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Using Regional Upgrades on Delta (RUC) post 2/1/2022

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Old Mar 14, 22, 3:11 am   -   Wikipost
Please read: This is a community-maintained wiki post containing the most important information from this thread. You may edit the Wiki once you have been on FT for 90 days and have made 90 posts.
  
Last edit by: bgriff
Wiki Link
For discussion of same-day change on an itinerary with an RUC applied, see: SDC while using Regional Upgrade Certificates (RUC) Definitive Thread

FEB 1, 2022 New GUC/RUC Inventory Rules

*****GUC*****

Flight has First Class
MC/C+ = Purchased
First = Last Seat J (Old Policy = OY)

Flight has DPS only
MC/C+ = Purchased
DPS = Last Seat (GUC=P / RUC=G) (Old Policy = RY)

Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)

Flight has D1 with DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
DPS = Last Seat (GUC=P / RUC=G) (Old Policy = RY)
D1 = OY @ T-24h15m

Flight has D1 with DPS
DPS = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)

Note: If GUC applied to domestic flight, it has better inventory than RUC (better chance for D1 transcon or to Hawaii)

*****RUC*****

Flight has First Class
MC/C+ = Purchased
First = Z (Old Policy = OY)

Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = OY (no change in old policy = OY)

Delta is using public inventory buckets J Z P G (and non-public bucket OY in some cases) to determine GUC/RUC availability. However once they have confirmed you the system converts the segment in your reservation to a different bucket. Here is the class mapping:
GUC Usage
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to DPS / P class needed / Books into RV (Clears at T-24.15 into D1 as OX if OY available)
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to D1 (no DPS) / Z class needed / Books into OK
DPS purchased / Upgrade to D1 / Z class needed / Books into OK
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to FC (no D1/DPS) / J class needed / Books into OV

RUC Usage
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to DPS / G class needed / Books into RX (Clears at T-24.15 into D1 as OX if OY available) ****THIS AIRCRAFT CONFIG MAKES NO SENSE DPS IS NOT SOLD ON RUC ROUTES, MAYBE THIS IS FOR FUTURE PLANS?****
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to D1 (no DPS) / OY class needed / Books into OX
DPS purchased / Upgrade to D1 / OY class needed / Books into OX ****THIS AIRCRAFT CONFIG MAKES NO SENSE DPS IS NOT SOLD ON RUC ROUTES, MAYBE THIS IS FOR FUTURE PLANS?****
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to FC (no D1/DPS) / Z class needed / Books into OL

New Delta.com Upgrade Availability Indicators that appeared 2/1/22 and what they mean

Dom D1 Tag meaning:
Global Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Z (OY = 0 for RUC)
Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Z /or/ RUC in OY both available

Dom F Tag meaning:
Global Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Last Seat J (Z = 0 for RUC)
Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in last seat J /or/ RUC in Z both available

Example D1 Flights from JFK - LAX (flight numbers are fictitious)

DL 01
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J5 C4 D4 Z3
Hidden Availability: OY2
Website indicator: Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (2 RUC (OY) open, 3 GUC (Z) open)

DL 02
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J5 C4 D4 Z3
Hidden Availability: OY0
Website indicator: Global Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (OY) open, 3 GUC (Z) open)

DL 03
Dom D1 flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z0
Hidden Availability: OY0
Website indicator: No flag - neither is available GUC (Z0) and RUC (OY0)

DL 04
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z1
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (1 RUC (Z) open, 3 GUC (J) open)

DL 05
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J3 C2 D2 Z0
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: Global Upgrade Certificate Available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (Z) open, 3 GUC (J) open)

DL 06
Dom First flight
Actual Availability: J0 C0 D0 Z0
Hidden Availability: n/a
Website indicator: No flag - neither is available
Actual decode: (0 RUC (Z) open, 0 GUC (J) open)

__________________________________________________ __
PRE FEB 1, 2022 WIKI
More information and discussion about using same-day change after applying regional upgrades can be found in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...ve-thread.html
  • The clock begins ticking on RUC expiration when you make your choice benefit selection, so it's possible to time your selection when there is a specific need to use them.
  • You can select your 2017 choice benefit as soon as DL recognizes your Plat status. Certificates expire 12 months from date of issue. 2019 choice benefits (earned based on how much one flew in 2018) must be selected by Jan 31, 2020.
  • If you select certificates as your choice benefit late in your Medallion tenure, it will still be valid after your status expires -- so for example if you earn Platinum Medallion in 2018, which is valid through Jan 31, 2020, but then only earn Silver Medallion in 2019, which becomes effective Feb 1, 2020 when your Platinum Medallion status expires, RUCs selected in January 2020 would be valid through January 2021 and could be used once you were only a Silver Medallion member, giving you a much higher upgrade list position on those flights where you attempt to use them.
  • If you request to use a RUC on a flight and do not receive the upgrade, it is returned to your account for future use, but check your account to make sure.
  • RUC may be redeemed for the named Medallion member and up to one travel companion traveling on the same flight (the companion officially no longer needs to be in the same reservation, though that rule was not actually enforced even when it was the official rule). The named member and the companion will each require a separate certificate.

While the RUC process is almost entirely opaque, there are a couple of "hints" of a correctly applied waitlist.

1a) When viewing a waitlisted segment on the DL.com web site (not the app), there may be two seat maps for the same flight. The first seat map shows the coach seat you are currently in, and the second seat map for the same flight says "you may not select seats for this flight" or something like that. This second seat map corresponds to a part of the waitlist process, and indicates that at least one step of the multi-step process to add an RUC waitlist was actually done. Unfortunately, this does NOT indicate that the other manual steps of the RUC waitlist process were successfully completed by the agent (i.e. even if you see the second seat map, there still could be something wrong. There is simply no way for the customer to tell.)

1b) The status for a waitlisted segment should say something like "Upgrade Waitlisted"

2) Assuming the waitlist does not clear prior to check-in, the second hint is the upgrade waitlist. If the RUC waitlist request was coded correctly, you should show up at or very near the top of the upgrade waitlist that you can see on DL.com or the app. If you find yourself at your "usual" spot on the upgrade waitlist, this is a clue that the RUC waitlist request was not coded correctly.

3) The RUC is a form of "payment". Until the RUC clears, it remains "unused" so a waitlisted RUC will still show in your wallet as "open".

You may also wish to peruse the wiki for the GUC success thread as some of the considerations/logistics are similar between RUCs and GUCs.







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Old Feb 7, 22, 2:32 pm
  #31  
 
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If a flight looks extremely empty, can I choose to withdraw my RUC and instead go into the regular queue?

I'm on a JFK-PDX flight next week on a 767-400 that, 8 days out, has only the 3 seats we're in of 28 in cabin occupied. There are a total of 30 seats on the fight currently sold. Can I switch to the complementary upgrade?
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Old Feb 7, 22, 3:30 pm
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by matchbox20_is View Post
What countries are defined as Northern South America for RUC purposes?
Any destination that is sold as F. If it is sold as D1, it requires a GUC.

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Old Feb 7, 22, 7:43 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by noah View Post
If a flight looks extremely empty, can I choose to withdraw my RUC and instead go into the regular queue?

I'm on a JFK-PDX flight next week on a 767-400 that, 8 days out, has only the 3 seats we're in of 28 in cabin occupied. There are a total of 30 seats on the fight currently sold. Can I switch to the complementary upgrade?
Yes, you can. Have to call in.
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Old Feb 7, 22, 7:45 pm
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Utskicat View Post
Sorry I missed this post yesterday. I replied to your same question in the GUC thread, but I will duplicate the answer here since its more applicable in the RUC thread...

I assume you are talking about the bolded lines here in the booked fare class table:

RUC Usage
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to DPS / G class needed / Books into RX (Clears at T-24.15 into D1 as OX if OY available)
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to D1 (no DPS) / OY class needed / Books into OX
DPS purchased / Upgrade to D1 / OY class needed / Books into OX
MC or C+ purchased / Upgrade to FC (no D1/DPS) / Z class needed / Books into OL

I totally agree these don't make sense. But its listed in the table that apparently DL agents use. So maybe its there for some sort of future plans? Another inconsistency is in the other chart about what availability you need for what situation, there is an option for aircraft with MC+ and DPS but no FC or D1. That configuration doesn't exist either. @Zorak said in the old thread that has now been closed that he though he has seen FC recliner 757's flown to KEF sold as Y and PS in the past. But looking at the schedule now its sold as Y and FC. So I dunno...

Note: I added a note to these 2 lines in the WIKI questioning why these scenarios exist as these aircraft configs don't exist on RUC routes.
DPS = Denpasar Airport, Bali, Indonesia. I don't think DL serves this place, although you should be able to buy a ticket with a connection using KE or KLM for example, perhaps as a codeshare.

Could you mean PS = Premium Select = DL's name for its Premium Economy cabin?
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Old Feb 7, 22, 7:58 pm
  #35  
 
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I'm not sure if I missed something but wanted to know if anyone else has encountered a similar problem. Just booked MDW-MSP-MEX-CUN because it was $450 cheaper than just going through ATL/DTW/MSP and just called in to use an RUC on the whole thing and was told that AM flights on RUCs are temporarily suspended. Has anyone else run into this problem with AM flights recently?
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Old Feb 7, 22, 9:25 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist View Post
DPS = Denpasar Airport, Bali, Indonesia. I don't think DL serves this place, although you should be able to buy a ticket with a connection using KE or KLM for example, perhaps as a codeshare.

Could you mean PS = Premium Select = DL's name for its Premium Economy cabin?
Uh, I think in context it's abundantly obvious what it's referring to. (You must be really confused why we have an entire FCM thread dedicated to discussing buy-ups to Eden Prairie )

And although in everyday conversation most people are going to shorten it to Premium Select or PS, marketers gonna marketer, and DL's web page pretty consistently* refers to it as the full three-word phrase "Delta Premium Select": https://www.delta.com/us/en/onboard/...remium-economy

*though not 100%, it's just "Premium Select" in the navigation header at the top of the page.
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Old Feb 7, 22, 10:31 pm
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by noah View Post
If a flight looks extremely empty, can I choose to withdraw my RUC and instead go into the regular queue?

I'm on a JFK-PDX flight next week on a 767-400 that, 8 days out, has only the 3 seats we're in of 28 in cabin occupied. There are a total of 30 seats on the fight currently sold. Can I switch to the complementary upgrade?
Just an FYI...the B764ER has 34 D1 seats, so with 6/34 seats showing occupied right now, I would expect you to have a good chance of being upgraded depending on the status of the other two! No need to withdraw your RUC yet however, just wait till the 15th (if that's the date you're all flying). And are you all waitlisting with RUCs? DL is now showing 61 seats taken in all cabins.
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Old Feb 7, 22, 10:48 pm
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist View Post
DPS = Denpasar Airport, Bali, Indonesia. I don't think DL serves this place, although you should be able to buy a ticket with a connection using KE or KLM for example, perhaps as a codeshare.

Could you mean PS = Premium Select = DL's name for its Premium Economy cabin?
In the internal image that this data was taken from, DL uses the acronym DPS and D1 for Delta Prem Select and Delta One. I know we all refer to it as PS but I was preserving the DL language.
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Old Feb 7, 22, 10:50 pm
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by coke cans and winglets View Post
I'm not sure if I missed something but wanted to know if anyone else has encountered a similar problem. Just booked MDW-MSP-MEX-CUN because it was $450 cheaper than just going through ATL/DTW/MSP and just called in to use an RUC on the whole thing and was told that AM flights on RUCs are temporarily suspended. Has anyone else run into this problem with AM flights recently?
Yes, this is true. Due to the security audit of AM by FAA, DL cannot issue tickets on codeshare flights.
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Old Feb 8, 22, 1:12 pm
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by audidudi View Post
Just an FYI...the B764ER has 34 D1 seats, so with 6/34 seats showing occupied right now, I would expect you to have a good chance of being upgraded depending on the status of the other two! No need to withdraw your RUC yet however, just wait till the 15th (if that's the date you're all flying). And are you all waitlisting with RUCs? DL is now showing 61 seats taken in all cabins.
We are already upgraded with RUC --- no waitlist needed -- so 3 of the 4 seats showing as taken on the seatmap are us. I'll wait until we're within the window and call in.
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Old Feb 8, 22, 3:49 pm
  #41  
 
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I have a flight SMF to MSP. I booked it a few weeks ago in main cabin and got the complimentary comfort plus upgrade right away. I called today to apply a RUC and get into 1st (web site showed available) and the agent was adamant that since I bought main cabin under the new system I was already upgraded one class (to comfort) and couldn't use an RUC. Is she right or is this HUCA scenario?

Web site FAQs say:
  • Flights with First Class: If you purchase Main Cabin or Comfort+, when you apply your Upgrade Certificate, you will be upgraded to First Class upon request.
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Old Feb 8, 22, 4:10 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by MSPtoMEL View Post
I have a flight SMF to MSP. I booked it a few weeks ago in main cabin and got the complimentary comfort plus upgrade right away. I called today to apply a RUC and get into 1st (web site showed available) and the agent was adamant that since I bought main cabin under the new system I was already upgraded one class (to comfort) and couldn't use an RUC. Is she right or is this HUCA scenario?

Web site FAQs say:
  • Flights with First Class: If you purchase Main Cabin or Comfort+, when you apply your Upgrade Certificate, you will be upgraded to First Class upon request.
HUCA.
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Old Feb 8, 22, 4:41 pm
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by MSPtoMEL View Post
I have a flight SMF to MSP. I booked it a few weeks ago in main cabin and got the complimentary comfort plus upgrade right away. I called today to apply a RUC and get into 1st (web site showed available) and the agent was adamant that since I bought main cabin under the new system I was already upgraded one class (to comfort) and couldn't use an RUC. Is she right or is this HUCA scenario?

Web site FAQs say:
  • Flights with First Class: If you purchase Main Cabin or Comfort+, when you apply your Upgrade Certificate, you will be upgraded to First Class upon request.
Sounds like the agent is confusing RUCs with the GUC change.
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Old Feb 8, 22, 7:39 pm
  #44  
 
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Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Has anyone seen RUC availability displayed correctly for domestic D1 flights? I know RUCs still require OY. It seems the website shows availability only for GUCs where Z is available? GUC doesn't even show available under the new rule "last seat" provisions. I suspect this is a bug (or a "feature" of Delta's world-class IT) and yet another burden placed on agents to figure out.
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Old Feb 8, 22, 10:11 pm
  #45  
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Originally Posted by 13thandseven View Post
Has anyone seen RUC availability displayed correctly for domestic D1 flights? I know RUCs still require OY. It seems the website shows availability only for GUCs where Z is available? GUC doesn't even show available under the new rule "last seat" provisions. I suspect this is a bug (or a "feature" of Delta's world-class IT) and yet another burden placed on agents to figure out.
Not a bug. Neither International nor Domestic D1 have last seat availability for GUC upgrades. Last seat availability is only applicable for flights with Domestic FC with GUCs. See Wiki.

GUCs
Flight has D1 with no DPS
MC/C+ = Purchased
D1 = Z (Old Policy = OY)
Last edited by xliioper; Feb 8, 22 at 10:19 pm
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