Time of day for upgrade processing
Apr 19, 2021 | 9:26 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: KARB
Programs: DL 2MM
Posts: 26,980
They used to clear starting around 5PM Eastern the day before your window opened, but it's been a number of years since that's been the case. They now should clear when your upgrade window opens for the flight if there is upgrade inventory and no one is ahead of you.
Apr 20, 2021 | 12:01 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL GM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,616
It will process it automatically a few mins later as well. Sounds like you happened to check your reservation after the space opened up but just before the auto sweep run in which case you were able to process the upgrade in seat-map yourself for free.
Apr 20, 2021 | 1:18 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Prfrence
Posts: 5,723
Sometimes the upgrades go up a few minutes before T-120 hours; sometimes right on the hour or a few minutes after. I just got upgraded for a CHO-ATL segment on Friday 4/23 a few minutes after the 120 hour window opened. On my connecting segment to DAB, DL upgraded two pax into F right on the 120 hour window opening (unfortunately, not me).
Apr 20, 2021 | 9:02 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Delta DM 1MM, Delta Reserve, Singapore Silver, Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 1,950
I have found, especially with C+ upgrades at booking, often the UG is available for you to select the new seat before you get the email. Meaning, I buy a Y ticket. Complete the purchase and then go back in and select C+ seats. I'll get the email an hour or so later. I've found F upgrades work similar, where if I check at my window I can sometimes select the F seat and then the email comes. However, the big key is open inventory.
Apr 20, 2021 | 11:25 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: ATL
Programs: DL - PM + 1MM; Marriott - Gold
Posts: 5,290
It doesn't happen at a certain time of the day. It is connected to the time of day of the flight itself. If you are Gold, for example, it will be 72 hours before your flight.
Apr 20, 2021 | 11:49 am
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
In the 5 pm ATL time era, upgrades that didn't clear at the DM window would often clear a couple days later in the middle of the night. I don't know whether it was a case of inventory opening at that time or not, but DL seemed to regularly run a sweep at about 3-4 am ATL time.
Apr 20, 2021 | 4:03 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion, Hyatt Explorist, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 324
I typically fly JFK-LAX at least once a month on a saturday morning and return sunday morning. On the JFK-LAX route, my Delta One upgrades (if I get them), tend to clear around 1:30am-3am for a 7am departure. If I take the LAX-JFK redeye back on a saturday, upgrades tend to clear around 3pm, day of departure. If I depart on a sunday morning LAX-JFK, it usually clears 2am-3am day of departure. Of course this all depends on if there's many medallion members on my flights.
Apr 21, 2021 | 10:34 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 2,130
If the upgrade is going to process when the window opens, it usually processes within an hour of the window opening (never precisely at the time the window opens, because I check). More and more though it seems there is little rhyme or reason as to when or why they process. I got an upgrade not too long ago at the window where they filled the F cabin to all but 1 seat at T-120. For my upcoming flight in 3 days, no upgrades have processed and 12/12 seats are available in F
Apr 21, 2021 | 11:04 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL GM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,616
If the upgrade is going to process when the window opens, it usually processes within an hour of the window opening (never precisely at the time the window opens, because I check). More and more though it seems there is little rhyme or reason as to when or why they process. I got an upgrade not too long ago at the window where they filled the F cabin to all but 1 seat at T-120. For my upcoming flight in 3 days, no upgrades have processed and 12/12 seats are available in F
Also since I booked the return flight, the # of available seats in D1 has only increased from 21 to 24.