Especially if your travel dates are fixed, I'd look for DL TPAC flights with confirmable D1 upgrade space and then consider buying a separate ticket from ICN, TPE, HND/NRT, PVG etc. to HKG, either using miles on a DL partner or just allowing lots of time and purchasing a separate ticket, for example doing an overnight connection at the GH ICN for convenience. Depending on the length of the intraAsia flight, you might want to do that in business class, although these flights can easily cost $1000-$1500 OW in (regional) business class, which tends to mean 2-3-2 on KE.You won't earn (or be able to use) DL miles, but don't forget some of the better Asian carriers such as CX, OZ, JAL, ANA if you need to purchase a separate ticket; connecting through ICN to stay on SkyTeam (and avoid mainland China) can mean that you waste an entire day flying within Asia.

I know PMNW always said that they used married segment availability for upgrade inventory on TATL flights connecting intraEU on KLM, so there could be subtle married segment inventory issues in trying to get your flat bed seats. OTOH, recently DL phone agents on the DM line have apparently just searched for D1 upgrade inventory by looking at all TATL or TPAC flights from anywhere in the USA on the desired date.

By June, DL will be operating the new MSP-ICN flight and also AFAIK the daily MSP-HND nonstop, so I would expect decent upgrade space on these routes, which would be quite reasonable connections from OKC.

Check also for cheap fares on certain DL partners such as MU through PVG where it would make sense to just purchase a business class ticket, although for these you might need to take a separate ticket to the USA gateway airport such as LAX (and to be safe with the separate ticket, ideally an overnight there) or maybe ORD, NYC, etc. Personally I don't like MU but the business class flat bed seats are considered to be excellent.

If ICN-HKG weren't quite as long, I'd be tempted to just suffer in coach given that their seats have more pitch than DL, but IME KE isn't very nice about assigning good seats to DL elites, say I don't think you can count on an aisle or exit row at all, even if you are able to pick it now.

I just realized that I might not have been clear that DL doesn't seem to fly to TPE any more, and you can't use GUCs on China Air, although their tickets might be cheap or you might be able to get a SkyTeam Upgrade Award (although a high fare would be required, if they participate at all). Alternatively, you might find a cheap ticket (not SkyTeam) in business class on EVA, although they've been having some strike problems recently.

MU through CAN would be another idea, although most of their TPAC flights go through PVG or PEK (to be avoided if possible due to ATC delays, for weather as well as military exercises).

I don't know. My own experiences on KE haven't been very positive regarding seats as a DM, and I avoid MU, but earlier there were a bunch of folks here who claimed to get lots of OPUPs on KE.

However, if you have health concerns and it's long flight, do you want to take a chance regarding *possibly* getting the OPUP or even a decent seat on a short flight?

If the only flight to MSP has such a short connection, could you do an overnight connection here? Under 24 hours shouldn't impact the price as it's not considered a stopover on international, and there are some nice airport hotels with good shuttle service that can be very reasonably priced...or you could take the light rail downtown and have a nice afternoon/evening on your way to HongKong. With only 50 minutes, you could make it to the gate and discover that your D1 suite has been given to a nonrev, although the GA might be Minnesota nice and let you board if there are some empty (middle) coach seats remaining that haven't been assigned.

Careful with this as taking a bus or ferry between mainland China and Hong Kong might require a visa. Check current rules in the big sticky TWOV thread in the China destination forum (and then be prepared to argue about the rules with DL GAs and redcoats who cannot use TIMATIC correctly).

Congrats on getting the GUC upgrade confirmed TPAC. ATL-ICN is a nice ride in suites on a new airplane although the times are a bit strange. Enjoy!