rmp_king

Thank you everyone for your help on this forum, it has been greatly appreciated.

I recently made Platinum and was trying to figure out the choice benefits. After doing lots of reading on here it seems that RUCs could provide the most value, however, once I started reading about RUCs I've been getting more and more confused and wondering whether it's worth it as a choice benefit. I have a few questions that hopefully someone can help me with.

I have a flight booked for later this year for my husband and I flying SEA-JFK (yes, probably not going to get an upgrade at all) Since I'm PM I already have a comfort plus seat for my husband and I. Can I use a RUC to waitlist (or whatever the technical term is) for an upgrade or do I have to downgrade back to my economy fare class/seat first before using the RUC? Given that I'm only PM I would assume that RUCs clearing is a rare occurance, is that correct? It seems to be an incredibly complicated system and I've read many posts of people placing multiple calls and speaking to different agents and getting very different results.

If anyone can direct me to a definitive thread on how these work that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Zorak

Here's the main thread:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...-upgrades.html

You do not need to downgrade to regular economy to apply/wait-list. Your best chances will be if you are flexible as to your travel plans -- if you call or tweet you can ask them to check a range of dates and routings. And yes they can be incredibly frustrating to try to use.

sydneyracquelle

They last one year from the date you select them. Defer selecting them until you need them or definite upgrade space you want is available.

SuperG1955

Since your flights are apparently booked since you have C+ seats, call and find out if there's RUC availability for both of you on each flight. If there is, choose the RUC's which will be in your account fairly quickly, and call back to have them applied. Note: You'll be able to see them in Certificates before a phone agent can see them so be prepared to give them the numbers.

You can also have them waitlisted since the Upgrade inventory can open any time and time of request matters in the priority scheme.

Personally, I no longer choose them as a choice benefit since they've gotten difficult to use. The ideal way to use them is to have lots of flexibility in your schedule and call to find out what flights and dates are available. Routes are also important and SEA-JFK tends to sell out in F.

Good Luck.

Robert Leach

In a way, it is sad when someone says "I am only a PM." Sigh.

Regarding your question, applying the RUC can cause you to be forced into a downgrade back to your original cabin in some circumstances. A couple of weeks ago on the ATL-LAX 777, which I had booked and been upgraded at booking into Comfort+ (which on the 777 ATL-LAX is actually the Premium Select cabin, hence a bigger deal), I decided at the last minute to apply a RUC to the flight. The agent applied the RUC, but in doing so I lost my Comfort+ upgrade momentarily. Problem was, it was within a day of the flight, so when she temporarily "downgraded" me to process the RUC, someone on the list immediately cleared into Comfort+ and I lost those seats.

So, my advice would be: If there are still Comfort+ seats available, go ahead and do it. You will potentially be downgraded momentarily while the RUC upgrade request is applied, and then you can be reupgraded. However, if there are no seats in Comfort+ available when you do this, you run the risk that someone eligible for them gets assigned the upgrade the moment that you are temporarily removed from Comfort+ whilst the RUC is being applied. Given this, better to do it sooner rather than later.

Mr. Tickets

I think the agent did this incorrectly. I can't think of a reason they should have to downgrade you to WL an RUC. I am in C+ all the time and waitlist an RUC and never loose my seat, even for a second.

apodo77

I had this happen once. Was in 12B in C+ (717) and lost the C+ seat when the RUC was applied. Agent said they have to do it that way and before she could finalize everything poof 12B was gone. It was on the day of departure and chapped me a bit.

jgers1j

Using RUCs to enhance the chances of a PM upgrade is about the only use for them these days considering the effects of FCM. Personally, I find value in that as a Choice Benefit, since rarely as a PM have I been clearing for complimentary medallion upgrades. Given that very few have cleared (I'm often at the top of the wait list with zero seats available) I find myself with seven RUCs remaining before a January 30 expiration. I utilized the strategy mentioned above of waiting to choose them until there is known inventory for a desired flight or, as the case was for me, the choice deadline was approaching on January 31. And yes, I have so many because they are holdovers from my final year as DM before the CC waiver increased to $250k. So, I began applying them indiscriminately to my upcoming itineraries, including to short-haul flights (LGA-ORD, LGA RSW) that in the past I would not have used them on. Low and behold, two cleared on LGA-RSW in December with my son on the same.

OP ought to take into consideration that having husband also using the RUC will reduce the chances of clearing because two seats will need to be available, which is even more rare than one being available.

bgriff

The biggest benefit of RUCs on a long route like SEA-JFK is that it puts you higher on the upgrade list at the gate, which can be especially valuable as a PM. In theory if upgrade space was available, you could use them to clear in advance, but Delta doesn't make a lot of upgrade space available in advance, especially not on transcon routes it seems.

I have also found that Delta does seem to "make an effort" to clear RUCs. Maybe I've just gotten lucky but I've on a number of occasions had an RUC clear within a week or so of departure, sometimes even when there were only a few F seats remaining. So based on that experience I do find them to be valuable for long domestic legs.

Unfortunately for all of the above cases, you do need to make your selection of choice benefits early and request the upgrades, and take the risk that the upgrades may expire unused if they don't clear and you don't have additional trips later on to make another request on. It is probably worth it though, because time of request is the main factor prioritizing the list of certificate upgrade requests, at least until the request goes to the gate (that's stated in the detailed T&Cs here).

NOLAnwGOLD

I pick the miles, which have been way more valuable to me than the hassles of the RUC (award international biz tickets often on partner airlines). GUCs are worth the effort but still really should be more useful, still really annoying to use. Best of luck!

Walker1921

l am also PM as OP. I was hesitant when I chose the choice benefit last year.

I used one for a short trip DTW to BOS.

I booked my BOS to LAX round trip in May for Thanksgiving weekend and applied RUC immediately. I got LAX-BOS cleared in October and BOS-LAX this month.

At least for this year, I got more than 20000 miles worth.