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Delta is dealing (maybe)

Posted by (Los Angeles) on

This update from the Thrifty Traveler about a recent wave of $500 upgrade offers:

Prices for upgrades tend to bottom out within three weeks of departure – and especially within the final week.

If you don't see a price you like, look hard at the seat map in Delta One. If it's fairly full, don't count on a bargain. But if there are plenty of open seats, it's easily worth checking back again.

There's no question this trend is most pronounced on flights to and from Europe, but we've seen great upgrade deals between the U.S. and Asian cities like Tokyo-Haneda (HND) and Seoul (ICN), too.

These excellent upgrade offers are getting extended whether you booked a standard main cabin economy seat, Delta Comfort Plus, or Delta Premium Select – though higher-paying customers may see the lowest upgrade rates

There's one exception: Delta basic economy fares are ineligible for these cabin upgrades, period.

Posted by
7569 posts

I did see this on my recent flight, MSP to AMS earlier this month. Delta One was nearly empty at the time, briefly saw an offer for Delta One upgrade for ~$600, thought about it, but then thought about all the great meals and other things $1200 would buy us on the trip, and about that quick the offer was gone, and it was something like $4500 to upgrade, oh well.

The thing is, the offers are fleeting, you need to be looking at your app constantly, no notifications that I can tell. If I had not went in to check something, I would have never known. The offers may? also be customized to tier status? Meaning Diamonds may see different offers from a mere Silver, and someone who does not belong to Skymiles may see little to no deals. Same with class of ticket, obviously Basic Economy sees nothing (or not eligible), but Main vs Comfort+, etc. may vary.

Posted by
727 posts

I've had some stupendous offers over the past 5 months.

My premium select flights for next month received an offer of $99 to upgrade the "comfort+" short legs to Delta One. I snapped those up quickly and they transferred nicely when they canceled the flights and rebooked us automatically.

I'm getting an offer of $329 to upgrade "comfort+" short legs of our September/October premium select flights. The price swings wildly every time I check it so I think I will wait a little longer. But...$329 is actually acceptable to me.

Posted by
519 posts

Do you see the offers when you review your reservation or your seat assignment on the app?

Posted by
7569 posts

They usually appear when you bring up "my trips" below the relevant trip. There may be more than one offer sometimes, for example Delta One for the international flight (or Premium Select) and first class or Comfort Plus for the domestic legs. Usually the offer only applies to one leg of the trip.

Posted by
4412 posts

When I flew Lufthansa recently they started with upgrade bidding right from the reservation and didn't let up even at the boarding gate

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