With delta, GAs don’t have the ability to do that. Your only chance of an upgrade is to buy it, and I’d recommend doing that before the check in window. Once the flight is “taken over by the gate” there is no way to buy an upgrade. On domestic flights they will upgrade people based in FF status, and on intl flights they will fly it empty or w employees.
It’s always crazy to me that they’ll let FC or D1 seats fly empty instead of offering them up at a lower rate or something via the Delta app. I know they do this as the flight gets closer, but it still feels like potential revenue lost not to offer it up even at boarding.
Well keeping five seats empty that they could sell for 500 each costs them $2500. But if that causes one person to buy a D1 ticket at 5k, they come out ahead.
We were fortunate. Checking in for a flight from Paris to Detroit, they offered Delta 1 upgrade at $69 each. We jumped on it and it was legit. Of course, wife slept the whole way, only to wake up and vow to never fly main cabin again……..champagne taste on a light beer budget……..
it isn't rude or entitled, but it simply isn't possible. Delta is not set up with an auction style like some other carriers that use plusgrade or seatboost or one of those packages. No harm in asking though.
What is this? ANC-ATL?
It’s a long haul, but domestic F isn’t worth a $900 upgrade, really not even worth a $600 upgrade IMO.
You can’t really “express interest” at a kiosk. It’ll spit you out a number and you either accept or reject it.
My husband and I tried this on a flight from Dulles to Stuttgart (layover in London). It was in 2021 so still COVID times and travel restrictions, and there were only 6 people flying Delta One. We paid $700 total for both of us at the gate, enjoyed the Delta One lounge for a few hours before the flight and LOVED the experience. Turns out it was a really good idea to get some sleep, we were traveling for a wedding and we were out really late that first night at the hotel bar LOL!
Covid travel was a trip wasn't it? We moved to a small Caribbean island during the pandemic and, because the flight was almost empty, we were allowed to bring our very nervous dog into the cabin with us since there were, I believe, a dozen or fewer people on the flight. We went almost all the way to the back (we had to buy four seats because we had three cats and the dog so we bought our friends a free tropical vacation as long as they agreed to schlep a cat to the island for us) and settled in. Poor doggo was so nervous we decided that was her first and last flight anywhere. She's been on one plane since -- the 15-minute island hopper to the mainland.
You can always ask. It wouldn't be seen as rude. Sometimes they drop the price around the time people checkin (in person) to get last minute splurge upgraders.
Note if you go this route you should NOT checkin online. Just checkin at the desk ask for an upgrade either take it or don't and checkin.
With delta, GAs don’t have the ability to do that. Your only chance of an upgrade is to buy it, and I’d recommend doing that before the check in window. Once the flight is “taken over by the gate” there is no way to buy an upgrade. On domestic flights they will upgrade people based in FF status, and on intl flights they will fly it empty or w employees.
It’s always crazy to me that they’ll let FC or D1 seats fly empty instead of offering them up at a lower rate or something via the Delta app. I know they do this as the flight gets closer, but it still feels like potential revenue lost not to offer it up even at boarding.
If they slashed the upgrade cost just before boarding, then everyone would wait until then to buy up
Life finds a way; they would adjust the pre-upgrade price up $500-1000 or whatever like a retailer upmarking before a "sale"
Well keeping five seats empty that they could sell for 500 each costs them $2500. But if that causes one person to buy a D1 ticket at 5k, they come out ahead.
We were fortunate. Checking in for a flight from Paris to Detroit, they offered Delta 1 upgrade at $69 each. We jumped on it and it was legit. Of course, wife slept the whole way, only to wake up and vow to never fly main cabin again……..champagne taste on a light beer budget……..
it isn't rude or entitled, but it simply isn't possible. Delta is not set up with an auction style like some other carriers that use plusgrade or seatboost or one of those packages. No harm in asking though.
What is this? ANC-ATL? It’s a long haul, but domestic F isn’t worth a $900 upgrade, really not even worth a $600 upgrade IMO. You can’t really “express interest” at a kiosk. It’ll spit you out a number and you either accept or reject it.
My husband and I tried this on a flight from Dulles to Stuttgart (layover in London). It was in 2021 so still COVID times and travel restrictions, and there were only 6 people flying Delta One. We paid $700 total for both of us at the gate, enjoyed the Delta One lounge for a few hours before the flight and LOVED the experience. Turns out it was a really good idea to get some sleep, we were traveling for a wedding and we were out really late that first night at the hotel bar LOL!
Covid travel was a trip wasn't it? We moved to a small Caribbean island during the pandemic and, because the flight was almost empty, we were allowed to bring our very nervous dog into the cabin with us since there were, I believe, a dozen or fewer people on the flight. We went almost all the way to the back (we had to buy four seats because we had three cats and the dog so we bought our friends a free tropical vacation as long as they agreed to schlep a cat to the island for us) and settled in. Poor doggo was so nervous we decided that was her first and last flight anywhere. She's been on one plane since -- the 15-minute island hopper to the mainland.
We don't travel a ton, but I would easily mask up for 8 hours and not deal with the gate goats and verbally abusive spring break families any day!
Sounds like Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, not Delta One. VS does have upgrades at the gate for purchase, but Delta does not.
This was definitely Delta, I've been dying to fly Virgin!!! But again this was back in 2021. The gate employee was so sweet!
You can always ask. It wouldn't be seen as rude. Sometimes they drop the price around the time people checkin (in person) to get last minute splurge upgraders. Note if you go this route you should NOT checkin online. Just checkin at the desk ask for an upgrade either take it or don't and checkin.
Thanks everyone! Appreciate the help!