2018 Upgrade Success (Or Lack Thereof)

Old May 25, 2018, 9:38 am
  #241  
 
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Delta being more generous on upgrades at window?

In general I wonder if Delta is being more generous on upgrades at window?

I had 3 great surprises this week getting upgrades at the window or shortly after for all three flights this upcoming weekend.

To preface. I know it's a holiday weekend. Saturday departure for me. Less medallion travelers sure but I imagine most flights are full with holiday travelers so i'm surprised at what happened.

here are the details.

JFK-AUS 5/26 morning flight. 3 people were upgraded at window on 5/21. After this there were 3 F seats available. At ~3am on 5/22 my upgrade cleared leaving 2 F seats available. At 4-5 days before flight I am surprised delta did not hold back more seats for FCM.

AUS-ATL-EWR 5/27. Same thing happened. I upgraded at the window for both flights again leaving 2 or 3 seats available in F.

What is going on Delta? And thank you.

Last edited by mridley2; May 25, 2018 at 9:43 am
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Old May 31, 2018, 3:01 pm
  #242  
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JFK-DCA 5/29 Upgraded at the PM Window

SDQ is just getting harder every week... Up until 2014 I was 100% upgraded as a Silver and as a Gold and Platinum hardly missed an upgrade in the last 3 years.

JFK-SDQ 5/25 - Upgraded to F between the Gold and Silver window with only 5 seats available. The rest of the seats disappeared a few hours after. My spouse didn't get the upgrade so I gave up my seat to fly with her in Comfort+.
SDQ-JFK 5/29 - Even though I paid for F (WFBF? ) the upgrade list was over 10 and only 3 got upgraded. A friend didn't get the upgrade as a Silver

SDQ-ATL 5/31 - My spouse ended #5/16 as a Gold
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Old Jun 3, 2018, 9:20 am
  #243  
 
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LGA-PIT, upgraded at 5 day window for both legs.

LGA-YOW, upgraded at 5 day window

CLE-LGA, upgraded at 5 day window

DEN-LGA, friday morning flight, upgraded at gate
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Old Jun 3, 2018, 3:31 pm
  #244  
 
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More surprise upgrades!

Gold traveling MSN-DTW-YYZ (Toronto - who comes up with Canada's codes???)

MSN-DTW upgraded to the last empty seat about two days out. Very unusual.

DTW-YYZ was almost last to board and got upgraded to a no-show. Was 4/9 on the list. YBYL (you board you lose) is still a thing. Flight was running a lil behind.
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Old Jun 4, 2018, 10:20 am
  #245  
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As FO:
1/26: DL 782 RDU-DTW 717-200 X Fare: 19 and 20 out of 28 for F, 2 and 3 of 3 for C+
1/29: DL 4051 JFK-RDU CRJ-900 X Fare: 1 and 2 out of 6 for F. Annoyingly there was an empty seat in F but the F/A refused to move me up because "only the gate agent can"

As GM:
2/03: DL 3623 RDU-LGA CRJ-900 X Fare: 1 and 2 out of 6 for F.
2/10: DL 3623 RDU-LGA CRJ-900 X Fare: Cleared with Companion at T-72.
2/22 DL 5484 RDU-EWR CRJ-700 X Fare: Cleared at T-72
2/25 DL 1606 LAS-ATL A-321 T Fare: #1 0 of 17, C+ at T-72
2/26 DL 2351 ATL-RDU MD-88 T Fare: #38 of 64, 21 of 35 for C+
3/30 DL 2773 RDU-DTW MD-90 T Fare: Cleared at Window
3/30 DL 6201 DTW-YYZ CRJ-900 T Fare: Cleared at Window
3/31 DL 2551 YYZ-ATL 717-200 V Fare: Cleared at Gate
3/31 DL 1177 ATL-RDU MD-88 V Fare: Cleared at Gate
4/04 DL 6228 RDU-DCA CRJ-700 V Fare: Cleared at Window
4/13 DL 6250 RDU-DCA CRJ-700 X Fare: #3 of 11 at the Gate, one person pulled up after boarding.
4/22 DL 1663 MKE-ATL MD-88 X Fare: #9 of 19
4/22 DL 889 ATL-RDU MD-88 X Fare: #9 of 14 at the Gate, one person pulled up after boarding
4/26 DL 5212 RDU-JFK CRJ-900 U Fare: #1 of 4 at the Gate
4/30 DL 6280 BOS-RDU CRJ-900 L Fare: Cleared at T-72
5/19 DL 2012 ORD-ATL 737-700 V Fare: Cleared at T-72
5/19 DL 2034 ATL-RDU 757-200 V Fare: #4 of 8
5/24 DL 2856 MCO-RDU 717-200 X Fare: Cleared at T-72
6/01 DL 4562 RDU-EWR CRJ-900 V Fare: Cleared at T-72
6/03 DL 1238 MDT-ATL 717-200 L Fare: Cleared at the Gate
6/03 DL 889 ATL-RDU 757-200 L Fare: #12 of 19. There were 5 empty F seats and the gate agent came on board and asked the lead flight attendant if she could pull people up. Lead F/A said no

Currently 52.17% (12/23)
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Old Jun 4, 2018, 11:16 am
  #246  
 
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I've been upgraded 3 out of my last 4 legs - all but one was at the gate. I think it is more to do with the extra flights loaded up for summer schedules and the general slump in business travel this time of year.

After hitting only 2/48 F upgrades (and maybe 12-15/48 C+ upgrades) in the first 4.5 months of the year, this has been a nice treat.
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 4:09 pm
  #247  
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As FO:
1/26: DL 782 RDU-DTW 717-200 X Fare: 19 and 20 out of 28 for F, 2 and 3 of 3 for C+
1/29: DL 4051 JFK-RDU CRJ-900 X Fare: 1 and 2 out of 6 for F. Annoyingly there was an empty seat in F but the F/A refused to move me up because "only the gate agent can"

As GM:
2/03: DL 3623 RDU-LGA CRJ-900 X Fare: 1 and 2 out of 6 for F.
2/10: DL 3623 RDU-LGA CRJ-900 X Fare: Cleared with Companion at T-72.
2/22 DL 5484 RDU-EWR CRJ-700 X Fare: Cleared at T-72
2/25 DL 1606 LAS-ATL A-321 T Fare: #1 0 of 17, C+ at T-72
2/26 DL 2351 ATL-RDU MD-88 T Fare: #38 of 64, 21 of 35 for C+
3/30 DL 2773 RDU-DTW MD-90 T Fare: Cleared at Window
3/30 DL 6201 DTW-YYZ CRJ-900 T Fare: Cleared at Window
3/31 DL 2551 YYZ-ATL 717-200 V Fare: Cleared at Gate
3/31 DL 1177 ATL-RDU MD-88 V Fare: Cleared at Gate
4/04 DL 6228 RDU-DCA CRJ-700 V Fare: Cleared at Window
4/13 DL 6250 RDU-DCA CRJ-700 X Fare: #3 of 11 at the Gate, one person pulled up after boarding.
4/22 DL 1663 MKE-ATL MD-88 X Fare: #9 of 19
4/22 DL 889 ATL-RDU MD-88 X Fare: #9 of 14 at the Gate, one person pulled up after boarding
4/26 DL 5212 RDU-JFK CRJ-900 U Fare: #1 of 4 at the Gate
4/30 DL 6280 BOS-RDU CRJ-900 L Fare: Cleared at T-72
5/19 DL 2012 ORD-ATL 737-700 V Fare: Cleared at T-72
5/19 DL 2034 ATL-RDU 757-200 V Fare: #4 of 8
5/24 DL 2856 MCO-RDU 717-200 X Fare: Cleared at T-72
6/01 DL 4562 RDU-EWR CRJ-900 V Fare: Cleared at T-72
6/03 DL 1238 MDT-ATL 717-200 L Fare: Cleared at the Gate
6/03 DL 889 ATL-RDU 757-200 L Fare: #12 of 19. There were 5 empty F seats and the gate agent came on board and asked the lead flight attendant if she could pull people up. Lead F/A said no
6/05 DL 1564 RDU-ATL MD-88 Q Fare: #12 of 35. Pretty high finish for a GM on this route, guess the Q Fare helped.

Currently 50.00% (12/24)
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Old Jun 7, 2018, 8:59 pm
  #248  
 
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Originally Posted by mridley2
In general I wonder if Delta is being more generous on upgrades at window?.
It seems that way to me... I've number of flights clear at 5 days, or at least before 4 days, including a number of flights where the upgrade list in the app was saying 5 or fewer F seats available... 752s and 739 flights. I used to just assume if I saw anything less than 7, we were going to the gates, except (maybe) on some RJ flights.
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Old Jun 8, 2018, 3:53 am
  #249  
 
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Originally Posted by blitzcon
Gold traveling MSN-DTW-YYZ (Toronto - who comes up with Canada's codes???)
best one is YEG.

Congratulations on your rare upgrade. I got BNA to DTW the other morning, which is rare for me on any DTW flight.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 9:32 am
  #250  
 
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New FO after leaving American last year... On track to hit Platinum at minimum before the year's up, but so far, in my two flights since hitting Silver, the upgrade gods have been good to me.

6/3, JFK-MIA: FC, cleared at window.
6/8, MIA-LGA: FC, cleared at window, companion on different ticket didn’t clear.

Flying to IND Monday morning, and doesn't look like I'll clear for FC—no more seats.
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Old Jun 10, 2018, 11:16 am
  #251  
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Bubbled twice today, I'm on an unusually cheap fare.

6/10 MEM-MSP (B712), DM on U fare, 2 of 13 for 1 seat.
6/10 MSP-SFO (B739), DM on U fare, 3 of 25 for 2 seats.
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Old Jun 10, 2018, 11:39 am
  #252  
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FO on corporate H refundable fare:

RDU - JFK, upgrade to F cleared at T-24. Plane left with at least 1 possibly 2 empty seats in F
JFK - MXP, didn't even bother with C+ list since it was already full when I booked 4 day ago
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 8:54 am
  #253  
 
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6/10 FO with U fare. I had just made FO the day before. MSP-PHX both my wife and I were upgraded to FC at gate.
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 12:23 pm
  #254  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
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ORD-DTW every Sunday @ around 5pm
DTW-ORD every Thursday @ around 8pm

Just a data point: FO for the last month and a half, never upgraded to FC rarely even C+. Always 2X out of 2X (sometimes 3X). Sunday fares are cheaper tix while Thursday fares are usually one of YBM. Don't expect FC upgrades for these flights on these days. Also, extremely painful to get status because of the short flights. Anyone have experience getting bonus perks for having high MQD but low MQM/MQS?
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 2:41 pm
  #255  
 
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Originally Posted by flychobo
ORD-DTW every Sunday @ around 5pm
DTW-ORD every Thursday @ around 8pm

Just a data point: FO for the last month and a half, never upgraded to FC rarely even C+. Always 2X out of 2X (sometimes 3X). Sunday fares are cheaper tix while Thursday fares are usually one of YBM. Don't expect FC upgrades for these flights on these days. Also, extremely painful to get status because of the short flights. Anyone have experience getting bonus perks for having high MQD but low MQM/MQS?
Sadly no. This is one area where elite programs fall short. There has to be some way to reward high-spend customers who don't fly great distances/don't fly a ton of segments.
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