Feb 2, 22, 11:25 pm
Last edit by: bgriff
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)
Im not able to check-in online for a flight where RUC/GUC was applied.
The problem is most likely that your upgrade cleared but your ticket has not been re-issued. Call to request a manual re-issue of your ticket.
__________________________________________________ __
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
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.
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)
Im not able to check-in online for a flight where RUC/GUC was applied.
The problem is most likely that your upgrade cleared but your ticket has not been re-issued. Call to request a manual re-issue of your ticket.
__________________________________________________ __
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.
Using Regional Upgrades on Delta (RUC) post 2/1/2022
Dec 6, 22, 12:19 pm
#751
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,180
Keep in mind online upgrades (with certs) was promised as "coming soon" right after the merger in 2008. (NWA already had it available prior to the merger). Not holding my breathe.
Dec 6, 22, 2:30 pm
#752
Join Date: Sep 2022
Location: ATL, DSM
Programs: Delta PM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 22
Interesting that you mention that. Last night they cancelled the second leg of my HNL-SEA-ATL and I was going to arrive much later than I wanted. I called today and they changed me over to HNL-JFK-ATL in D1 and FC using my original cert, and did not charge me the higher base fare (~350/pax) since they canceled and changed my previous plans by >2 hours. BTW, the first agent on the DM line, could not get it done and insisted I needed a GUC, even though Delta.com said a RUC would work. The second try agent struggled a little at first but just did it all manually (her words) and she seemed quit adept at working with the upgrades.
Dec 6, 22, 4:28 pm
#753
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,596
Few months ago I waitlisted myself using RUC on my first delta reservation, which now says 'upgrade waitlisted'.
Today, saw availability on another different delta reservation of mine, applied my RUC, its ticketed and RUC is marked as used. I no longer have any more RUC.
What happens to the first reservation - do I need to contact delta to "un-waitlist" it?
Today, saw availability on another different delta reservation of mine, applied my RUC, its ticketed and RUC is marked as used. I no longer have any more RUC.
What happens to the first reservation - do I need to contact delta to "un-waitlist" it?
Dec 6, 22, 7:56 pm
#754
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 160
Double RUC possible to use on domestic?
Just realized I made a big mistake redeeming RUC for 2022 year and now stuck with them for only up to end Jan. Is it pssible to use 2 RUC on domestic flights shwoing GUC upgrade availability? I havent seen any comments to that but maybe possible?
Dec 7, 22, 6:03 am
#755
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,180
You didn't make a mistake. Effective February 1, 2022 all RUC's & GUC's expire at the end of that status year no matter when you choose them. Unfortunately, they will not allow the use of two certificates in place of one GUC. A lot of people are in the same boat.
Last edited by Mr. Tickets; Dec 7, 22 at 7:14 am
Dec 7, 22, 8:50 am
#756
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,012
Time of waitlist request is in theory part of the prioritization of who gets it, so better to request ASAP.
Dec 7, 22, 11:43 am
#757
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MHT, CHS
Programs: DL DM, Hilton Dia, Avis Pres Club
Posts: 1,244
An RUC is the top of the pecking order unless someone is burning a GUC (As I once did)
Then within the RUC it is the same pecking order, Diamond, Pltm, Gold Silver and the first tie breaker is the time of the request
Then within the RUC it is the same pecking order, Diamond, Pltm, Gold Silver and the first tie breaker is the time of the request
Dec 7, 22, 6:32 pm
#758
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: JFK/YYZ
Programs: DL DM, AC 75K, NEXUS, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 61
Plenty of RUC space in mid-Jan, booked with SM and immediately called Diamond line to apply 4x RUCs. Relatively painless procedure, just took the agent took 30 minutes to figure it out. Excited to fly the 764 with travel companion as it's a nostalgic product for me. Thanks for the post!
Dec 8, 22, 4:23 pm
#759
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,394
Dec 8, 22, 11:35 pm
#760
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 807
I've applied a couple RUC's recently. I tried to ask the Delta desk to re-issue my ticket a couple times, they keep saying the same thing and asking for me to wait till the automated system processes it. Any advice on how to get this done sooner as I don't want to wait until check-in.
Dec 10, 22, 6:34 pm
#761
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: DL PM/MM, Hilton Silver, SPG+, Hertz PC
Posts: 7,898
RUC correctly applied ?
I have a few pre-covid RUC expiring 1/31, so I called in to have them applied to a SFO-MSP-IAH outbound on 1/30.
The agent processed my request quickly; said SFO-MSP is waitlisted, but MSP-IAH was good to go.
Now my reservation looks like this:
SFO-MSP V Confirmed Seat assigned
MSP-IAH V Confirmed Seat assigned
MSP-IAH OL Confirmed Select seat
The funny thing is that when trying to select a seat on all three flights now I get a message
"We're sorry, but the seat map for this flight is view only. If you need assistance, please contact a Delta representative by using the Message Us button on our Help Center page."
For MSP-IAH it does not even show the seat map. Map is shown on the SFO-MSP leg.
Was the RUC applied correctly and is there a way to select my seat in F ?
Doesn't say "upgrade waitlisted" on SFO-MSP.
Also, apologies it has been years since I used a RUC last, would upgrade on both flights require 2 RUC's ?
Update:
Texted DL and they promptly fixed it: reservation now looks normal, with SFO-MSP "upgrade waitlisted" and I could select my seat on the segment already upgraded.
I have a few pre-covid RUC expiring 1/31, so I called in to have them applied to a SFO-MSP-IAH outbound on 1/30.
The agent processed my request quickly; said SFO-MSP is waitlisted, but MSP-IAH was good to go.
Now my reservation looks like this:
SFO-MSP V Confirmed Seat assigned
MSP-IAH V Confirmed Seat assigned
MSP-IAH OL Confirmed Select seat
The funny thing is that when trying to select a seat on all three flights now I get a message
"We're sorry, but the seat map for this flight is view only. If you need assistance, please contact a Delta representative by using the Message Us button on our Help Center page."
For MSP-IAH it does not even show the seat map. Map is shown on the SFO-MSP leg.
Was the RUC applied correctly and is there a way to select my seat in F ?
Doesn't say "upgrade waitlisted" on SFO-MSP.
Also, apologies it has been years since I used a RUC last, would upgrade on both flights require 2 RUC's ?
Update:
Texted DL and they promptly fixed it: reservation now looks normal, with SFO-MSP "upgrade waitlisted" and I could select my seat on the segment already upgraded.
Last edited by thesaints; Dec 10, 22 at 11:17 pm Reason: Addendum
Dec 10, 22, 9:22 pm
#762
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. / Washington, DC
Programs: AA PPro/DL PLT, PPass, Marriott / Hilton Gold, JetBlue Mosaic, Hertz Presidents Circle, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,623
Texted DL to get waitlisted for a flight that showed Z0 and surprisingly they confirmed me in OL. Second time this happens.
Dec 11, 22, 12:59 pm
#763
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Diamond, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,666
FYI - it looks like there is a good RUC availability on the JFK/HNL route (primarily from JFK, but I also see some from HNL) in January. Hard to see a better use of an RUC than on a 9-10 hour flight on a 767-400.
Dec 11, 22, 8:28 pm
#764
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, AC 50K, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,623
I really wish Delta would get this "you don't have an e-ticket" issue sorted out. Every single time I apply a RUC/GUC I have this issue at check in. To add more fun today I got a rep that was like, "due to account security I am unable to check you in as you can only check in from one device," and I was like what are you even talking about? I'm not asking you to check me in, this ticket needs to be reissued because it has an RUC attached to it, that's what I'm asking you to do.
At least I have now successfully used all but 1 of my 1/31/23 RUCs. My apologies to the 12 people and growing waiting for 0 F seats on an IAH-LGA flight tomorrow, and the people on my return flight.
At least I have now successfully used all but 1 of my 1/31/23 RUCs. My apologies to the 12 people and growing waiting for 0 F seats on an IAH-LGA flight tomorrow, and the people on my return flight.
Dec 12, 22, 12:53 pm
#765
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 228
Travelling on Friday out of JFK and there are 7 FC seats showing as available. Im past the 5 day PM window so i assume Delta thinks they can sell these seats and will hold off on UGs. I applied an RUC when i booked the flights (inventory has been wait listed). I assume if I get the upgrade, there's really no way of knowing if it was the complimentary PM upgrade or through my RUC? This one is expiring in 2023 so I dont have strong feelings about it either way.
