How to analyze whether to buy an upgrade to F with money or miles
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Astoria, NY: LGA, JFK
Programs: Delta PM; Sheraton's Vistana BOD; SPG Gold
Posts: 2,035
How to analyze whether to buy an upgrade to F with money or miles
o.k., here's the real life situation...
Flying LGA-MCO with Mrs. Yogimax on June 1st. I'm Platinum, she's Gold, so we are both Platinum for upgrade purposes.
Right now, there are 9 available seats in F. Delta is offering an upgrade O/W for 14,400 miles or $154 per person.
How would you analyze whether to wait and hope for a free upgrade, or purchase the upgrade right now? If we purchased, we would use miles.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Flying LGA-MCO with Mrs. Yogimax on June 1st. I'm Platinum, she's Gold, so we are both Platinum for upgrade purposes.
Right now, there are 9 available seats in F. Delta is offering an upgrade O/W for 14,400 miles or $154 per person.
How would you analyze whether to wait and hope for a free upgrade, or purchase the upgrade right now? If we purchased, we would use miles.
Thanks for your thoughts!
#2
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: DL DM, National EE, Hertz PC, IHG PL, Bonvoy Amb
Posts: 1,332
1. Wouldn't spend those miles or $ for the upgrade on that flight.
2. I'd expect an upgrade as a PL on that route on 6/1. What time is flight though? That said I'd be fine in C+ on that flight.
2. I'd expect an upgrade as a PL on that route on 6/1. What time is flight though? That said I'd be fine in C+ on that flight.
#3
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: PHX
Programs: Delta DM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HHonrs Diamond
Posts: 1,336
The $$ to miles ratio for these buy-up offers is fixed at around 1.1 cents per mile.
This is generally considered a poor redemption value for SM's compared to booking an advance purchase round trip or even a last-minute round trip all on points.
Pay the cash if it is worth it to you.
This is generally considered a poor redemption value for SM's compared to booking an advance purchase round trip or even a last-minute round trip all on points.
Pay the cash if it is worth it to you.
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Astoria, NY: LGA, JFK
Programs: Delta PM; Sheraton's Vistana BOD; SPG Gold
Posts: 2,035
We do have excellent C+ seats. I guess my question is related to recent similar flights where free upgrades disappeared at the last minute.
#5
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: DL Plat, Marriot Plat
Posts: 349
It is a direct flight less than 3 hours long, most probably you are doubling your cost of flights (one way) if you upgrade to first. It is a Saturday flight so less business travel. If you have excellent C+ tickets, leave it at that and you may or may not get the upgrades, but you can save your money for another flight down the road.
I vote save your cash and miles.
I vote save your cash and miles.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 22,885
The $$ to miles ratio for these buy-up offers is fixed at around 1.1 cents per mile.
This is generally considered a poor redemption value for SM's compared to booking an advance purchase round trip or even a last-minute round trip all on points.
Pay the cash if it is worth it to you.
This is generally considered a poor redemption value for SM's compared to booking an advance purchase round trip or even a last-minute round trip all on points.
Pay the cash if it is worth it to you.
#7
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 755
I think the answer depends on the situation. I have more miles than I will ever use so I would tend to use miles. I tenD to upgrade with miles or money towards the end of the year in order to push up my mqms. I would upgrade rather than hoping for a free upgrade because that route can be and often is full in first. Older people willing to pay because they don’t fly often and need the comfort a family or two off to dis. So if you have the miles or money I wouldn’t wait unless you really don’t much care.
#8
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: DL Silver, Avis President's Club, Hertz President's Circle, Global Entry (Former AA Plt/Gold)
Posts: 4,415
I've paid $150 for a similar flight (PHX-SEA) but in that case I wasn't already in C+. So I guess my point is that the price is unsurprising, but I'd be happy in C+ for three hours since you asked
#10
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: AGS
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 581
If you have 1,000,000 or more redeemable miles, Id upgrade now with miles. When flying with significant others, F is always better.
If you dont have the miles, but this is an anniversary trip, some other special occasion, or a trip to visit your mother-in-law, pay for the upgrade now.
If none of the above, keep your seats.
Just my opinion.
If you dont have the miles, but this is an anniversary trip, some other special occasion, or a trip to visit your mother-in-law, pay for the upgrade now.
If none of the above, keep your seats.
Just my opinion.
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Northern Minnesota, US
Programs: DL Diamond, SPG/MR Plat, Kimpton IC, IHG Spire Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 659
If you have 1,000,000 or more redeemable miles, Id upgrade now with miles. When flying with significant others, F is always better.
If you dont have the miles, but this is an anniversary trip, some other special occasion, or a trip to visit your mother-in-law, pay for the upgrade now.
If none of the above, keep your seats.
Just my opinion.
If you dont have the miles, but this is an anniversary trip, some other special occasion, or a trip to visit your mother-in-law, pay for the upgrade now.
If none of the above, keep your seats.
Just my opinion.
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Northern Minnesota, US
Programs: DL Diamond, SPG/MR Plat, Kimpton IC, IHG Spire Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 659
If you have 1,000,000 or more redeemable miles, Id upgrade now with miles. When flying with significant others, F is always better.
If you dont have the miles, but this is an anniversary trip, some other special occasion, or a trip to visit your mother-in-law, pay for the upgrade now.
If none of the above, keep your seats.
Just my opinion.
If you dont have the miles, but this is an anniversary trip, some other special occasion, or a trip to visit your mother-in-law, pay for the upgrade now.
If none of the above, keep your seats.
Just my opinion.
Last edited by puck021; May 16, 2019 at 7:56 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Astoria, NY: LGA, JFK
Programs: Delta PM; Sheraton's Vistana BOD; SPG Gold
Posts: 2,035
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum, etc etc etc
Posts: 2,341
I would make one point which is MCO has never been an easy upgrade for me. Only once have I gotten the upgrade going into and out of MCO. One thing is there are a lot of medallions who go in and out of MCO so lots of upgrades there. Also like LAS, MCO is a tourist destination so lots of people will convert miles or pay for F as a leisure route.
#15
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 755