carlosiah

Hi,

I booked a ticket with Latam from ATL-GIG, Delta operates the flight. I would like to know if there is a way I can upgrade this flight using Delta miles to business class. Online, although I can see the available seats, it doesn't allow me to select any of them or quote me any price. Would calling Delta help? or should I call Latam? or what can I do?

Thank you

xliioper

Delta Mileage Upgrade Awards (MUAs) are no longer available on flights within and between North and South America (even on destinations where they are available, they are limited to certain fare classes and cannot be used on cheaper fares). If there are no online FCM seat upgrade offers showing on delta.com (which are not offered on every flight and these are generated by system, and not at agent discretion), it's unlikely an agent will be able to do anything here.

carlosiah

Thank you,

So my ticket is Q and M class on LATAM, ATL-GIG on Delta metal. You are saying although I qualified for the fare class, MUA are not available for flight BETWEEN and WITHIN North America and South America?
Just want to have this clear.

xliioper

It doesn't even appear LATAM marketed flights can be upgraded (even if DL operated) as the only partner marketed flights DL lists on website as being MUA eligible are AF/KL marketed flights (in Y/B/M fare classes). Otherwise, flights must be DL marketed to be eligible (and operated by DL, AF, KL, VS, or AM with varying fare class requirements depending on operating carrier).

carlosiah

It is very confusing because their website says:

Things to know if you are upgrading through Reservations (Mileage Upgrade Awards)
https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...rades-and-more

• If you are not flying on a Delta-operated and Delta-marketed flight, Reservations can help you upgrade on a purchased ticket from Main Cabin or Delta Comfort+®, to First Class, Delta Premium Select or Delta One® using Mileage Upgrade Awards.
• Mileage Upgrade Awards allows you to use miles to upgrade on most Delta-operated flights and on certain Virgin Atlantic-operated, Air France/KLM-operated, and Aeromexico-operated flights

flyerCO

MUA aren't offered on flights between N and S America. It doesn't matter the marketing or operator.

For TATL, DL can upgrade VS, AF, KL, and AM flights. DL can also upgrade DL flights if sold (marketed) as DL, AF, or KL. (Unless something has changed VS/AM marketed won't work)

Note this only concerns MUA. There's other upgrade types. However segment (aka seat upgrades, aka seat map upgrades) can only be done if flight is both DL marketed and operated, plus ticket is on 006 stock.

Euteanzoic7216

I have the opposite issue. I redeemed Delta skymiles for an economy flight with LATAM, and want to know if I can use my LATAM Gold+ status and associated upgrade coupons to upgrade a LATAM operated flight from JFK-SCL, but ticketed by Delta. Anyone have experience doing that?

harlard

Just got off the phone with LATAM as I was curious about the upgrade process. I am in the same situation, where I bought my tickets through Delta, flying to S Am with LATAM. They have recently changed their policy (the agent was not able to tell me when it was enacted, but it was sometime between August and now); only LATAM-marketed and operated flights are eligible for cabin upgrades.

To wit: my reservation changed the international segment flight numbers as LATAM, while now it displays them as DL. Kind of sucks; turned out to be a waste of $40 to status match. Might just have to reroute through ATL instead of LAX, since DL's economy class product (and chances to get upgraded to Comfort +) kicks the crap out of LAN post-TAM merger.