Can't Purchase Upgrade?
Jun 15, 2019, 11:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 111
Can't Purchase Upgrade?
Next month I'm flying round-trip from NY to Shanghai through Detroit. I originally purchased a Premium Select ticket but recently purchased upgrades to First Class & Delta One for the flights from LGA to DTW and DTW to PVG. I would like to purchase an upgrade on the PVG to DTW flight on my way back home but Delta's website just lists N/A where the price should be. According to the website there's plenty of available seats so its not sold out but when I select a Delta One seat its says "Oops! You purchased the Premium Select experience and may only select the associated Premium Select seats." I don't understand why it's not allowing me to purchase an upgrade for this flight. Anybody have any thoughts? A system bug? Some sort of restriction I don't know about?
Jun 15, 2019, 12:27 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Wisconsin
Programs: HH Diamond, DL Platinum
Posts: 41
It's because Delta is still trying to sell a full price ticket for those seats. I have the same situation going on for a September flight. The website and app finally started showing the Delta One seats as available (instead of greyed out) inside the seat map so I called the Medallion line when I couldn't get an FCM offer to appear. If they don't sell out at full price, they will "eventually" release some for upgrade offers. Keep checking back and good luck.
Jun 15, 2019, 12:49 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,043
There's no guarantee they will eventually make an offer (even if they don't sell out all the seats). DL is more selective about such offers on international flights as they would rather not have people getting used to regularly finding D1 seats at heavily discounted prices compared to the normal fare differentials. That ship has already sailed on domestic flights where FC fare differentials are regularly only slightly more expensive than the lower classes of service, but not so much on the international D1 routes. It's the same reason that they don't offer comp upgrades to Medallions on such routes. The concept is know as protecting the "integrity" of the product. Where integrity should be specifically interpreted as "pricing integrity" (not keeping out the riff-raff in flip-flops and sweatpants).
Last edited by xliioper; Jun 15, 2019 at 12:55 pm
Jun 15, 2019, 3:56 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
You may always purchase an UG at the fare difference between what you paid and the current price of the D1 seat. You will need to call to do that. However, it may be insanely expensive because DL believes that someone will pay that price. Then, when the seats are sold, there won't be any seats to UG.
Best is to call DL, find out what it will cost and make a decision.
Best is to call DL, find out what it will cost and make a decision.
Jun 15, 2019, 4:18 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Premium Select does weird things with the upgrade options. Flew it to KEF recently and could only select C+ on the domestic segments. No upgrade offers to F despite it being wide open a few days out before the majority of upgrades were processed. I even inquired about it with the SkyClub on day of departure asking what the difference in cost would be because there were still 5 open in F and they were unable to figure it out or offer it to me. They said to inquire about it at the gate but to be honest they were just non-meal MCO-JFK flights and I had good C+ seats so I couldn't be bothered to leave the lounge early and deal with the GAs. Still, very strange.
Jun 15, 2019, 5:56 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Delta Gold, silver, what yr is it?
Posts: 2,417
I'm in a similar situation with flights to ICN. We bought Premium Select (C+ domestically, then PE on the A350 DTW-ICN). We've had (and purchased) the upgrade offer on the domestic legs, but NA for the international leg. Ah well. I am looking forward to the PE as I think we're some of the only people in the world who enjoy PE on Air France ;-) Our trip is August so I try to check once a week or so.
Jun 15, 2019, 6:08 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
Jun 17, 2019, 6:27 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Tokyo
Programs: DL Diamond, ANA Platinum
Posts: 1,532
I’m having a similar issue with a T-fare basis SkyBonus ticket ex-Japan. DL site let me upgrade to FC on both domestic legs but it won’t even let me pay for an upgrade to Comfort Plus... I guess I can ask at check-in but I’d rather settle this earlier than later.
Jun 17, 2019, 9:04 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,043
I’m having a similar issue with a T-fare basis SkyBonus ticket ex-Japan. DL site let me upgrade to FC on both domestic legs but it won’t even let me pay for an upgrade to Comfort Plus... I guess I can ask at check-in but I’d rather settle this earlier than later.
Jun 17, 2019, 9:25 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Tokyo
Programs: DL Diamond, ANA Platinum
Posts: 1,532
I’m not looking for a discount. I’d happily pay the normal upgrade fare to go to C+ on the international legs, but there just isn’t an option to do so. I found it interesting since I could do it on the domestic legs straight to FC.
Jun 17, 2019, 9:30 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,043
Your profile says DM, I would think you would have gotten the C+ upgrade already.