Curious upgrade offer
Feb 18, 2022, 9:12 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAS, MPL
Programs: DL Platinum, 1 MM
Posts: 1,321
Curious upgrade offer
I have a flight booked from AMS to PDX this summer. When I look at the trip I get a generous upgrade offer to D1 for the paltry sum of about $2100, one way, each passenger. When I look at the seat selection, I get the same upgrade offer for about $800. Which one would you take? ;-)
Feb 18, 2022, 10:57 am
#2
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: 100,413
Have you looked carefully at which segments would be upgraded? I'm guessing AMS-PDX has at least one connection.
There can also be differences in whether the ticket is being upfared, meaning that it earns as if it were a purchased D1 ticket versus whether you are merely purchasing a seat in a higher cabin. Seat upgrade purchases may not be refundable if you change the flights and the upgrade might not be honored if a schedule change or flight cancellation or IROPs forces you to rebook.
There can also be differences in whether the ticket is being upfared, meaning that it earns as if it were a purchased D1 ticket versus whether you are merely purchasing a seat in a higher cabin. Seat upgrade purchases may not be refundable if you change the flights and the upgrade might not be honored if a schedule change or flight cancellation or IROPs forces you to rebook.
Feb 18, 2022, 11:16 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2022
Programs: DL, UA, AA
Posts: 1,996
Feb 18, 2022, 4:01 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAS, MPL
Programs: DL Platinum, 1 MM
Posts: 1,321
Have you looked carefully at which segments would be upgraded? I'm guessing AMS-PDX has at least one connection.
There can also be differences in whether the ticket is being upfared, meaning that it earns as if it were a purchased D1 ticket versus whether you are merely purchasing a seat in a higher cabin. Seat upgrade purchases may not be refundable if you change the flights and the upgrade might not be honored if a schedule change or flight cancellation or IROPs forces you to rebook.
There can also be differences in whether the ticket is being upfared, meaning that it earns as if it were a purchased D1 ticket versus whether you are merely purchasing a seat in a higher cabin. Seat upgrade purchases may not be refundable if you change the flights and the upgrade might not be honored if a schedule change or flight cancellation or IROPs forces you to rebook.
Feb 18, 2022, 4:37 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
Where is the upgrade offer being displayed? Do you have a screenshot? If it's part of modifying flights, it would be an upfare (pay fare difference and reticket) and you would get credit for upgrade purchase if you decided to change flights. If you purchase via seat selection, it's not an upfare and you lose any value from upgrade purchase should you make a voluntary flight change (part of the reason why seat selection FCM offers can be less than fare difference).
Feb 19, 2022, 8:04 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2020
Programs: British Airways Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium, Singapore Krisflyer Gold
Posts: 152
Where is the upgrade offer being displayed? Do you have a screenshot? If it's part of modifying flights, it would be an upfare (pay fare difference and reticket) and you would get credit for upgrade purchase if you decided to change flights. If you purchase via seat selection, it's not an upfare and you lose any value from upgrade purchase should you make a voluntary flight change (part of the reason why seat selection FCM offers can be less than fare difference).
Last edited by wb2020; Feb 19, 2022 at 8:07 am Reason: Clarifying
Feb 19, 2022, 11:59 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAS, MPL
Programs: DL Platinum, 1 MM
Posts: 1,321
Where is the upgrade offer being displayed? Do you have a screenshot? If it's part of modifying flights, it would be an upfare (pay fare difference and reticket) and you would get credit for upgrade purchase if you decided to change flights. If you purchase via seat selection, it's not an upfare and you lose any value from upgrade purchase should you make a voluntary flight change (part of the reason why seat selection FCM offers can be less than fare difference).
The first offer (now lowered to 1361.37 Euro) shows on top of the list of flights when I click on the reservation. It shows "Upgrade to Premium Select" with a fancy picture, and next to it "Upgrade to Delta One", with an even fancier picture. Each one of these pictures has a "Select Seats" button next to it. It turns out the "Select Seats" both lead to the upgrade to premium select screen with the lower prices. Who knows who designed this interface, I wouldn't even know how to upgrade to D1 from this.
Feb 19, 2022, 12:40 pm
#9
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: 100,413
No idea how to post screenshots, seems way complicated (picture hosting sites? 2022?). I think I figured out that this whole thing is a "feature enhancement" implemented by the Delta IT interface gurus.
The first offer (now lowered to 1361.37 Euro) shows on top of the list of flights when I click on the reservation. It shows "Upgrade to Premium Select" with a fancy picture, and next to it "Upgrade to Delta One", with an even fancier picture. Each one of these pictures has a "Select Seats" button next to it. It turns out the "Select Seats" both lead to the upgrade to premium select screen with the lower prices. Who knows who designed this interface, I wouldn't even know how to upgrade to D1 from this.
The first offer (now lowered to 1361.37 Euro) shows on top of the list of flights when I click on the reservation. It shows "Upgrade to Premium Select" with a fancy picture, and next to it "Upgrade to Delta One", with an even fancier picture. Each one of these pictures has a "Select Seats" button next to it. It turns out the "Select Seats" both lead to the upgrade to premium select screen with the lower prices. Who knows who designed this interface, I wouldn't even know how to upgrade to D1 from this.
Feb 19, 2022, 1:19 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2022
Programs: DL, UA, AA
Posts: 1,996
Where is the upgrade offer being displayed? Do you have a screenshot? If it's part of modifying flights, it would be an upfare (pay fare difference and reticket) and you would get credit for upgrade purchase if you decided to change flights. If you purchase via seat selection, it's not an upfare and you lose any value from upgrade purchase should you make a voluntary flight change (part of the reason why seat selection FCM offers can be less than fare difference).
If it weren't for flyertalk (and you folks), I would have no idea at all that there was any difference.