Originally Posted by DMPHL

I was able to clear, immediately after booking, a GUC from Y to D1 on the ATL-JNB in October (just before the Feb 1 changeover), on my preferred date...I'm guessing this was extreme luck.

Originally Posted by DLATL777

This isnt years ago. You have 2 years of pent up premium demand to South Africa/Safaris. OP should purchase if its important.

Originally Posted by RhinoDL

I'm seeking some advise from the community on a 2-week trip my partner and I are planning to JBN this upcoming fall from the ATL area (HSV, CHA, BNA, BHM, etc.). As way of context, we still have 2 GUCs to burn this year; I'm a Diamond (1st time) and she is/will be a Gold/Plat by that time. We would like at least one of the legs to be in D1 using the GUCs but also not opposed to shelling out a little more to get the other legs in D1 as well. Unless Delta offers some accelerator MQD program I will likely only be about $10k in MQDs as I usually rely on my Amex (25k) for the MQD waiver. Here are a couple questions:

(1) If we acquire round-trip PS tickets; which way would be the most advantageous to use the GUCs; outbound or return? I get that outbound will allow you to land a little more fresh and jump into the vacation but do most people have a preference on this long of a flight. I took a DUB-ATL flight a few years ago in Delta BusinessClass (pre-D1) and it was good but still exhausting.

(2) Is there any good strategies to purchase tickets on partner airlines for this route (or a pass thru Europe)? I have some of skymiles (+400k) and about 150k in Chase Ultimate Reward points; and we probably have another 100k in AmexPoints.

One strategy was for me to buy a RT D1 ticket using Chase points and $ so I can get the ~$5500 MQDs and then use skymiles (200k right now) to purchase a RT in PS for wife and apply my GUCs to her outbound and return leg. I know right now there is a dirth of deals TATL, and I'm not itching to pull the trigger this far out but any constructive advise would be appreciated.