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8:45AM CT
This is going to be an experiment. Today I will be doing some “live” blogging. When I say live I mean I will be updating THIS post all day long as TexasYankee (Dave) and my travels go along. We will see how all the little bits go. Here is why I booked this and the numbers.
We paid (with vouchers) $628 for the run and will earn 9562MQMs and both of us, as Diamonds, will earn over 21,000 Skymiles as a rebate. That nets this run out at 6.5 cents that is nothing to brag about. However, this run is more than about the costs as I owed Dave a run (I used my vouchers) and I wanted to test:
- The LAX-JFK medallion upgrade
- The JFK-SFO medallion upgrade
- Time in the new SFO Centurion Lounge
- The SFO-LAX shuttle product
This interesting route will do all of that in a rather quick fashion from Dave’s home town so it all just works. I can guest Dave in with my non-Delta Platinum AMEX cards (unlike Skyclubs, they let you bring two guests in NO extra charge).
So how are we doing so far today. Pre-Run, both as Diamonds, we have only cleared on the final two flights home tomorrow. We cannot check-in yet for our flights as we have too many segments so we will have to do so at the airport. My fellow BA blogger PM&M reported the other day that DMs can now request at the 24 hour mark to get on the transcon upgrade list. What he did NOT share was we need to ask them for this with the code “UP2X”. The medallion line can do this or the airport reps can do it as well.
So we are so good and we have some flights that are nearly oversold so we may not fly most of what we have booked. If that is the case we will just fly home, eat more BBQ and then get route credit for what we should have flown. All good and fun no matter what.
Check back later today and on Twitter as I , via GoGo, let you know how this great adventure ends up and feel free to ask questions and I will respond as we update the post!
7:PM EST Update
TexasYankee and I are on our way. No upgrade on the AUS to ATL flight. The upgrade list was deep and we ended up 2 & 3 with zero seats open, him as a Diamond Medallion Million miler and me as a DM (not that MM matters for upgrades, but they did check him in 1st). Ah well.
We at least, as I mentioned before, asked each Delta personnel member along the way for a HOOU coupon we could and they shared a bit with us. Nice since it looks like on the ATL to LAX we are again going to be stuck in coach as the upgrade list is 60+ long and we are a few outside the number of open seats there too.
The flight was really short so no big deal. The GoGo Internet was REALLY slow for most of the flight. So slow that Dave could not even get his phone to connect. Disappointing. Then on to ATL
I at long last got to meet reader Eric (Hi Eric) and also got to meet Johnny who happens to be on my fight (Hi Johnny)! Great to meet you both. Dave and I next tried to spend some time in “The Club at ATL” but one of us forgot their card – ah hem 😉 Ah well. We had a sandwich before boarding (not a big fan of the EATS menus).
Once again NO upgrade. Ended up about 4 or 5 with no seats open. Of all the upgrades missing it on a domestic 767 is not that big a deal. The 1st class seats on this jet are REALLY bad. IMO the worst ones in the Delta fleet. So bad you have no leg room at all in 1st. Look at the space I have in row 26.
So we are now on the way to LAX. Our next flight is full and we are hoping for a bump as first is full so no full flat sleep is looking likely. Next update may be tomorrow morning some time, but check back to be sure. – René
8PM PST
After over 100+ flights this year and watching for the “sign” when I walked off the jet, tonight, it arrives for Dave and me in LAX!
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Rene
Debbie and I are on a MR today from SJC to LAX to CVG to ORD. Will we cross paths? Bad weather forecast for the SFO area today.
@Ron – Maybe. Check twitter for where we are at what times. We have little time in each airport other than tomorrow in SFO.
So, when you ask for the LAX/SFO-JFK upgrade, how do you say it when you call? “Can I be added to the upgrade list using code UP2X?” or “Can I have a UP2X?” or, better yet “UP2X me!” lol
Hi Rene,
I hope you have a good time on the run. I have a suggestion/request, but please feel free to not use it. I am curious as to how much Delta employees, both on the ground and in the air, know about the changes DL has recently made. In addition, I am curious how the average traveler, that may not be plugged into the Boarding Area community, knows about the changes.
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To that end, I was wondering if you might draft a one question poll you can ask DL staff and a question to ask your fellow traveler, to see how many have simply heard of the new products (Delta One, Comfort+, etc) and changes to the Skymiles program for FY15?
The results would be interesting to see, especially since Delta seems to communicate in pieces and not provide the whole story.
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Thanks for your time, and safe travels!
@Garrett – simply call and ask at 24h point to be added. If they say NO then mention the code and for them to check the Delta notes on the upgrades.
@Garrett and @Rene,
Although I stayed in contact with @DeltaAssist along my last MR, I had noticed that overnight, they added me to the upgrade for the JFK-SEA flight w/ no prompts from myself. Man, that was a relief… as I just crashed under my Westin blanket right after dinner! 😉
Prior to that (prior to Dec 7th) I had to constantly prompt to get on the UG list for all my JFK segments.
Rene,
can you give us details on the Porsche ride? What exactly do you have to do to get that and where is it taking you?
I got the answer here
http://news.delta.com/2014-11-03-Porsche-and-Delta-Expand-Transfer-Service-to-New-York-LaGuardia-Seattle-and-Detroit
How does one get a Porsche pick-up but not get an upgrade? I don’t understand. You’re telling me of all the people who received upgrades none had a status to get a Porsche? That’s puzzling.
@FNT Diamond – one has little to do with the other. we did get an “im sorry you did not get an upgrade” from the rep. still was great to take the ride! (see day two report)
nice porsche ride… and a few upgrades i did 8 segments last week and got 2 upgrades not a great average but so many diamonds were traveling
@dotti
I flew 9 segments between Dec 2-9 and got 5 of 7 eligible (2 were international, non-eligible)
Everyone who got upgraded seemed to be a Diamond.
Delta will be thinking out the crowds though, over time… rudely in many circumstances.
*Oops. ” thinning out the crowds”
I just wish there was some published criteria for which passengers are eligible for a Porsche ride. Some of the foreign airlines provide a ride for all first-class passengers. Obviously, this won’t be the case with Delta but why can’t it publicly say what we have to do to get one.
“Dave and I next tried to spend some time in “The Club at ATL” but one of us forgot their card – ah hem”
Didn’t you have your Fly Delta phone app? It has your Sky Club card under “My Delta” -> “My Wallet”
I just missed you, as I flew out Wed the 10th with my wife on the SXM mileage run you posted by around the 4th of July
@Greg D – Not the Skyclub, the Club at ATL across from the F Skyclub.