Bay Area DL Elites
Jun 30, 2019, 5:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK/STS
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Delta PM, AA EXP, Wannabe SkyWest 1K
Posts: 644
Bay Area DL Elites
Thanks to the Platinum credit card and some paid F transcons, going to hit Gold this year. Wondering what UG success rates are like for Golds out of SFO, OAK, and SJC.
Jun 30, 2019, 5:43 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,106
I think I was upgraded once on a dtw flight last year as a pm, but can't remember if I used an RUC for that. If you want an upgrade, your best chances are via SEA or SLC; ( lax upgrades do happen between lax and sfo, but never happened with me for the onward long hauls)
Jun 30, 2019, 7:20 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,079
I imagine cross country would be low. But flights up and down the west coast, you may me competing with lower medallion levels so you may have a chance.
Jun 30, 2019, 8:01 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 65
As a GM in bay area early this year, I've got no upgrade to first at all (but C+ almost every time). SFO to hub (MSP / JFK) is a nightmare for upgrades. There could be as much as over 10 DMs in SFO - JFK line. For SFO - MSP, I used to be 17 out of 40 and 21 out of 43 both ways. I was around 2 out of 5 in a flight between SJC and LAX but I did not get an upgrade. When I reached PM recently, I constantly got upgraded in regional flights departing from SJC. Including SJC to LAX (then to SAN) and SJC to SEA.
In a nutshell, I would assume that PM and above should have a decent upgrade rate for short flights, and GM should have around 50% chance, as there're always less than 3 PM and above medallion members on the plane. However, even when I reach DM later this year I wouldn't expect to secure an upgrade in flights between SFO and major hub cities in the east, especially JFK.
In a nutshell, I would assume that PM and above should have a decent upgrade rate for short flights, and GM should have around 50% chance, as there're always less than 3 PM and above medallion members on the plane. However, even when I reach DM later this year I wouldn't expect to secure an upgrade in flights between SFO and major hub cities in the east, especially JFK.
Jul 1, 2019, 5:35 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM; Marriott Ambasador Elite
Posts: 626
I’m NYC based, but spend a lot of time in SF (have been 8 times already this year).
Even as a DM with reserve card, SFO-JFK is brutal for upgrades, as previously mentioned. I’ve been upgraded twice on that route all year, and once that was only because I burned a GUC that was about to expire (got me out of a coach seat; C+ had sold out weeks in advance). So as a GM I wouldn’t expect much on transcon flights.
My success rate rate has been better for SFO-other destinations, but it is a limited sample size and I don’t know how my experience would translate to GM.
Even as a DM with reserve card, SFO-JFK is brutal for upgrades, as previously mentioned. I’ve been upgraded twice on that route all year, and once that was only because I burned a GUC that was about to expire (got me out of a coach seat; C+ had sold out weeks in advance). So as a GM I wouldn’t expect much on transcon flights.
My success rate rate has been better for SFO-other destinations, but it is a limited sample size and I don’t know how my experience would translate to GM.
Jul 1, 2019, 8:46 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minneapolis MN
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 488
I'm not Bay-area based, but fly MSP-Bay area several times a year. As PM, have not gotten any F comp. upgrades, but have been able to successfully use RUCs on a couple of occasions. I did score an upgrade OAK-SLC a few months back - I got the sense that OAK is an easier starting point for upgrades, but small sample size.
I will say the SkyClub in SFO is pretty nice, so I guess that's a perk. OAK also has a great Escape lounge if you have the Amex Platinum (not the DL Amex Platinum).
I will say the SkyClub in SFO is pretty nice, so I guess that's a perk. OAK also has a great Escape lounge if you have the Amex Platinum (not the DL Amex Platinum).
Jul 1, 2019, 9:20 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: DL PM MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,276
SEA routes are pretty easy. I'm over 90% on SJC-SEA. SJC-LAX is about 100% for me as a GM, PM, or DM. SJC-SLC is doable unless you are connecting to the primary east coast banks that fly in and out of SLC. But SFO/SJC-ATL, the only way to upgrade is to use a RUC. I'm not sure about DTW or JFK since I don't really fly those routes.
Jul 1, 2019, 9:55 am
#10
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,897
SJC-LAS is also reasonably easy most of the time.
Also, plug for the Bay Area meetup thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...appy-hour.html
Also, plug for the Bay Area meetup thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...appy-hour.html
Jul 1, 2019, 10:12 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 61
I’m a PM and have a near 95% upgrade rate on award tickets between SFO-LAX and 100% on paid flights between SFO-LAX. Flying to JFK, I’ve only been able to use an RUC to D1 on daytime weekend flights/off-peak hours but never gotten a complimentary upgrade. This was hard the one year I was DM too since I was outranked by people buying last minute tickets with high fare classes.
Jul 1, 2019, 10:16 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: SJC/SFO. EWR/JFK
Programs: AS MVP 100K, DL PL
Posts: 539
SEA routes are pretty easy. I'm over 90% on SJC-SEA. SJC-LAX is about 100% for me as a GM, PM, or DM. SJC-SLC is doable unless you are connecting to the primary east coast banks that fly in and out of SLC. But SFO/SJC-ATL, the only way to upgrade is to use a RUC. I'm not sure about DTW or JFK since I don't really fly those routes.