chuck1

I am buying a LGA-DFW and DFW-DCA ticket. Note I will use DL via ATL from DFW to DCA as that is exclusively ASA on the non-stops.

I have plenty of upgrade stickers, but don't use DL much anymore so I don't have any chance to use them up.

Anyway, I am GM, so I can upgrade the T fare at 12 hours and the K fare at 72 hours. The difference is $155 for the round-trip for all 3 segments.

The flights will be early morning on a Tuesday and Wednesday in November and are on an MD80.

Just wanted to survey everyone to see if they think it is worth $155 to have the ability to try and upgrade at 72 hrs vs. 12 hrs.

Thanks!

Marq

I am on the ATL-DCA run most monday mornings. Don't really know about Tuesday. I believe that 72 vs 12 is probably immaterial. It is most likely that you will be placed on the waitlist at 72 hours or waitlist will be closed. Either way, you will have to get on the list at the airport and your priority is almost identical. I can say Monday am that not being PM really limits your chances and your fare basis has nothing to do with it. If the flight is open on Tue/Wed, I think it will be immaterial whether you try at 72 or 12 hours, you should get it either way.

Don't know about other segments. You might want to check thread on LUT upgrades a little ways down the page.

marc

RobertS975

On such a short flight, I think the extra $$ without knowing for sure that you'd score the upgrade would NOT be worth the gamble. Buy the cheap fare and give it a shot at 12 hours.

traveling_again

Chuck- I have had pretty good percentages on the LGA-DFW route with 12 hour upgrades on LUT fares. I have been flying it 2-4 times a month since early spring. Before the summer season I was around 90% and since then I have been about 70%. As a GM on a K fare, you will probably give yourself a small bump in your chances. I decided last year to grandfather out on the medallion and to buy only the cheapest fare available on any non-RJ airline(I only bought K+ before the "enhancements").

If the back is very open, I sometimes don't even bother getting the upgrade since the FC has less leg room in Delta's MD88 than the exit rows. No meals on coach, the FC meals are ok, but IMHO these FC meals are barely better than coach meals were ten years ago. Remember, no entertainment system nor power ports on these aircraft.

As for your ATL-DCA leg, I've head those upgrades are hard to get for PMs on K+ (seen here on FT). I used to have good luck on the DFW-ATL route, but have not flown that since the grand old days of 2003 when I would easily get a BE seat on the MD-11.

I think you know which way I would go. Good luck on the decision/upgrade, maybe I'll see you in the front.. or the exit row.

sowalsky

I have had 100% upgrading on T-fares since the rules changed. My upgrade luck on K-fares was 0% as I never purchased them!

I say to go for the T fare. It's a crapshoot in both cases.

indufan

Never? Is it just luck that a K+ wasn't the cheapest available at some point and time?

BackOfTheBus

For $155, you can have some VERY nice meals on all 4 ends of the trip Save your money and T-it!