Originally Posted by ATOBTTR (Post 37362344)

If you’re that close to DM, I’d either 1) mileage run for it (even on miles since you’d get MQDs miles with basically zero out of pocket cash cost) or 2) buy a Delta gift card this year that will provide enough MQDs from the purchase aspect that you can still use for next year and at least the MQDs from flying will still be earned in 2026 for 2027. With no rollover it seems almost silly to be so close and not get above the DM threshold especially since you could get direct cash value that would offset the difference like the $700 AmEx credit and either miles or a Delta voucher plus get GUCs and such.

Originally Posted by xliioper (Post 37360977)

One simple way to search is with Google Flights in calendar view. Looking at SLC-AMS route as an example, one-way Z fares go for $4K and under (after selecting a few flights and looking at fare class). So you can just look for dates on Google Flights which are showing a price of $4K or under which means there must be at least one flight with Z class inventory open. These Z fares do have a 50 day advance purchase requirement, so this technique will work as long as flights are more than 50 days out.

The reverse direction is a bit more involved since all Z fares in EU-US direction require a roundtrip booking from the US. But once you know dates with Z bucket open on outbound, you can use a roundtrip search on Google Flights and look at total price to find dates with Z bucket open on return. You can see from below that Sunday flights and mid-week flights frequently have Z bucket open. While dates with flights with Z inventory open is relatively tight in May, there are quite a few dates in June with availability (20 out of 30 days).

Originally Posted by Weekend Away (Post 37360885)

You were flying a hub to hub route, upgrades will be hard to come by. Flying ATL to spoke cities, I've been upgraded many times the past year or two as a silver.

I'm finding it hard to believe that IAD-ORD or IAD-IAH were handing out upgrades to you on UA.

Originally Posted by WantFunBuyFun (Post 37362323)

In my view if a paying J customer has IRROPs and needs a seat on a recovery flight they should oversell and bump someone who didn't buy it too, but I suspect that wouldn't be universally popular.

Originally Posted by DLASflyer (Post 37362229)

It depends where you are, when you fly and what equipment Delta uses in your market. I’m Diamond and get upgraded around 40% of the time. Here’s an example from today of Delta upgrading every eligble person with any status or even just a Reserve card. And after upgrading the whole list they still have two empty F seats. (The flight was almost full.)

Originally Posted by FlyBitcoin (Post 37361940)

Why DM is worth it.

• $700 AMEX credit is worth.... $700

Originally Posted by GagaPilot (Post 37362401)

Normally I’d agree with you and go for a mileage run since it’s so close, however I might not have been clear in my post, I already have DM for 2026 due to status extension. The only benefit to crossing the $28K MQD threshold in this case is gaining access to CBs instantly - otherwise I will get access around Feb 1st.

Originally Posted by jhartvu (Post 37360992)

First-year DM here. I cleared all 4 of my GUCs on transatlantic flights this year. All of my RUCs had me sitting in D1 on LAX-JFK transcons. I feel as if I’ve extracted maximum value from my certificates this year. YMMV.

Originally Posted by emma dog (Post 37360905)

FWIW, I’m flying TYS-ATL today ~30 min flight time. I was offered a $450 FCM at check in. And I’m 4/28 for one seat. I was watching the flight for a few days and there were maybe 3 seats open a week ago.

Which tells me that there are plenty of people paying for F. Maybe these folks are going to Europe out of ATL. Maybe there are a bunch of rich people/folks flying on OPM flying domestic F.

There are also at least 4 DM on my flight (me plus everyone above me).

As DLATL777 notes above, the upgrades at all the airlines have dropped off over the past 10-20+ years. I used to be upgraded regularly on US between PIT and SEA as a silver equivalent back in the 1990s. But between then and now, how may airlines have been forced into merger or bankruptcy? And in the same interval, F seats have gone from being ~3x+ coach to frequently only 25-50% more.

Originally Posted by Tennis69 (Post 37363531)

For me, my upgrade % as a DM started going down when Delta switched from a miles flown to $ spent requirement for status. $ spent has diluted the pool to where you have DM who fly 2 times a year.

Originally Posted by FlyAO2 (Post 37363477)

As bad as the upgrades have been I view Diamond as useful for these 4 things:

1) 4 RUCs (selected as platinum): People complain about these to no end, but I always find a way to use them. Z fares are regularly available in different markets and I use them for Caribbean trips. My value on these is $250-$300 each (so $1000-$1200)
2) 4 GUCs: I am not willing to use these and risk not getting DeltaOne double upgrade, so I buy Premium and upgrade to DeltaOne. Even with that - this is worth big money. I have not struggled to find availability
3) $700 AMEX Credit
4) 30,000 miles -- which I can usually squeeze about $400 out of.

The better phone support is nice, but not earth shattering and as noted, the higher priority for upgrades also isn't that meaningful.

To me - not even counting the GUCs which could be thousands, Diamond is worth $2000 - $2500 in tangible dollars...enough so that at the end of the year if I'm short, I'll pay taxes with the credit card to make up the difference.

Originally Posted by Tennis69 (Post 37363531)

For me, my upgrade % as a DM started going down when Delta switched from a miles flown to $ spent requirement for status. $ spent has diluted the pool to where you have DM who fly 2 times a year.