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Old Jun 16, 2009, 7:28 am
  #1  
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Upgrade Methodology

So my business partner and I are both PMs and bought T class tix to EWR from ATL at the same time. I am #1 on the upgrade list and he is #2. However, year to date, he has 60,000 MQM, I only have 50,000 MQM. His trailing 12-month MQM is higher than mine. He is also sitting on more skymiles in his account than I (if this is a factor). Why the heck am I ahead of him on the waitlist? I'm not complaining...just trying to learn the system. Thanks.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 7:33 am
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As per Delta's explanation of this in the complimentary upgrade section of the website. " if medallion level and fair class are the same then time of ticketing is the tie breaker".
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 7:45 am
  #3  
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Thanks for pointing that out.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 11:07 am
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That's a common misconception. Accrued YTD mileage and how many miles you're "sitting" on play no part in the upgrade game. Only fare class, your status, and ToT.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 12:51 pm
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Originally Posted by ATLTraveler2
As per Delta's explanation of this in the complimentary upgrade section of the website. " if medallion level and fair class are the same then time of ticketing is the tie breaker".
This is why I always book my trip, then tell my coworker what flights I chose. He is also PM but I ticket ahead so I am higher on the list. Sneaky but it works
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 1:26 pm
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Originally Posted by bwhite
This is why I always book my trip, then tell my coworker what flights I chose. He is also PM but I ticket ahead so I am higher on the list. Sneaky but it works
I hope you at least try to make it up to him by bringing him a cocktail or bag of chips to his seat in cattle class. Hehe.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 4:14 pm
  #7  
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Interesting that the OP should have thought that current mileage accumulation was not unlikely to be a factor in the upgrade process on DL.

For years, "how much has he flown with us lately" was a determinant used by America West when upgrades were being allocated. Prior to the merger with US, I had never heard of that type of method being used by any airline.

However, in my last days as a US CP, it was mentioned on FT that the HP guys were absolutely committed to putting that into the US procedures. I do not know if that actually did happen, but I might guess that the OP may originally be from out west somewhere and at one time possibly was a steady customer of HP before the takeover of US.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 4:33 pm
  #8  
 
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Originally Posted by bwhite
This is why I always book my trip, then tell my coworker what flights I chose. He is also PM but I ticket ahead so I am higher on the list. Sneaky but it works
That's funny - I do the same exact thing.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 4:34 pm
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Originally Posted by monitor
Interesting that the OP should have thought that current mileage accumulation was not unlikely to be a factor in the upgrade process on DL.

For years, "how much has he flown with us lately" was a determinant used by America West when upgrades were being allocated. Prior to the merger with US, I had never heard of that type of method being used by any airline.

However, in my last days as a US CP, it was mentioned on FT that the HP guys were absolutely committed to putting that into the US procedures. I do not know if that actually did happen, but I might guess that the OP may originally be from out west somewhere and at one time possibly was a steady customer of HP before the takeover of US.
I thought NW took into account how much you've flown that year? Not sure if they do that any more.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 4:38 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by jfulcher
I thought NW took into account how much you've flown that year? Not sure if they do that any more.
I would think that they never did since for many years I almost always got upgraded on NW as a CO Plat never having bought a ticket from them.
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 7:14 pm
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Originally Posted by jfulcher
That's funny - I do the same exact thing.
Now if your partner had a DL Reserve card would that move him above you? (does that trump time?)
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Old Jun 16, 2009, 7:27 pm
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Originally Posted by brazzleman
Now if your partner had a DL Reserve card would that move him above you? (does that trump time?)
yes.
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Old Jun 17, 2009, 2:48 am
  #13  
 
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In the past, I've lost out on upgrades by reason of YTD MQM. Maybe that changed recently, but I thought it was a criterion in the not-too-distant past.
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Old Jun 17, 2009, 6:32 am
  #14  
 
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Not for complimentary domestic upgrades. I think it can come into account for op-ups and the such. As long as we've been maintaining a list here MQMs has never been a factor.

Also MM is no factor either.
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Old Jun 17, 2009, 8:06 am
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by bwhite
This is why I always book my trip, then tell my coworker what flights I chose. He is also PM but I ticket ahead so I am higher on the list. Sneaky but it works
Does it ever backfire on you when you buy the last K fare and he gets a Q?
swps is offline  


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