Cameron B

I'm new to DL after having been with AA for a while. This is my first year as a Plat, and I'm planning to select RUC's as my benefit choice (holding off till I know I will use them).

I'm pretty certain I'd like to attempt to use them on ATL-HNL r/t in early December. I have an Expert Flyer sub, but I'm not aware if it's possible to check for this type of inventory there, or with another tool like KVS. If not, what's the best way to go about this in hopes of finding a flight with immediately confirmable inventory?

I've also read here and there about strategies. My understanding is a single RUC can be applied for an entire one-way trip including stops, but it's wise to place emphasis on the flight you care about most and specify to the person on the phone you do not want the RUC used unless you get specific legs first. Is that correct?

Thanks for insight on this!

MarkCron

No, there is no way to find out RUC inventory without contacting DL. Call or tweet

Zorak

Correct.

Also correct, unfortunately

Cameron B

Thanks to both of you!

BusTrav8yrs

And good luck being able to use them on any HI flights, they rarely go to the gate with any F seats open especially in the winter.

Cameron B

Well, I was able to find inventory in D1 on the return for two the entire routing, but on the outbound they couldn't find anything between the first 7 days of desired departure. That's where the looking stop. Return leg was two weeks later.

Anyone have experience with RUC waitlisting this far out and getting HNL flights to work? D1 is available that time of year from MSP, JFK, and ATL.

3Cforme

Applying early doesn't help - unless you're in the rare position of applying one and being first off the waitlist if inventory clears. As you approach the travel date all Diamonds with GUCs, RUCs and mileage upgrades are ahead of you. Plats with GUCs and mileage upgrades are ahead of you. Plats with RUCs on a higher fare class are ahead of you. That can be a lot of people competing for few seats. You started the right way - choose a date and routing where the RUC can be confirmed at booking.

daloosh

Welcome to Delta PM, Cameron B, and yah, welcome to the headache that is RUCs. Sounds like you have the problem well in hand. At least as well as possible!

FSUnole03

SecurityTheaterFanClubPresident

I had an RUC for LAX-HNL r/t clear weeks in advance. I don't think it's necessarily as hard as people here claim it is.

Zorak

I feel like maybe that used to be the case? But the upgrade page now says RUCs can be used for D1, "eligible on flights within the U.S. 50"

https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...tml/#available

MikeNYC1

I had thought GUCs didn't have any higher priority than RUCs?

CDF

As noted before, this is correct. As an example, I just used one from PDX-SEA-HNL. The emphasis was on the SEA-HNL leg that I wanted (which was available). When the agent booked the flight the certificate applied to the entire itinerary - PDX-SEA-HNL This is actually leaving 4/26.

As far as finding availability to HI, maybe I just have good luck with these since I've been able to use mine each time I wanted to go. I check the various cities that fly to HI and then see what the FC inventory is. If something looks wide open, I'll call DL and have them check to see if the RUC can be confirmed immediately. I'm flexible with the times I depart/return so that tends to help in finding spots to use the RUC. If necessary, I take a positioning flight the night before if it will get me the upgrade. The biggest thing I've found is that if you're flexible you can find a way to use the RUC.

Cameron B

I looked up multiple dates across December and January. Some flights only have one booked F class ticket, others NONE. Even with this, DL is not releasing inventory for upgrades with RUC right now. My guess is high season times are held tight. They don't even want to give one seat up with zero of them booked.

We started with the beginning of December, but agents were not able to find any inventory available unless it was through SEA only and at the end of the month around Christmas. The caveat to this was they could not find any inventory available for the return in January.

3Cforme

That's the science of revenue management. DL has no need to give away (confirming GUC/RUC mileage upgrade) premium seats to popular holiday destinations nine months in advance of the holiday. They'll have plenty of opportunities to sell those seats. They wouldn't add incremental holiday capacity (DTW, JFK) if they didn't.