mattya9

I've got a trip scheduled for this Friday LAS-ATL-BMI with the return through ATL on Sunday. I've got RUC's applied to all 4 legs but I'm curious if that's possibly holding me back from comp upgrades because the itinerary is going off the RUC availability instead of my status. Normally, the ATL-BMI and BMI-ATL legs are a shoe-in for comp upgrades especially as a DM. But I've noticed now that I'm 3 days out from the Friday flights and I haven't upgraded to F while seats keep filling up it's making me wonder if I should have only applied the RUC's to the LAS-ATL-LAS legs. I know I know it can most definitely be people buying an F seat or upgrade last minute. However, again, based on me traveling this route quite a bit as a DM an upgrade to F has pretty much always gone through at the DM window. So with all that being said, did I maybe handcuff myself a little by applying the RUCs to all legs and thus now I'm at the mercy of the revenue management gods instead of the comp upgrade gods?

OPS

MSPeconomist

My *guess* would be yes. At least preCOVID-19, free elite upgrades and instrument-supported upgrades came from different inventory buckets until they were combined at the gate. A further problem is that the RUC is considered used, according to my understanding, when the upgrade clears for even a short segment (assuming not a direct flight with the same flight numbers, so that both upgrades must clear together).

Zorak

IMO no. But if you wanted to be paranoid/OCD/type A about it, I would periodically do test bookings and see whether the site thinks there is availability and/or check the seat map and see if you can comp upgrade for free and/or call in and ask if there is RUC availabilty.

At one point in the relatively recent past, you could not waitlist for a RUC /and/ have the comp upgrade box checked at the same time (although I forget which one that made you ineligible for) but I don't think that is true any longer (for a while now).

flyerCO

Check to make sure the "upgrade requested " box is checked. If it is you are good to go. In the past you couldn't request both. Thus some agents who have been around ages, will uncheck the box.

Simplest way to check is via seatmap. If you're within upgrade window, click on an available seat in F. If there's medallion upgrade space available, it'll show you a price of $0/FREE to select the seat.

It's the end of summer, so LAS flights are very full, especially weekend flights. (Well all flights are full, but places like LAS/MCO/etc are completely full)

mattya9

Good call on checking the seat map. Thanks! Was able to move up on the ATL-BMI leg while the LAS-ATL is still waitlisted. That one will be tough on a Friday afternoon.

OPS

dldmfll

I have clicked on available seats in the past and cleared; lately, the available seats are Xd out!! Not sure what that means. My Saturday flight is Xd out with 5 F seats seemingly available. Any ideas??

DriKz

Sorry to hijack thread but I got plat. after I booked a JFK-SFO RT flights. I think I can still call to apply a RUC but I was wondering can I use both an RUC & Medallion and if medallion doesn't clear, then it goes to RUC? I'm not really clear on how that works (obviously I'd like to save the RUCs when I can), thoughts?

mattya9

Sounds like you're in the same boat as I am. Based on what I've found out since I started this thread, since you only have one leg each way I would just apply the RUC as it would have higher priority than if you just relied on your medallion status. Applying an RUC would put you at the top of the list of all other PMs. Of course it's hit or miss but with a premium heavy route like this I wouldn't count on your comp upgrade to clear ahead of time. But then again it's happened in the past. YMMV.

OPS

Zorak

look at the seat map in a web browser (not the app) -- if there is a message at the top that says something like, oops, seat selection is not available, then most likely your upgrade has cleared but is stuck in a state between waitlisted and confirmed. Call in and ask if it's cleared -- if so they can process it the rest of the way -- make sure they reissue the ticket while doing so, to save you having to call in again the day before (you won't be able to check in until it's reissued)

If you don't see the oops message, then you probably haven't cleared, just that RM algorithms have decided not to have an FCM offer for the time being.

Comp upgrades to domestic D1 don't happen until day of departure. You could check-in and monitor your place on the list throughout the day and call in to apply a RUC (at least 3 hours before the flight) if you don't like your odds, but a few last minute SDCs or buy-ups could skew things and then you might miss out on the comp upgrade when a RUC would've been available earlier, so it's a balancing act...

DriKz

right now there are like 20+ D1 seats open, and liek 60+ seats open "standby". it seems to be a dead flight so far (hoping it sorta stays that way). but i did search online right now - there's no RUC availability for my flights so i'd be waitlisted anyways

So even for future reference, there's no real way to do both. It's kinda like a see and try your luck kind of thing or use RUC and be assured? (or more assured)?

flyerCO

Either some issues with your reservation or despite appearing to have open seats, cabin is in fact sold out. (Non North American passengers regularly don't preselect seats)