Nowadays they only gush about your fare ba$i$, not your status.

Avflyer:

Whose miles are you using to upgrade on VS? We just came back from a wonderful JFK-LHR-JNB JNB-LHR-JFK UCS experience and would love to be able to repeat. If we can use DL miles to upgrade, this might be worthwhile.

thanks,

Maybe your status.... ;)

AMEX miles. I first signed up for a VS FF account. Then when I booked my flight, while talking on the phone to VS reservations, went online to AMEX and processed a transfer of 20K points (=20K miles) as the return was only available for upgrade from PE to UC. I check daily for an outbound to clear. This is also quite easy as you can select "Flight For Miles" on the VS site (after you log in) and then just book a one-way on the date you are traveling in the UC cabin. If it's available, I will call in while online and transfer another 20K. The points/miles made it over to VS in seconds. As I understand it, the UC upgrade and full free ticket are drawn from the same fare class so this type of search should be accurate.

Sorry for the delay in letting everyone know the outcome:

Flight had some issues. First, I hadn't cleared any waitlists by day of departure. Trudged on down to PHL and made offers to do bizarre routings to both the ticket counter agents and the CRC agents. No go. None of them were empowered to move me to an AF flight in biz in exchange for my seat on DL 58, and they couldn't do anything about me on DL. So I resigned myself to experiencing the joys of Delta's International Coach product for the first time since 1992. Get to the gate for my PHL-ATL flight (DL 1249) and it gets severely delayed because of a mechanical (panel on the wing was loose. They tried to "borrow" a panel from AA, but AA told DL to pound sand). Back to the CRC for rebooking. They were able to rebook me to LGW via CVG, but no business class for CVG-ATL, even though I was IRROPS and PM MM. CVG-LGW was oversold. They WERE able to snag a good seat - 18B.

Get to CVG with about an hour and a half to spare. Go to the CRC and ask about the upgrade (btw, when I was rebooked via CVG, I asked SMS to add me back to the waitlist, which they did without comment. Of course, I knew the "no day of departure upgrades" rule, but I was surprised that SMS put me on the waitlist without telling me about the rule. If you're going to have the rule, close the stupid list on day of departure). Get to the CVG CRC and ask about my upgrade (I play stupid and look dumb/innocent). The CRC lady was very nice, but explained the "No upgrades on day of departure". O.k., at this point, I'm definitely going to experience coach.

Wander on over to the gate (my last shot). The Gate Agent is having EVERYONE check in (equipment change). When I get up to the counter, I innocently ask about my upgrade. The Gate Agent very sternly informs me that Delta NEVER does Day of Departure International Upgrades and, as a Platinum Medallion Million Miler who's flown with Delta for as long as I have, I should know better than to even ask! She then went on to explain that she needed my seat, so she was reseating me and hands me my new boarding pass for 5E :D She pointed out that she was issuing me a courtesy upgrade and I wouldn't have any miles deducted for it, but I should never count on that happening and I should expect that, if my upgrades don't clear before the day of departure, I won't be upgraded.

Amusingly, many of the same FAs (and Captain Kathy) were working the flight, and they remembered me from the previous week. I slept very well on the flight :D

Spiff will claim that you have AA to thank. :D

avflyer, thanks! As there are only 14 UCS seats MCO-LGW, I guess I will have as little chance using miles to upgrade as I did for reward seats. Thanks for the explanation, though. I will keep it in mind when I do want to go to London again.

Marc

Well, no matter how it happened, I'm glad you got your upgrade, jimrpa (and some sleep :)

Jimrpa...God I love the happy ending type of story. :cool:

Thanks everyone, and for those who were following my saga with my company wanting me to fly UA, I've booked my next trip on UA (the sleazeballs only made me Premier Executive, even though my company claimed they'd get me 1K based on the amount of travel I do :mad: ) I figure I still have enough time that, if my company DOESN'T come through with the UA upgrade (as they promised they would), I can still cancel the UA reservation and book DL. I'm looking forward to posting a DL vs. UA thread, like the previously posted DL vs. AA thread. By the way, all those UA people who are claiming that UA upgrades pretty much anyone on pretty much any fare? Well, for these "magic" corporate upgrades, I have to book in one of the two most expensive coach fare classes (Y or B). Already, it appears DL has a slight edge :rolleyes: I'll be sure and let everyone know about the free-flowing champagne and oestra caviar, presented by the phalanxes of nubile United nymphs, who attend to your every need. :D