ekozie

never hurts to ask

btonkid12345

I once went to FLL instead of DAB on an international ticket - brainfart.

I had time to go to DAB but a very nice Red Coat changed my DAB-ATL to FLL-ATL. All by herself. It all depends on the abilities of the agent you are dealing with, and how generous they are feeling in that moment.

Might be different if they leave a note on your reservation already indicating the change attempt - because then, they could say you are trying to pull one over. Total YMMV.

NYC2SGN

Does anyone know if SAV and HHH are considered co-terminals? They're 40 miles apart, which is about the same distance between LAX and SNA.

flyerCO

Nope. Distance has nothing to do with co-terminal.
You can ask, but if they do it, it was as a favor.

souravsarkar59

What are my chances to change LGA - DTW - RSW to EWR - DTW - RSW as a PM, with a companion, and on an award ticket? Also I know that complimentary upgrades don't transfer over, but both of us are upgraded to first on the DTW - RSW leg. Is there any chance of them being able to change the first leg without touching the second?

Probably asking for too much, but wanted to hear from you guys!

mayhem

Worth asking - I've done it on an award ticket and think your second upgrade should stick, but have not done that.
You can also ask to get on the nonstop flight on standby or confirmed (you'd lose the upgrade)...

Zorak

By the book, pre-COVID, your chances would be basically zero. Co-terminal SDC is an unwritten DM benefit, and while I'm aware of PMs who say they've gotten this, I forget if IRROPs were in play. These days, who knows, they seem to be giving more flexibility on things.

Award ticket tickets are ok for SDC the same as cash tickets, no problem. Same restrictions apply, in theory -- for F or C+ you only need an available seat. For coach you need availability in the same award bucket that you booked (there are different two-letter inventories, that usually show up on a receipt, but may just show up all lumped together as N on an itinerary so it can be hard to tell)

Companion doesn't matter either for SDC, except that by the book a companion who was GM or lower has a $75 SDC fee (again, by the book and pre-COVID, and this was more frequently waived depending on the agent -- I forget whether SDC fees have been eliminated along with the elimination of change fees)

So bottom line the co-terminal part of this is going to be the main sticking point.

I agree it's still worth calling and asking nicely, but your profile says 360, so the fact you've done it doesn't necessarily say whether others can since they'll bend more rules for you In particular the rules don't officially allow SDCing from a connecting itinerary to a non-stop flight.

crimonist

Just wanted to share a data point: I’m a PM and successfully made a SDC change from JFK to LGA arrival via phone call. My non-status companion was also moved free of charge. Really appreciate Delta’s service (once you can get them on the phone).

LDNConsultant

Has any PM been able to get a co-terminal change? I have a client doing JFK-LAX-SJC on D1 and I'm on JFK-SFO on D1 and would like to switch to SJC via LAX

jrl767

yes, *but* most often with SEA-ATL/DTW/JFK-BWI bookings (in paid F) that I've changed to DCA/IAD *at the connection point*

JFKEWR

I recently had a chance to SDC from SLC-LAX to SLC-ONT (showed in the app) but didn't do it. Paid F.

UVAhoo06

I wanted to see if there have been any recent data points in terms of successful co-terminal changes for DMs. I'm confirmed in F (upgraded using miles) from RDU-EWR but want to change to GSO-LGA (or, at least, RDU-LGA).

Three quick questions:

1) Is the SDC Co-Terminal change for DMs still alive and well?

2) For the purposes of SDC changes, are all tickets confirmed in F (regardless of how it was purchased) treated the same in terms of being confirmed in any available seat in F? (I'm not talking about D1-operated flights.)

3) For some reason, I keep thinking that GSO and RDU are co-terminals. Am I totally making that up?

Zorak

1. Yes -- the app will even offer it (subject to the bug that the app only shows flights that are within 24 hours, instead of showing you all eligible flights on the same calendar day).

2. Yes, including instrument upgrades (but not comp upgrades)

3. You used (2) twice but anyway I don't know this one

UVAhoo06

Fixed that typo :P

I was offered the option to PWM or cash to upgrade, so I was thinking of doing so. I just wanted to make sure, though, that the ticket will be treated the same regardless of whether I redeem miles or pay cash outright.

ijgordon

I think this part is less clear, and not even dependent upon cash or PWM. If it’s just processed as an upgrade then I don’t think you retain the “last F seat availability” benefit for SDC, and technically the upgrade fee is nonrefundable so if you change into Y/C+ you don’t get a refund (in practice not sure how strict they are about this).
You’d need to “up-fare” into a true first class inventory (JDCIZ), which you can usually do over the phone, and possibly by using “modify flights” online.