Comfort+ vs. First Class Upgrade Priority
 

I have noticed over time that the Comfort+ and First Class upgrade lists generally do not seem to align. I would assume that time of request (e.g., when ticketed or when requesting a Comfort+ aisle/window at check-in) would be the tie-breaker, but the delta between the F list and the C+ list is greater than I would expect.

For example, on my flight for tomorrow, here is the upgrade list. I have bolded the names of the people on both the F and the C+ upgrade list. I have only included the first 11 people on F (there are currently 44 checked in and rising).

First Class:
1. Person 1
2. Person 2
3. Person 3
4. Person 4 (Me)
5. Person 5
6. Person 6
7. Person 7
8. Person 8
9. Person 9
10. Person 10
11. Person 11

Comfort+:
1. Person 4 (me)
2. Person 2
3. Person 9
4. Person 10
5. Person 11
6. Person 3

I have always assumed that the C+ upgrade list follows the same priority as the F list. But this doesn't seem to be the case. I can't think of any way that Person 3 can be both simultaneously above me on the F+ list and simultaneously below Person 11 on the F list. This would theoretically require (if I understand the upgrade priority to be correct) that the only difference be that Person 3 ticketed earlier than everyone else but didn't request the C+ upgrade until later, meaning everyone else from #2 on the list to #11 on the list is exactly the same as me:

1. Diamond Medallion
2. Booked on an H fare
3. Delta Reserve Card
4. No MQD waiver
5. Corporate booking
6. Tiebreaker - time of request

I just can't believe that this is the case.

Does anyone know how the C+ priority differs from FC priority and what would drive this difference?

Just speculation... but a paid F ticket that got displaced due to flight problems that puts them at the top of the F list, but it still treats it as an upgrade for C+?

There could be people who are waitlisted for certificate/mileage FC upgrades. These would rank them higher than Medallion complementary upgrades. Since instrument upgrades don't apply to C+ upgrades, I would expect them to appear at their normal complementary level for C+. Person 1 could have simply opt-ed out of the C+ upgrade (along with 5-8).

Duh, this. I forgot about RUCs. Person 2 and 3 (and, presumably 1) have obviously applied RUCs on lower fare class tickets. This thread can be ignored... :D

Person 1 and Persons 5 through 8 could have already been "upgraded" to C+ or (unlikely but possible) they could have purchased C+.

This is actually an interesting observation and one which could be used to determine the relative rate of upgrade certificates on a given route.

This is an ATL -> West Coast route so C+ is usually sold out 3-4 weeks before the flight. If I'm on a lower fare class like Q or K (and especially before I got the Reserve card) I'd usually be at least 5 down on the C+ list as a diamond, sometimes as far down as 10-15. If I had to guess, everyone on the F upgrade list I highlighted except for Person 3 is a diamond - Person 3 is likely the dividing line to Platinum (using a RUC).

I agree, although it seems obvious in hindsight it hadn't really occurred to me either :o so I found it to be a useful thread anyway :)

For what it's worth, no one ended up clearing into F... and no one ended up clearing into Comfort+ (filled up with standby list folks)...

You should've cleared into C+. Were there only middle seats left and the standbys got put in there? Either way, if you're on the C+ upgrade list you should've cleared especially as #1 and should've asked/said something to the gate agent as to why they didn't clear upgrades.

Seen reports of this before as well, where they don't process the C+ list and instead put standbys into there.

Two were middle seats, one person cleared into 10C (which is always reserved until day of departure). I only had window/aisle selected so it is unclear as to how far down the list they would have had to go to get into middles. Given that there were 3 seats available (instead of the usual 2) I would optimistically assume that the person that went into 10C was in fact a W ticketed passenger that had not selected a seat, but it is equally likely that Shena was at play.

I'm not sure what value there would have been in confronting the gate agent about it. The standbys had already cleared by the time I got to the gate. It is highly unlikely that she would have unseated them and put me in their place.

Even when #1 on the C+ upgrade list, I never expect C+ because the standby list seems to magically take priority. I've complained about this in the past.

An aside, this is the reason I fly AA to PHX and UA to SFO. Doesn't hurt that the AA tickets are $400-500 cheaper too.

I don't understand the C+ upgrade list. I have been upgraded from main cabin to C+ without having actually been listed on the C+ list. Then, as we found out in DTW in January when we asked to be cleared into C+, the GAs weren't going to clear any upgrades from main cabin to C+, presumably to accommodate their co-workers. They begrudgingly upgraded us.

The C+ upgrade list is a joke. I think I've cleared maybe 3-5 times as a Diamond via the C+ upgrade list (out of probably around 75+ opportunities). Not that it's much better but my F upgrade rate is higher than my C+ upgrade rate. I actually got a reserve card in hopes of increasing my odds - but it tends to just mean that I end up as #1 on the C+ upgrade list instead of #5 .

It's frustrating because I feel like people dismiss how important the extra 3" or so is to some people. I'm 6'4" so sitting in Y- causes actual physical discomfort to my knees, especially if the person in front of me tries to recline. It also limits my ability to get work done.

The free alcohol is the main attraction for me. I think I sat in main cabin once last year; and I didn't use any of my free drink e-chits.