2021 Upgrade Success (or lack thereof) thread
Jun 17, 2021, 9:02 am
#181
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Skymiles
Posts: 78
It's a paid ticket. F is $700 compared to $500 for C+ (get that 175%). Normally I would secretly buy the upgraded seats without telling my GF for that price (did this for a Mexico trip in July) but we are planning to go to El Paso the week afterward, so they money is better spent on buying tickets for both trips vs just upgrading to F for the Miami trip. I might look at what the single MSP-MIA upgrade costs and do that instead if we do buy economy seats, but i wanted to check the chance of a free upgrade since I plan to get the mileage bonus anyway
Jun 21, 2021, 9:49 am
#182
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Skymiles
Posts: 78
Why NY vs DTW? How come there's a better chance out of NY?
Jun 21, 2021, 12:58 pm
#183
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: NY
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 98
9 June
DL 309
JFK-LAX
B764
6 of 17
GA came on to the plane to upgrade 1 pax to D1 and left their seat in C+(PS) open.
Interesting observations with booking this flight. I switched to this flight from the same one a day before about a week out. It showed pretty much a very empty plane which seemed weird compared to every other flight leaving that day. I don't know if my app just never updated from then, but my app still showed 22 open seats in D1, 7 in C+(PS) and about 160 in Y all up to OLCI where it dropped to 1 in D1, a full C+(PS) cabin, and about 20 seats in Y. I know not to rely on seating charts to gauge upgrades, just wondering if my app was being glitchy.
DL 309
JFK-LAX
B764
6 of 17
GA came on to the plane to upgrade 1 pax to D1 and left their seat in C+(PS) open.
Interesting observations with booking this flight. I switched to this flight from the same one a day before about a week out. It showed pretty much a very empty plane which seemed weird compared to every other flight leaving that day. I don't know if my app just never updated from then, but my app still showed 22 open seats in D1, 7 in C+(PS) and about 160 in Y all up to OLCI where it dropped to 1 in D1, a full C+(PS) cabin, and about 20 seats in Y. I know not to rely on seating charts to gauge upgrades, just wondering if my app was being glitchy.
Experienced the receiving end of this situation a few weeks ago as a PM. #4 of 18 with 3 D1 show available SEA-JFK. Seated in C+ ready for the door to close, just as that was about to happen the gate agent and flight lead came to me (I thought I was in big trouble). Ended up moving up to D1. Never experienced more dirty looks, felt like I was delaying the flight 😂.
Jun 21, 2021, 8:42 pm
#184
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, DL DM since inception, 3+ MM, HH Gold, SPG-Gold
Programs: DL, UA, AA, HH, SPG, HH, Hertz, Avis
Posts: 1,838
Need to go SLC-CDG for 4 days in November - DO prices $7-8K with wide open cabins.
1) I gather a new feature lists in small print whether seats in the main cabin are available for upgrade for each flight listed from a search 2) put together the exact itinerary I wanted, called DL, got the seats upgraded on Global certificates and got the best value yet for Global certificates: $1,350 vs $7,550 ($3,100 per certificate!) -( interestingly I am going from SLC-MRS in December one month earlier, and booked a $2,300 ticket in DO/C) - crazy times!)
1) I gather a new feature lists in small print whether seats in the main cabin are available for upgrade for each flight listed from a search 2) put together the exact itinerary I wanted, called DL, got the seats upgraded on Global certificates and got the best value yet for Global certificates: $1,350 vs $7,550 ($3,100 per certificate!) -( interestingly I am going from SLC-MRS in December one month earlier, and booked a $2,300 ticket in DO/C) - crazy times!)
Jun 22, 2021, 9:28 am
#186
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: Southwest A-List Preferred, Delta Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold Elite, Avis PP
Posts: 191
GM
6/21 MCI-SLC - 8/15 for 1 F seat, cleared T-72 for C+ middle (forgot to change my seat preferences to not upgrade me to a middle)
6/21 SLC-SNA - 14/25 for 0 F seats, 6/12 for 0 C+ seats, no surprise that I kept my original exit window seat
6/21 MCI-SLC - 8/15 for 1 F seat, cleared T-72 for C+ middle (forgot to change my seat preferences to not upgrade me to a middle)
6/21 SLC-SNA - 14/25 for 0 F seats, 6/12 for 0 C+ seats, no surprise that I kept my original exit window seat
Jun 22, 2021, 12:19 pm
#187
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion, Hyatt Explorist, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 313
LAS-JFK redeye on June 19. #1 out of 12 on the upgrade list with zero first class seats. There were 19 people checked in with a total of 20 seats. I noticed 0 seats available changed to 1 as I sat down in my comfort+ seat. Told the closest FA about this and she said I’m sure the gate agent will come on board to let you know. Sure enough, gate agent came on board, waiting in line with the other passengers to let me know my upgrade cleared.
Jun 22, 2021, 6:19 pm
#188
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: DL DM; Hyatt Globalist; etc
Posts: 540
I’ve been having amazing luck as a PM in the last couple of months:
5/6 SEA-SFO or the other way around I’ve gotten an upgrade on, including an honest battlefield upgrade after the doors closed coming back. I’m taking one tomorrow and got an upgrade at the window in both directions!
I was 1/2 on a SEA-JFK-SEA with a companion getting upgraded with me, unfortunately on the leg back which was a 737 and not a wide body.
Previously the SEA/SFO legs were much closer to 50/50, but it’s nearly guaranteed now, even on an E-175.
5/6 SEA-SFO or the other way around I’ve gotten an upgrade on, including an honest battlefield upgrade after the doors closed coming back. I’m taking one tomorrow and got an upgrade at the window in both directions!
I was 1/2 on a SEA-JFK-SEA with a companion getting upgraded with me, unfortunately on the leg back which was a 737 and not a wide body.
Previously the SEA/SFO legs were much closer to 50/50, but it’s nearly guaranteed now, even on an E-175.
Jun 26, 2021, 3:17 pm
#190
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Skymiles
Posts: 78
Sliver here
DCA-ATL-ELP on Thursday evening, bought W. No upgrades, i was 3/2 on ATL-ELP
On the way back home I got first ELP-ATL, no upgrade to DCA.
got lucky, there were two seats left, I was 3/2, but one F passenger didn’t make it so I got their seat.
im 5k MQM from gold and can practically taste the consistent F upgrades for all future el PAO visits
DCA-ATL-ELP on Thursday evening, bought W. No upgrades, i was 3/2 on ATL-ELP
On the way back home I got first ELP-ATL, no upgrade to DCA.
got lucky, there were two seats left, I was 3/2, but one F passenger didn’t make it so I got their seat.
im 5k MQM from gold and can practically taste the consistent F upgrades for all future el PAO visits
Jun 28, 2021, 1:15 pm
#191
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
First Delta flights since April
6/27 DL 2669 GPT-ATL 737-800 PM on a T Fare: Cleared at T-120
6/27 DL 2330 ATL-CLT 717-200 PM on a T Fare: Cleared at T-120
This makes me a robust 78.57% (11/14) on the year.
6/27 DL 2669 GPT-ATL 737-800 PM on a T Fare: Cleared at T-120
6/27 DL 2330 ATL-CLT 717-200 PM on a T Fare: Cleared at T-120
This makes me a robust 78.57% (11/14) on the year.
Jun 30, 2021, 9:07 pm
#194
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond, UA Premier Gold
Posts: 2,939
The computer put me in 39A. Agents upgraded me to 5B before boarding. Full 757 and clearly they needed my original seat. Left with 6 people still on the actual upgrade list so not sure what happened. Not complaining though!
Last edited by DLASflyer; Jun 30, 2021 at 9:18 pm
Jul 1, 2021, 11:09 am
#195
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion, Hyatt Explorist, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 313
LAS-JFK redeye on July 3 this weekend. When upgrade window opened, there were six F seats available. Upgrade didn’t clear. Available F seats kept dwindling so I switched to LAS-ATL (767-400) and ATL-JFK (737-900er). Cleared instantly into F on both flights. I’m a happy camper!