person and situation, and apologizes for the error. They have no problem doing this as long as they can verify that someone else with lower status or a lower fare class cleared before someone with a higher one on the same flight.
Dec 29, 2017, 9:24 pm
#12
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Without that information, you can't even have anecdotes, it's just pure speculation.
Dec 29, 2017, 9:38 pm
#13
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how would you ever even figure this out? The upgrade list is completely opaque, there's no way to tell anything about the other people on the list, what medallion level they are, what fare class they paid, etc.
Without that information, you can't even have anecdotes, it's just pure speculation.
Without that information, you can't even have anecdotes, it's just pure speculation.
Dec 29, 2017, 11:08 pm
#14
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LAX->ATL my wife and I were called up. One seat available and asked who wanted it. They didn't skip us.
Dec 29, 2017, 11:12 pm
#15
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The other time was when a team member of mine, who was Gold, texted to see which seat she should grab to try and sit next to me. Turned out she was in F and I was still in C+...a call fixed that. But my point is - if and when it happens, if one is nice to them about it and can point to puzzling things done by the IT, the reps/Supervisors are usually willing to find a way to make it work - but again, my experience is only anecdotal, too.