Upgrading on Delta

[nkereina]

I'm a typical short route Southwest flyer, so I'm curious what the process is for upgrading at the airport. We'll be flying from Atlanta to Honolulu in September and would be interested in upgrading to Delta Comfort Plus or First/Business Class if there's availability. If they do have seats in those classes available, should we expect a discounted upgrade fee or should we expect to pay the actual fare? Anyone flown this route or a similar one that's had luck with upgrading? Thanks!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I have been given upgrade options at a discount during the check-in process a number of times with Delta. You can log in and look at available seats anytime to see if there are a lot available - that might give you an idea whether it would be better to purchase an upgrade in advance if you really want one.

 

[nkereina]

Thanks for the tip @JustCallMeMommy. We'll upgrade if the price is right but are otherwise ok with our coach seats. About how much are the upgrade fees on a flight that long if the option is available? Should I expect a couple hundred bucks a person or is it closer to the difference in fare?

 

[Yellowjj]

No one here can give you a definite answer because it varies. Sometimes you'll get a discount, sometimes you'll get the difference in the fare when you originally book, and other times you'll get offered nothing. What Justcallmemommy might get isn't what you might get.

The best way to go about this is to make a dummy booking for the same date your leaving. See how much Comfort+ and First class is selling for. If it's cheap and you feel comfortable about the price, call Delta and tell the agent you want to up-fare your ticket. You might not get offered the same price online, sometimes it might be cheaper; other times more expensive; still you can login with your PNR confirmation and check to see if it is indeed offering a discount online, in which case you can simply pay the extra without having to call Delta.

You also might get a deal upon check-in; which only happens 24 hours prior to the flight. This might be the best way to secure first class seats at a fraction of the cost. If it's comfort+ seats you want, I wouldn't wait until departure date especially if you want to sit together (I assume your not traveling alone).

 

[loves to dive]

As Yellojj said, there is no way of telling, it's just according to how full the flight is. I upgraded to first class while checking at a kiosk in Atlanta once and got frisked when I went through security. Evidently, when one upgrades that late in the game it's a tell you might be doing something naughty. Me and the agents got a good laugh about it since it never occurred to me to upgrade until that offer appeared on the screen. Sometimes when you check in on line you will be offered an upgrade and just about every time I book when I get to the screen that lets you pick your seats, I get a little pop up asking me if I'd like to upgrade for x but I've got a Delta frequent flyers number. We don't fly often enough to actually get many miles but we got the number years ago when we were booking a trip to Palau.

 

[DebbieB]

Sometimes if you go in and look at your flight there will be an upgrade offer on the webpage.

 

[RideShareRob]

So...When Im not driving y'all around, Delta is usually who I fly when getting out of Orlando. Usually I fly last minute, but not always. Ive found that Delta's first class is actually not all that much more than coach. Although, Ive also found that First will take off with every seat full. I would suggest calling two days before your flight (the 24 hour frequent fliers wont have been allowed to upgrade yet) and see what the cost is.

 

[alliecat523]

Agree with what everyone has said. Upgrade costs also depending the fare class you originally book. Meaning it's cheaper to upgrade a higher fare class. Also, some fare classes are not upgradable and you need to pay the fare difference. Typically Comfort+ is about $25-$35. I've gotten up to first for as little as $100. That being said, the Hawaii route will probably be difficult to get anything more than Comfort. I check the app regularly when I have a flight booked and they offer upgrades with the cost noted when available. If you see it, grab it. They go quick.

Like @RideShareRob said, tickets in first on Delta are usually not that much more for a flat out purchase. Again, depending on routes, times, etc.

 

[mco65]

Atl > Honolulu
definitely a flight you would WANT to upgrade on.. most flights to Hawaii are pretty full so good luck!

 

[happymommy]

I've flown that route many times on Delta, and it's one of the ONLY first class cabins with lie flat seats in first class. It is a very hard one to upgrade to first on, and honestly it's the return flight that it would be best for (since it's overnight). I used to be able to use miles for these seats, but it's gotten harder and harder to use any amount of miles for this route in first (and last time we did coach, ugh, which cost us as many miles as we used to get first for!).

I'd say going over, comfort plus is nice with more leg room. It's roughly $150 per person for that length of flight.

If you can snag first coming home, take it. It may cost quite a bit, though, and these seats fill up since they're more comfortable for sleeping.

The only other current route with these type of seats are AA out of DFW that I'm aware of. We go to Hawaii a lot from the East Coast.

Once I was offered an upgrade for the kids and me and the kiosk from Chicago to HNL on AA (back when that route also had lie flat seats). It was $400 per person, and I took it. Yes, $1200 but our tickets were free using miles so I justified it that way. Return we checked in super early at HNL but no upgrades were offered - they rarely are on the return flights.

I would say to expect at least $400 or $500 to upgrade this flight if you're lucky to get it.

 

[RCID]

Delta recently changed their upgrade scheme on May 16, 2016, but one of the benefits is that cabin crew are now enabled to upgrade on board for sold upgrades from Comfort - to Comfort +

Personally, I find the C+ product to be nothing special, and would gladly take good C- seats over their bad C+ offering.

Trying to get an F class upgrade on a Hawaiian route offering lie flat seating is a long shot.

Best of luck!

 

[nkereina]

Thanks for all the replies!

We are booked in regular economy class. When we booked, we told our TA we wanted Comfort+, however we happened to book about a week after Delta changed their policy on Comfort+ bookings. It's now it's own fare class and you have a Comfort+ seat for each leg of the flight, rather than just paying a $150 upgrade fee on the long haul. At the time we booked, it would be about another $500 per person round trip for Comfort+ the whole way which was more than we were anticipating. Plus, our TA wasn't aware the change was already in effect and had already booked us in economy (intending to upgrade us after) and would only be able to change it if she canceled our booking and re-booked us in Comfort+, which would also result in cancellation/change fees. So we said forget it. I made notes on all the above suggestions and will try my luck, but won't be the end of the world if we don't get anything.

Thanks again!

 

[happymommy]

Delta recently changed their upgrade scheme on May 16, 2016, but one of the benefits is that cabin crew are now enabled to upgrade on board for sold upgrades from Comfort - to Comfort +

Personally, I find the C+ product to be nothing special, and would gladly take good C- seats over their bad C+ offering.

Trying to get an F class upgrade on a Hawaiian route offering lie flat seating is a long shot.

Best of luck!

This particular route is one that is very popular. If you want more details, visit flyertalk.

For a 9+ hour flight, we found our comfort + a definite advantage, but you do pay for it. It was always for us a leg option.

I'm getting to the point where I'm too old to fly coach to Hawaii (and I'm booking this week). Most trips have been in first but the coach ones are not let's say pleasant.