SDC - give up the upgrade?
May 25, 2023, 5:57 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 797
SDC - give up the upgrade?
I am in MSP right now and I am leaving on the 9:55 flight this evening. But there is a 7:10 PM flight. I have F via OU upgrade on the 9:55.
Do you take the 7:10 and sit in back in normal economy? or do you get home three hours earlier?
Personally the upgrade is not worth the three hours. But I am curious what others do when confronted with this option.
Do you take the 7:10 and sit in back in normal economy? or do you get home three hours earlier?
Personally the upgrade is not worth the three hours. But I am curious what others do when confronted with this option.
May 25, 2023, 6:05 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,021
Too many additional variables. How long is the flight? Which seats are still open on 7:10PM flight? What do your upgrade chances look like on it? I'd consider it for a flight < 2 hours, but probably won't risk getting stuck next to a POS in coach/C+ on flights longer than that.
Last edited by xliioper; May 25, 2023 at 6:11 am
May 25, 2023, 8:52 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Death March, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott/Hilton Gold Life
Posts: 1,543
always go earlier. I've done this dozens of times. Including middle seat.
Eating dinner at my home table 1-3 hours before I was to depart is worth gold to me.
(also you never know if flights will be delayed)
Eating dinner at my home table 1-3 hours before I was to depart is worth gold to me.
(also you never know if flights will be delayed)
May 25, 2023, 9:44 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 832
It depends. I just did this last month, because the flight I was supposed to be on was clearly going to be delayed (and was, by over 2 hours) which would have resulted in me missing a dinner reservation. So I flew in steerage on an earlier flight because getting there was more important than sitting up front. If there was no pressing matter in front of me, I probably wouldn't do it. But every situation is different.
It also allowed me to burn a couple drink vouchers.
It also allowed me to burn a couple drink vouchers.
May 25, 2023, 11:37 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,358
not knowing OP's actual destination, I'll agree with most of the others regarding looking at the full picture associated with the early flight ... it's one thing to be in 32E on MSP-OMA if you get home at 9 rather than midnight; it's entirely another if you're going MSP-SFO
May 25, 2023, 11:42 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,393
not knowing OP's actual destination, I'll agree with most of the others regarding looking at the full picture associated with the early flight ... it's one thing to be in 32E on MSP-OMA if you get home at 9 rather than midnight; it's entirely another if you're going MSP-SFO
For any decent length flight, I respectfully think others are insane to suggest suffering in Y just to get home a couple hours earlier. If it's MSP-OMA or MSP-ORD, sure whatever.
May 25, 2023, 3:21 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 797
Fwiw I actually got out of school at 3. I dumped DL and took a UA flight at 4:11. I am in economy minus on an aisle.
of course there is a ground stop at DEN now…….
but I always take the earlier flight too. I have had enough of airports and the BS that goes on around them.
of course there is a ground stop at DEN now…….
but I always take the earlier flight too. I have had enough of airports and the BS that goes on around them.
May 25, 2023, 7:14 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: The Airport
Programs: Delta PM
Posts: 183
No guarantee that the later flight leaves, so if the crew and pilot and plane are all there on the earlier flight, take it. I opted to keep my upgrade, flight cancelled and I got stuck in a hotel for the night, an early flight the next morning on a middle economy seat.