atlflyer5

I will be flying to the Bay Area end of April (midweek). What is the best option (with highest probability) to be upgraded? Any days that are particularly good?

Thanks!

WBurcham

sjc..

SJC ORD LDR

I would also define more likely as a slim chance as opposed to no chance. ATL-SJC is sadly down to one 738 that returns as a red-eye.

tgerstel

Direct, both pretty slim. Last time I did SFO was #63 on the UG list.

I've had better luck taking a morning flight through MSP (was cheaper too...)

Task Force DL

I gave up on ATL routing for my weekly commute (SJC/SFO) a year ago. I now go through JFK. Upgrade percentage as a PM on K/Q/M/H fares was terrible ATL-SJC and ATL-SFO. The 737-800 is also very cramped for the ATL-SJC route. As far as SFO goes, look for when the spring schedule changes and they start flying 767s. There are many more F seats on those SFO flights.

Another alternative is to hop through SLC to SJC/SFO. I had much better upgrade experiences on the ATL-SJC routing and there are many many flights per day so you can SDC to get on a flight with better upgrade chances.

TFD

Contradancer

I disagree with this. Typically the 767s are the domestic configuration and have 24 first class seats. Occasionally you'll find an international configuration but it is the exception not the rule. And this past year it happened more often in November/December/January than in peak season when presumably those aircraft are truly flying internationally.

All the 757s I've seen on this route have at least 24 first class seats, most 26.

So on a 767 there are more economy passengers vying for the same or few number of first class seats than on a 757.

Not better upgrade odds.

WBurcham

ATL-SFO 767's are, for the most part, Internationally equipped 767's with 36 Business Class seats.

Task Force DL

Thx WB - This was exactly my point.

Duh - The reason that they fly a 767 seasonally is because of increased *LEISURE* travel to SFO when the weather is nice on the West Coast. On average, leisure travelers have little/no status. So, I would much rather be competing with a bunch of leisure travelers on a 76x than a bunch of DMQM DM/PM business travelers on a 75x.

TFD

mnredfox

ATL-SAN is 763 non ER with no Biz Elite.

apados

They mix in 752 + 763 on the non-stop ATL-SAN. Typically I recall seeing 2-3 763 M-F (I think its the 7:45AM flight SAN-ATL and the 9:50 SAN-ATL) with the rest being 752s.

Contradancer

I confess I did not base my claim on anything resembling a randomized scientific search through delta.com. I based it on my experience since May 2009 flying ATL-SFO first flight Monday morning or sometimes 7pm or 9:30pm Sunday night and back Thursday night on the red eye or sometimes Friday morning 6am. From May through August at least the Monday morning flight was invariably a domestic 767. Then it changed to a mix of 757 and 767, usually 757, and only rarely (once? twice?) an internationally configured 767. The red eye was invariably a domestic 767 through mid-December, then a 757, also with an occasional, very occasional, internationally configured 767. The Friday morning flight back was less consistently a 767 but when it was it was domestic.

Given there are around six flights a day each way seven days a week I guess my sample size, well, was not good.

Contradancer

I was unable to glean from your first post that you thought it was easier to upgrade in the summer. I thought you were saying it was easier to upgrade on a 767 because it's a bigger first class cabin. That is what I was disagreeing with.

Sounds like then you think season is the relevant factor, not configuration. I fly peak times of the week when there are lots of business folks. No doubt as you point out during summer while there are still lots of business folks at the peak times I fly there are also more leisure folks. Didn't matter for me. Maybe however it matters for off-peak (i.e. mid-week or mid-day) travel?

mnredfox

Yes, most are 752's. I think 1 or two 763's as you say...