Delta Fare Upgrade Priority Question
Mar 19, 2019, 3:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Delta Fare Upgrade Priority Question
I understand that Delta does upgrades prioritized by a specific order, primarily prioritized by your fare. How does it work in a scenario where let's say:
1. I book an X fare for $260 to my destination
2. Another Medallion member of the same status books a T fare for $230 on the same route
In the above scenario, T fares are typically higher priority as I understand it, but how does Delta deal with T fares that ended up cheaper than X fares?
1. I book an X fare for $260 to my destination
2. Another Medallion member of the same status books a T fare for $230 on the same route
In the above scenario, T fares are typically higher priority as I understand it, but how does Delta deal with T fares that ended up cheaper than X fares?
Mar 19, 2019, 3:21 pm
#2
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Mar 19, 2019, 3:24 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: Delta Platinum, AA Plat Pro, F9 Elite 100k
Posts: 151
So is it first prioritized by the fare bucket, then the price of fares within that bucket? In my example above the cheaper T fare would win?
Mar 19, 2019, 3:57 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Historically the price of the fare did not matter, it was strictly by fare bucket. However, I don't think anybody has ever found a clear definition of what "Fare Class Groupings" are, so at this point probably nobody outside of DL knows.
Mar 19, 2019, 6:28 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2013
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As a data point, my wife and I are both DM, MM, Delta Reserve holders. My wife booked an X fare OW for $268 and I later booked a T fare on the same flight for $260. Neither of us cleared in advance. On DoD my wife was above me on the upgrade list and cleared (I didn't). Both tickets were purchased at Delta.com.
Mar 19, 2019, 6:36 pm
#6
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More than likely "fare class groupings" is used due to C+ fares and they likely "group" those fares together with coach fares based on the underlying fare basis code rather than simply looking at the booking class. They only started using the groupings term after C+ fares were introduced. I'd say it's unlikely the upgrade system actually looks at the fare paid (how would it handle cases like corporate discounted fares or bulk/exception fares, for example?).
Mar 19, 2019, 7:21 pm
#7
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At one point they published them. It was basically something like groups of three fare classes. Ie YBM and then the next three.
Mar 19, 2019, 7:26 pm
#8
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The higher the fare class generally the higher the price. Going strictly by price would be way to complicated due to married segments and fact fares cover more than one segment in most cases (connections). YBM are grouped as one then the next three as next group, etc. (This at least was the case a year or so ago when they briefly published the groupings)