Only when I was checking what upgrade certificates I had left did I notice e-credit in my SkyMiles account. To my surprise, I found many dates with confirmed availability for the once-daily flight between New York (JFK) and Honolulu (HNL). Delta devaluing Global Upgrade Certificates - The Points Guy Using an Upgrade Certificate? While I dont necessarily think sitting up front is worth the ~$750 difference, my final upgrade certificate secured the seat in advance for me. If you're a top-tier Delta flyer, you'll now be able to request an upgrade using any unexpired Regional Upgrade Certificates or Global Upgrade Certificates when making a new reservation. No upgrade to first on the domestic legs, even though it seemed that the new policy should give first class on domestic (as there is no Premium Select) and Premium Select with a waitlist to Delta One on the international, hopefully to clear 24 hours before departure. I'm new to Delta and trying to understand their elite program. I book many flights that I end up canceling for either an ecredit or miles redeposited. Using regional upgrade certificates as platinum member : r/delta - Reddit If you are not automatically cleared for a confirmed upgrade before check-in, you'll be placed on the standby list ahead of complimentary upgrades. Your email address will not be published. The road to SkyMiles Medallion status requires a hefty amount of flying with Delta or its partners and spending on flights or on a co-branded Delta Amex card. Flights with two cabins will still clear into Delta One, and Comfort+ is still treated as Main Cabin in terms of upgrades. Even if you downgraded to Gold or Silver, you could use the certificates you earned the prior year. There are, unofficially, now stricter time limits during which you can redeem your certificates. Your continued loyalty means the world to us, said Delta. Historically, these certificates have provided a ton of value given that you can book a relatively inexpensive economy fare and upgrade all the way to Delta One. You might assume they reissued your ticket. Only allowing elites to upgrade to Premium Select degrades much of this value, as this cabin has fewer amenities and is generally priced much lower than the Delta One cabin. Do Delta's Upgrade Certificate Changes Affect Your Medallion Status Goals or Even Loyalty to Delta? And when you do, Premium Select might be the best you can do. In some cases, first-class lie-flat pods on select transcontinental or Hawaii routes can exceed $2,000 each way. The value can be immense, as you can upgrade your seat into the best available cabin on your flight for a fraction of the cost. The card_name is the new must-have it card for travel lovers! Using Regional Upgrades on Delta (pre 2/1/2022) Had a conversation with the DM line today about how to use regional upgrades. Others dont. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Finally, as of Feb 1, 2022, Delta is making upgrade certificates valid through the end of your status year. We focus on topics relating to travel including destinations, airline, hotel, car rental and credit card reward programs. Clearly, the major win for me here was my round-trip flight to Hawaii. DC+ is still main cabin, so RUCs can absolutely be used to go from main to FC any time! The most notable new policy deals with one-cabin-higher upgrades. Copyright 2023 Eye of the Flyer. Regional upgrades another one of the Choice Benefits options can exclusively be used to upgrade domestic and short-haul international flights. bonus_miles_full. I just checked mine today. Later in the post, Ill explainhow I personally made use of my RUCs this year and the estimated value I received from them. I could have used the 2021 certificates this year if Id known about these changes. Upgraded Points, LLC uses reasonable efforts to maintain accurate information on the site and prior to applying for any credit card offers found on UpgradedPoints.com, all visitors should review other features of such credit cards including but not limited to interest rates, annual fees and transaction fees, and should determine the suitability of such credit cards considering their own individual financial position. But Delta itself says Main Cabin to First Class is not affected. They just apply the certificate and send you on your merry little way. I can fly out of SFO, SMF, OAK, or SJC Im starting to get a little soured on loyalty.on top of that..the fact that other airlines have hot meals to the same destination as Delta. Then, you can select Regional Upgrade Certificates (RUCs) for your Choice Benefit. Flights with First Class: If you purchase Main Cabin or Comfort+, when you apply your Upgrade Certificate, you will be upgraded to First Class upon request. Im okay if they diminish the potential value if it it increases the expected value (i.e., benefits we can actually use). Is there any difference in scope between Regional Upgrade Certificates and the free upgrades that a Platinum/Diamond member gets anyway? New York (JFK) to Honolulu (HNL) Round-trip! Much to my surprise, my Regional Upgrade Certificateactually scored me a confirmed upgrade to First Class well before my upgrade window opened! It is an ongoing problem when applying the Certs..I call they say it is all OK and them cannot check-inhave to call again!! No matter which certificates you possess, there are some important things to know: If youve read through those long list of terms and are ready to use those upgrade certificates, heres another roadblock: finding availability. These certificates continue to pull from the same inventory as before the Feb. 1 update, and as before, are not always available for instant confirmation. Each unused Global Upgrade Certificate is eligible for 8,000 SkyMiles. Delta Extends Elite Status and Upgrade Certificates Into 2023 For example, the days of purchasing a Main Cabin ticket and applying a Global Upgrade Certificate to score a confirmed Delta One seat will be gone. As someone who will qualify for Diamond status for the first time next month, I can't help but be disappointed by this change. Last sentence should read But then that means that I also have to use my 2022 certificates by the end of 2022, rather than by January 31st 2024. You might not want a hotel credit card. If you're searching online for a domestic or short-haul international trip that's available for confirmation with a GUC, but not with an RUC, that means there are seats left for sale in the first-class cabin, but there's no regional upgrade inventory available at the moment. So if there's a seat for sale, you can use a certificate to upgrade. Delta lets you redeem them for SkyMiles. Stella was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she lived for nearly two decades. Historically, these upgrades have allowed Delta elites to upgrade from economy to Delta One business class when upgrade space is available. The new one-cabin-higher rule made things a bit confusing. Of course, you could instead choose to redeem a Global Upgrade Certificate to instantly confirm the seat, but those certificates are more valuable, so you might consider holding those for long-haul trips. In the above example, a one-way flight from Los Angeles to Maui in First Class is going for almost $2,000, with a Main Cabin fare of around $300, yielding you over $1,700 in value. The Response was only if there was inventory available for upgrades. Using Regional Upgrades on Delta (RUC) post 2/1/2022 Neither sounds appealing when compared to a confirmed upgrade. SkyMiles Benefits Extensions | Delta Air Lines Upgrade certificates selected as part of the 2024 Medallion Year Choice Benefits program must be booked and flown by January 31, 2025. The objective is to supplement and reinforce what students are learning in school using past exam papers with a particular focus on: . On Air France, youll be able to upgrade from coach to Premium Economy not business. Seems easier said than done these days, unfortunately. Delta told us well be able to manually apply Upgrade Certificates online sometime in the near future. Get the latest points, miles and travel news by signing up for TPGs free daily newsletter. How to Get a Free Upgrade on Delta - NerdWallet (Again, inventory permitting.) Related: How to not 'waste' your Delta upgrade certificates. There are a TON of credit cards out there. (See Rates and Fees. However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. Delta allows Platinum members to pick four Regional Upgrade Certificates. Your email address will not be published. I literally laughed out loud when I saw the exchange rates. Its ridiculous that this is a benefit. Im kind of dreading their promise next year to allow us to self-apply RUCs/GUCs. All Rights Reserved. That all changes next year. (See Rates and Fees. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Once an upgrade to Premium Select is confirmed, elites will be added to the Delta One upgrade waitlist 24 hours prior to departure, so there's still a chance of a double upgrade. Now, Diamond members need to consider the differences in upgrade availability when making this decision. Read the rules and pinned thread before you post or comment here. I used the latter strategy to reach Platinum Medallion status. Yet, Delta is still serving 1st class cabin box lunches and dinners. Youll have only the Medallion year (and the year during which you earn your status) to select the certificates, apply them to a reservation, and fly the trip. If there is confirmed award space at the time of booking, you can even redeem your RUCs online. Once an Upgrade Certificate is applied to your trip, your ticket needs to be reissued. var ni_ad_client = 662932; Some Delta phone representatives know this and can do it on the spot. I thought it was odd I had no credit to use when I booked my next overseas work trip. . I had a similar experience: the first Diamond Desk agent I spoke to said I would need two RUCs to go from Main to First, but all the others said only one is necessary. Several months later, I tried using the Fly Delta app to check in for that flight. Eye of the Flyer may receive a commission from the links below. With Delta it seems basically all flights can be re-booked / changed for free (just have to pay the fare difference -- or if the new flight is cheaper, you get an e-credit for the difference) so in the couple cases I was waitlisted, I got cold feed and ended up calling Delta to change it to a flight valid for confirmation at booking. See our Advertiser Disclosure for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. On the upside, I got to enjoy dinner onboard: a Mediterranean chicken bowl with a side salad. Even then, there may not have been availability when calling. After all, you'll rarely get less than 8,000 SkyMiles in value for your GUC, even if you use it to upgrade a domestic flight. Offer includes eligible Delta or The second trip was upgraded and also had to be cancelled (employer decision), but this time I asked our corporate travel agent to handle the cancellation with Delta and told her I had credit for the first cancelled trip under my control. Changes to the eligible fares for confirmed upgrade certificates have made more fares eligible. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. ( comfy+) Turns out if theres no inventory for upgrades your not getting a D1 seat, you will be wait listed even if theres 14 seats available for purchase. Regional Upgrade Certificates, available for Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members, offer upgrades on the same routes as Medallion Complimentary Upgrades, including all flights with First Class, the domestic Delta Premium Select experience and the domestic Delta One experience. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Not only was I not on the waitlist for the RUC, I was not on the upgrade list as a Platinum.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If having a Delta One seat is very important to you, then youll want to buy a Premium Select seat and apply your Global Upgrade Certificate for a better shot at Delta One. Most times with Delta I have to take indirect flights to get where I want to go and I pay a little more as well. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. When the change was announced, it seemed that it was going to be an easy process to upgrade. When Do Regional and Global Upgrade Certificates Expire? Also, twice I was told that when RUCs were not available, that I wouldnt be waitlisted if any space opened up. As a reminder, Diamond Medallion members can select GUCs from the Choice Benefits package when qualifying for status. So Regional Certificates are still fairly valuable for people trying to get Delta One upgrades on transcontinental flights (i.e., LAX to JFK). Sure, I could have waited to use my other certificates for a better redemption, such as a Delta One flight. There are, unofficially, now stricter time limits during which you can redeem your certificates. JuicyMiles would love to help your readers with early 2022 Mileage Runs to help take the sting out of this recent #downgrade. After all, why redeem a Global Upgrade Certificate on a short domestic flight when you can instead use it to confirm a premium cabin on a much longer flight? Learn here how to apply. Feature photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy. This is interesting. Buying a Main Cabin ticket would make you eligible.). Heres a success story. This makes all the difference in the world to me in whether I continue my Diamond status. However, it isnt always this easy. When you apply an Upgrade Certificate to your Delta Air Lines flight, ensure the Delta rep with whom you speak reissues your ticket. In addition, as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The ultimate guide to getting upgraded on Delta - The Points Guy Is there any difference in scope between Regional Upgrade Certificates and the free upgrades that a Platinum/Diamond member gets anyway? 51 Delta has just revealed a terrible devaluation to the value of the upgrade certificates that top tier elite members receive. Dont worry! Related: The ultimate guide to getting upgraded on Delta. The change also comes at a less-than-ideal time as the world is finally starting to reopen, so elites will either have to scramble to book international travel before Feb. 1 or play by the new rules. Heres what you should know: Despite the mile-long list of nuances to note, I was able to successfully redeem my RUCs without being placed on any waitlists. Granted, at least Delta offers something for the unused Certificates. Delta Comfort+, Main Cabin, and Basic Economy are three experiences within our Main Cabin. This is a great think to mention to a mistaken agent. This means that you can apply a Regional Upgrade Certificate (or RUC) to your flight. If there is space, you can apply your RUCs or GUCs seamlessly online! Now, if there's a seat left for sale in the forward cabin, it's yours to confirm with a Global Upgrade Certificate. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. GUCs can now be used to book last-seat availability in first class on these flights, which may be useful for some members. How Do I Get Delta Upgrade Certificates? Privacy Policy. She wanted to use Regional Upgrade Certificates to get her traveling party into First Class. UPgrade Revision Courses | Intensive Leaving Certificate & Junior Another good option to use regional upgrades is for flights to/from Hawaii, which can often be mostly sold full in First Class, meaning complimentary Medallion upgrades are hard to come by. You can purchase the ticket and then contact Delta's reservation department to add yourself to the upgrade waitlist using your RUC. For the most part, Delta devalued its Choice Benefit Upgrade Certificates. Previously, the only way to check this inventory was to manually call Delta to have them check over the phone. Sign up for Email||Twitter||Facebook||Tips & Tricks Dom F Tag meaning: Global Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in Last Seat J (Z = 0 for RUC) Upgrade Certificate Available = GUC in last seat J /or/ RUC in Z both available Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 2023 Upgraded Points, LLC. I thought it was supposed to increase availability. Its important to note theregional upgradescan clear at time of booking if upgrade space is available, otherwise they move you to the very top of the list on the airport standby list. Previously, these would have only been valid for 12 months from the date you selected your Choice Benefits. The first leg to Atlanta (ATL) is on a Boeing 757, while the longer flight to San Francisco (SFO) is operated by a Boeing 737. Eye of the Flyer may receive a commission from the links below. Regional Upgrade Certificates, available for Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members, offer upgrades on the same routes as Medallion Complimentary Upgrades, including all flights with First Class and the domestic Delta One experience. https://reddit.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair Delta started adding Premium Select to 767-300s and A330s. That said, there are definitely times when the price difference between coach and first classes on a domestic flight is steep. You can use these certificates on the same routes as Medallion Complimentary Upgrades, including all flights with First Class and the domestic Delta One experience. Can you please tell me if Im understanding the new rules properly? All Rights Reserved. If you have a Regional Upgrade Certificate and want to apply it toward a confirmed Delta First Class upgrade, you may buy a Main Cabin fare. This is far easier than how GUCs used to process, where upgrade space was often sparse. This is similar to international Delta One wherein you'll sit in a lie-flat seat and have an upgraded onboard meal. I hope everyone sends a complaint to CEO Ed Bastian at ed(dot)bastian(at)delta(dot)com. This summer, I plan on flying from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to San Francisco (SFO). The reissuance uncoupled my original ticket from the corporate travel account so the credit was issued to me. Has there been any policy announcement about using GUCs domestically? I like to see the old advertisement selling the program to see where I miss this detail. But each person is different. The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, tax or legal advice. This was not the case. I was Just told the same thing today! If I use a regional upgrade certificate that is approved for a flight, and then cancel the flight, will the certificate be reissued? On the bright side, Delta announced that it will offer last-seat availability to elites using GUCs to upgrade from Main Cabin to Premium Select. Regional Upgrades: On Delta flights, you can use one-way Regional Upgrade Certificates on all paid published Main Cabin and Delta Comfort+ fares, on Pay with Miles tickets, and on Companion Certificates. Additionally, GUCs now have last-seat availability for long-haul Premium Select recliners. There is actually no benefit to waiting since Delta announced that any UC redeemed up until the end of January will expire at the end of January 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. So, in practice, you kind of had up to two years to fully use the certificates. Did I misunderstand something, or has nothing change about availability for upgrades. The Holy Grail of using a Delta Regional or Global Upgrade Certificate is to confirm the upgrade while you're booking. I sent a message to complaints/comments and they gave me some miles. The card_name is the new must-have it card for travel lovers! Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. I realize now that it wouldnt improve my chances at all (other than possibly being in a higher class of service). Yes. And if youre really opposed to the changes, you can cash in your unused Certificates for a pittance of SkyMiles. Otherwise I would have done the same. The full region definition includes flights within the 50 U.S. states, and those to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America and northern South America, excluding Delta One flights. This rep told me: Customers can purchase Main Cabin or Delta Comfort+ to be eligible for an upgrade to First Class using an upgrade certificate the language on delta.com is correct., So dont go spending your miles or cash on Comfort+ unless you really want. Rightfully so! For more information on our advertisers and how we make money, see our advertising policy here. But Delta itself says Main Cabin to First Class is not affected. The change also makes GUCs less valuable than United PlusPoints or American Systemwide Upgrades. If your trip is more than 3 days out the que automatically reissues the ticket. Hopefully both American and United will soon follow suit with generous extensions to their elite members. Comfort Plus is not a different cabin from Main. Message the mods for special flair such as delta employee/related contractor, million miler, or delta 360, or other stuff. You dont get an instant upgrade to D1 in the way that if you purchase coach or comfort plus, you get upgraded to Premium Select and waitlisted for D1 to clear 24 hours before the flight. If you book an economy ticket on a partner like Virgin Atlantic and use a GUC to upgrade, your upgrade will clear into premium economy. Upgrade certificates now only valid for one cabin upgrade Delta SkyMiles Diamond Medallion members receive Choice Benefits, whereby they can select the elite perks that matter most to them. (Assuming isnt often a good practice.) But it appears First Class and Premium Select upgrade inventory restrictions were slashed. Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates one of the major perks of top-tier Delta Medallion statuses received significant devaluations this morning. I didnt have any luck on Delta.com, either. I mean, Comfort+ is slightly better than most Main Cabin seats but sure as heck not worth burning a Regional Upgrade Certificate. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eye of the Flyer with appropriate and specific directions to the original content. The agents did not knwo why I wasnt able to do this online. Here's what you need to know when it comes to using GUCs starting next year. Hot Tip: Based on our most recent analysis of Platinum Medallion status, we estimate the value of all the perks to be around $3,120 per year. While Delta is making changes to Global Upgrade Certificates, it's not tweaking how Regional Upgrade Certificates (RUCs) can be used. Eye of the Flyer may receive a commission from the links below. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Upgrade Certificates are eligible for all fare classes, except for Basic Economy (E-class). How to Score an Upgrade on Your Delta Air Lines Flight Chris Carley is the owner, editor, and lead writer of Eye of the Flyer (formerly known as Rene's Points). Now I know why. Theoretically, you could apply a Global Upgrade Certificate to a US domestic route equipped with lie-flat beds but doesnt provide Delta One service. Delta says we can add Upgrade Certificates ourselves in 2023. Once an upgrade to Premium Select is confirmed, elites will be added to the Delta One upgrade waitlist 24 hours prior to departure, so theres still a chance of a double upgrade but it can no longer be confirmed at the time of booking. Next year, Delta is completely revamping how Diamond Medallion elites use their Global Upgrade Certificates. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. I assumed the credit would be applied to my employers account since the ticket was purchased by corporate with a corporate credit card but under my name so I could use the credit for a future booking. Delta Sky Club Individual Membership Members who qualify for 2023 Diamond Medallion Status may use one of their Choice Benefit selections to select a Delta Sky Club Individual Membership. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. 3. Was told no. See our Privacy Policy, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: A Free Night Award each year, complimentary Diamond status, and several great statement opportunities. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. However, you can apply your RUCs to travel companions on the same booking (you can reach out to customer service to link separate reservations together). If your upgrade doesn't clear, your certificate will be redeposited into your account. Sign up for TPGs free biweekly Aviation newsletter! Learn here how to apply. Required fields are marked *. Until Feb. 1, GUCs will work under the current rules. See CardRatings Top Credit Cards for This Month. A Little Tip When Redeeming Delta Upgrade Certificates Regional upgrades another one of the Choice Benefits options can exclusively be used to upgrade domestic and short-haul international flights. Or, the elite can book Main Cabin, upgrade to Premium Select and hope that they clear the waitlist within 24 hours of the flight. This has also happened to me twice this year. Use of this still puts you on a list - however you go in front of everyone else who doesn't use a certificate - or so I've always been told. The subreddit for Delta Air Lines.
Greenwich, Ct Low Income Housing,
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,
Greeley Carnival 2023,
One Main Financial Title Loan Requirements,
The Lodge Casino Colorado,
Articles R