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Upgrade for two, would Delta ever split us?

Upgrade for two, would Delta ever split us?

Old Dec 20, 2019, 1:27 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Nov 2017
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Upgrade for two, would Delta ever split us?

When I travel with the family I almost always book as follows
  • Me and Daughter1 in one reservation paid with dollars
  • Wife and Daughter2 in a second reservation paid with miles
This accomplishes
  1. I get skymiles (MQD) credit for my flight, while spending skymiles for the others' flights
  2. Me and D1 are eligible for upgrade to C+ and FC
I will usually book wife and D2 directly into C+; even FC if I am feeling lucky :-)
So far the upgrade for me and D1 was worked well. Always to C+, sometimes to FC

OK, here is the question: Is it ever possible that they would split me and D1 up into non-adjacent seats? It has not happened yet, but I recently had to do a last minute booking and only center seats are available in C+, so I UNCHECKED the upgrade to C+ box.... but I am wondering if I do check it, whether the system would split us up? She is young and anxious about being in a non-adjacent seat

There used to be an "upgrade me, but NOT center seat" option... but I no longer see this
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 1:39 pm
  #2  
 
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Are you Diamond ?
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 1:42 pm
  #3  
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By the time the free elite upgrade windows open, most DL flights are unlikely to have two open adjacent FC seats. Depending on daughter's age, you would need to find other passengers willing to swap seats.

Would it help to switch D1 and D2 seats if this happens, so that D1 is sitting next to wife?
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 2:05 pm
  #4  
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Originally Posted by FBplatinum
Are you Diamond ?
yes I am
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 2:07 pm
  #5  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
By the time the free elite upgrade windows open, most DL flights are unlikely to have two open adjacent FC seats. Depending on daughter's age, you would need to find other passengers willing to swap seats.

Would it help to switch D1 and D2 seats if this happens, so that D1 is sitting next to wife?
D2 does not want to sit alone either. She is older, so I am working with her and she may be over it soon :-)

FWIW when we have been upgraded to FC, it has always been adjacent, which lends credence to the theory that they will NOT upgrade you unless you are adjacent
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 2:58 pm
  #6  
 
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Husband and I, both DM on the same reservation, are frequently split upon upgrade.
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 3:25 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
By the time the free elite upgrade windows open, most DL flights are unlikely to have two open adjacent FC seats.
I disagree with this as a generality, particularly for DMs.

But I can't recall a recent instance of being split (I'm not saying it can't happen). Usually when I'm with my companion we just book C+ or F, or when we do slum in Y, we either clear the F upgrade at T-72 (Gold) into adjacent seats (happened 2x that I can remember in the last ~2 years) or we end up pretty far down the airport list.

But I do wonder if the system gets to 2 companions and there aren't adjacent seats, the upgrade processing "freezes". And this results in that other thread with examples of people un-checking and then re-checking the upgrade request box to force their upgrades to clear into space that's available, but isn't being filled automatically by the algorithm. Hmm.
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 4:09 pm
  #8  
 
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Originally Posted by ijgordon
I disagree with this as a generality, particularly for DMs.

But I can't recall a recent instance of being split (I'm not saying it can't happen). Usually when I'm with my companion we just book C+ or F, or when we do slum in Y, we either clear the F upgrade at T-72 (Gold) into adjacent seats (happened 2x that I can remember in the last ~2 years) or we end up pretty far down the airport list.

But I do wonder if the system gets to 2 companions and there aren't adjacent seats, the upgrade processing "freezes". And this results in that other thread with examples of people un-checking and then re-checking the upgrade request box to force their upgrades to clear into space that's available, but isn't being filled automatically by the algorithm. Hmm.
Just happened to us this week. Upgraded to 1st one to row 1 and the other to row 3
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 4:36 pm
  #9  
 
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My wife and 4 year old son were recently split by an upgrade she got. Fortunately, it isnt a hard sell to switch seats with the person seated next to your little kid.
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 11:33 pm
  #10  
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Related rookie question: For a family of 4 on a single record, does DL process upgrades individually or do you need space for all 4 before the upgrades will clear?

On UA you have to "split" your reservation record as the system won't process more than 2 at a time when you hit the T-72 window (or whatever applies). However, I would prefer not to split off family members into separate records as that can create problems when there are IRROPS, particularly as they have no status.

I am perfectly fine with only 1 upgrade clearing (actually that would be Mrs. B (
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 11:53 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Boraxo
Related rookie question: For a family of 4 on a single record, does DL process upgrades individually or do you need space for all 4 before the upgrades will clear?
Your elite status only entitles you to upgrade one companion. So if you want any chance at an upgrade, even for yourself, you'll have to split the reservation.
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Old Dec 21, 2019, 1:03 am
  #12  
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OK, got my answer by way of an accident.

Somehow even though I had de-selected the "upgrade to C+" option, I indeed just got upgraded. And me and D2 got put in center seats in different rows. I just called to have them put us back to coach and side-by-side.

How did my de-selection get turned around into a request for upgrade? I'll never know... perhaps when I called earlier to ask the customer agent on the phone if there was any way to assure adjacency on upgrade,, she accidentally turned it on while investigating....?
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Old Dec 21, 2019, 11:26 am
  #13  
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on the routes I fly, I've only had my SO upgraded to an adjacent seat on 1 or 2 of the ~10 times they've joined me and we've also been upgraded. most often they're upgraded to a different row on the opposite side of the plane. sometimes asking to swap seats works, and sometimes it doesn't - we never pressure either person to swap if they say they'd prefer not to, as their seat selection is theirs and neither of us is entitled to it
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Old Dec 21, 2019, 12:12 pm
  #14  
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Originally Posted by goldmedallionflyer
on the routes I fly, I've only had my SO upgraded to an adjacent seat on 1 or 2 of the ~10 times they've joined me and we've also been upgraded. most often they're upgraded to a different row on the opposite side of the plane. sometimes asking to swap seats works, and sometimes it doesn't - we never pressure either person to swap if they say they'd prefer not to, as their seat selection is theirs and neither of us is entitled to it
As a DM I get the insta-update to C+ and that has ALWAYS been adjacent. But even the times we got UG to FC, we still have been adjacent, so just lucky I guess
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Old Dec 21, 2019, 1:25 pm
  #15  
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lucky indeed, and congrats

IME flying from different cities so much depends on the specific route + day of week + time of day + time of year
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