Solution for the GUC problems ...
 

Why not have an GUC+ (insted to choice 4 x GUC, you can choice 2 x GUC+).
The GUC+ give you access to upgrade at ticketing to J (no class restriction).

Or to use 2 x GUC to avoid the class restriction.
This will also lower the "usable" # of GUC (and leave more GUC seat for "normal" GUC PAX).

Wishful thinking but this will never happen. Delta will not let a seat they think they can sell (at a certain target margin) go for a free upgrade instead.

I truly do not understand the non-stop whining recently in the DL forum about GUC's. They have been successful beyond my wildest dreams for the past three years for my wife and I. Like so many other "enhancements" over the years, DL has no reason to make these GUC's "better". They keep taking perks away and keep making more money.

I think I need to start up a bunch of threads whining about how low-revenue Diamonds like us will no longer be Diamonds next year. (...and quickly be shot down by the WFBF minions who for some reason participate in forum that revolves around FF perks)

This is basically the right way to be looking at it. Delta most definitely doesn't see the GUC status quo as a "problem".

I don't think there's conflict between participating in a forum where the goal is to maximize benefits and simultaneously recognizing that the airline doesn't necessarily want to make it easy for us.

The reason this "scheme" will never work, is simple, IMO . . . .

Many international routes, and some longer domestic routes operate once a day. There's NO WAY they're gonna allow EVERY SINGLE J seat on these routes, where many J seats are sold, to be able to be filled with a pax on a Main Cabin fare, which is what your scheme - in effect - does.

I think the chance you have enough Diamond PAX on this day and on this particular flight to take ALL J seat is very low.

Even this happen! This mean you have lots of Diamond customers, and all this Diamond customers must have expense $$$$$ to Delta before.

We can limit this option to 1x for each diamond (each year) also.

Sure, at 750K redemption value.. or close to the cost of a ticket assuming 1 cent per SkyPeso.

I'd like to see 2 "regular" GUCs offered to Platinums as a Choice Benefit.

DL is not going to give away any J seats they think they can sell. That's kind of the end of the story.

The only logical argument to do so is for loyalty, but unless other airlines do this, I don't think you can really make that argument.

You are saying DL should give up say up to $14000 in revenue ( 2x RT TPAC) to upgrade a passenger from a lowest coach fare to a J fare, because they are a Diamond??? When they might not even give that revenue to Delta all year? Yeah right.

They already give 4 x GUC...
As I write this will reduce the # of GUC by 50%...
Did you think EACH upgrade from a paid ticket cost 7,000$ to Delta ???
I just check a D1 from JFK to PVG, 2 way cost 3.5K (in one month)... and from your calculation an ONE WAY upgrade cost (from a paid already ticket) the double of an 2 way D1... ?

No it won't. Many people <myself included> would still choose the current type of GUCs and take 4 of 'em. They work just fine for me.

What's actually going to seriously reduce the number of GUCs out there, is, the TOTAL SLAUGHTER of the Diamond herd, via the insane raising of the Amex waiver!

Delta doesn't even fly JFK to PVG nonstop so they are not even very competitive in that market. And yet the cheapest business fare I can find on this route with a month advanced purchase with regular TPAC business travel dates is around $10K.

10K for TPAC is a very normal advanced booking TPAC fare. A high demand trip like Saturday -> Thursday/Friday TPAC fare booked only a week or two in advance is easily 15K on some routes. This is a typical example - it's not cherry picked; look at the ICN route as another example. These are not even Full J fares - J "last seats" often run 20-25K+.

Yes but they restrict availability. You are suggesting they take that restriction away. That's the problem.

Delta limits their expense by restricting inventory.

If they give up seats that they would otherwise sell, yes. They lose the entire difference between the economy ticket and J. Which, for some routes, can be that high.

When I say 'up to $14k', surely you understand that it is possible for you to find a cheaper fare without my statement being false. But maybe not, nothing much else you say makes sense.

Your whole premise is looking at things from what you want as a passenger, it makes no business sense whatsoever.

Yep, solve that problem right away. I know loyalty is like death by a thousand cuts, but that one is a big cut!