For Upgrade Priority, Which One Matters - Fare Class or Price Paid?
Feb 7, 2019, 9:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM/MM, Marriott Plat Life, UA Gold/MM
Posts: 57
For Upgrade Priority, Which One Matters - Fare Class or Price Paid?
Hi - I see fares like this all the time for the same flight:
- Q: $289
- U: $299
All else equal, I *think* that Q would clear upgrades before U, even though the U ticket is a higher paid fare.
Is that correct?
Thanks, Lee
- Q: $289
- U: $299
All else equal, I *think* that Q would clear upgrades before U, even though the U ticket is a higher paid fare.
Is that correct?
Thanks, Lee
Feb 7, 2019, 10:37 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SFO/DTW
Programs: DL PM 0.5MM, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Avis PC, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,988
Q>U
Fare class trumps.
Priority Complimentary Upgrade Hierarchy - https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...es.html/#clear
1 Medallion Status
2 Fare Class Groupings: higher-priced fares are ranked above lower-priced fares
3 Delta Reserve Credit Card Members
4 Delta Corporate Travelers*
5 Card Members who earned the Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) Waiver in the current calendar year
6 Date and time of upgrade request
Fare class trumps.
Priority Complimentary Upgrade Hierarchy - https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...es.html/#clear
1 Medallion Status
2 Fare Class Groupings: higher-priced fares are ranked above lower-priced fares
3 Delta Reserve Credit Card Members
4 Delta Corporate Travelers*
5 Card Members who earned the Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) Waiver in the current calendar year
6 Date and time of upgrade request
Feb 8, 2019, 5:36 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,310
Feb 8, 2019, 6:12 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM/MM, Marriott Plat Life, UA Gold/MM
Posts: 57
Exactly same flight (same day, same route, same plane 
). This pricing is from Concur through my company.
I have theory that this is how "#4 - Delta Corporate Travelers*" priority is actually implemented (i.e.default to higher fare class for corp travelers at same or slightly lower cost). But just a guess...
). This pricing is from Concur through my company. I have theory that this is how "#4 - Delta Corporate Travelers*" priority is actually implemented (i.e.default to higher fare class for corp travelers at same or slightly lower cost). But just a guess...
Feb 8, 2019, 7:30 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
It's also possible that your company's agreement with DL includes a larger discount on Q (or higher) fares, and the published fares are close enough in price that the higher discount on Q results in a lower price for you.
Feb 8, 2019, 8:38 am
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
I've seen corporate discount fares that give absolutely no discount on fares that are considered special discounts, such as G A P fares (despite how they're indicated on the booking page) and with a range of discounts, where the high discount applies only to unrestricted fares such as FULL Y.
Feb 8, 2019, 11:10 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,884
I've seen corporate discount fares that give absolutely no discount on fares that are considered special discounts, such as G A P fares (despite how they're indicated on the booking page) and with a range of discounts, where the high discount applies only to unrestricted fares such as FULL Y.
Could have saved my company $33!! At the end of the day, the odds that fare classes that are close to each other will make the difference in an upgrade is unlikely, especially given the vagueness of DL's policies.
Feb 8, 2019, 2:05 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
Obviously will vary by route but for one of my routes it is pretty consistent - Q means I'm 10 deep on the upgrade list, H means I'm at least in fighting form at the gate if there are any seats that open up (usually within the top 3-5).
Feb 8, 2019, 2:17 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,348
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...es.html/#clear
I know of at least two occasions in my own travels where the tie-breaker has gone all the way down to time of request for me, because I was traveling with someone I knew who was the same Medallion level and traveling on the same fare class, but on a separate ticket.
Feb 8, 2019, 2:40 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
Fare Class is the #2 tie-breaker behind Medallion status, so it most certainly is a relevant tie-breaker. Is it going to make a difference on ATL-LAX/SFO/SEA where DMs on Y/B/M fares frequently don't clear? Probably not. Could it make a difference on many other routes? Certainly.
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...es.html/#clear
I know of at least two occasions in my own travels where the tie-breaker has gone all the way down to time of request for me, because I was traveling with someone I knew who was the same Medallion level and traveling on the same fare class, but on a separate ticket.
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...es.html/#clear
I know of at least two occasions in my own travels where the tie-breaker has gone all the way down to time of request for me, because I was traveling with someone I knew who was the same Medallion level and traveling on the same fare class, but on a separate ticket.
Technically, it says "Fare Class groupings" - and they don't tell us how they are grouped. It could be that they don't distinguish between Y/B/M, for example, with H/K/Q being the next group, etc. But since they didn't say "Fare Class" is the tie breaker, there is no evidence that a Y fare will automatically trump an M, or vice versa - though it is pretty safe to assume that either would beat out an L/U/T.
Feb 8, 2019, 2:44 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
Technically, it says "Fare Class groupings" - and they don't tell us how they are grouped. It could be that they don't distinguish between Y/B/M, for example, with H/K/Q being the next group, etc. But since they didn't say "Fare Class" is the tie breaker, there is no evidence that a Y fare will automatically trump an M, or vice versa - though it is pretty safe to assume that either would beat out an L/U/T.
I have yet to not be #1 on a Y fare (which almost seems suspicious given that RUCs exist) - so I do think that is differentiated from B. (I have reserve card and corporate booking priority as well - just not MQD waiver, I don't put any spend on my reserve card).
Feb 8, 2019, 3:09 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
Yes, it is frustratingly ambiguous. I do wish there was clarity on this. If there are "groupings", what are the groups? (I actually think it is done purely by the published fare class pecking order, but it is possible some are grouped together).
I have yet to not be #1 on a Y fare (which almost seems suspicious given that RUCs exist) - so I do think that is differentiated from B. (I have reserve card and corporate booking priority as well - just not MQD waiver, I don't put any spend on my reserve card).
I have yet to not be #1 on a Y fare (which almost seems suspicious given that RUCs exist) - so I do think that is differentiated from B. (I have reserve card and corporate booking priority as well - just not MQD waiver, I don't put any spend on my reserve card).
Luckily, I am also not based in Atlanta, so I haven't done worse than C+ since sometime in 2017 - with 137 segments in '18 and 20 so far this year.
Feb 8, 2019, 3:12 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
If DL really does mean fare class groupings (and isn't trying to say fare code groupings a to mean fare class), this would make having the Reserve card more important as, for example, a Q fare ticket with a Reserve card would beat a H fare without the Reserve card.
Feb 8, 2019, 3:32 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,884
Technically, it says "Fare Class groupings" - and they don't tell us how they are grouped. It could be that they don't distinguish between Y/B/M, for example, with H/K/Q being the next group, etc. But since they didn't say "Fare Class" is the tie breaker, there is no evidence that a Y fare will automatically trump an M, or vice versa - though it is pretty safe to assume that either would beat out an L/U/T.