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Delta has posted a Medallion Member update in which it has announced that automatic upgrades from its Main Cabin to Delta Comfort+ will not be available on select routes from later this year.
The airline is citing “technology updates that will temporarily impact specific Delta aircraft” as the reason why automatic upgrades to Delta Comfort+ will not process on select routes and the airline is urging Medallion Members to manually select their complimentary upgrades in the seat map during the normal clearance window.
The routes affected are as follows:
- ATL-NRT, MSP-HND, ATL-CDG & MSP-CDG beginning March 1, 2019
- MSP-ICN beginning April 1, 2019
- LAX-SYD beginning April 5, 2019
- CDG-LAX beginning May 24, 2019 (LAX-CDG beginning May 25, 2019)
Here’s how Delta defines the “normal clearance window” for Delta Comfort+ upgrades:
Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members will be upgraded to Delta Comfort+® immediately after booking, if available. Gold Medallion Members will clear beginning 72 hours (3 days) prior to departure and Silver Medallion Members will clear beginning 24 hours (1 day) prior to departure, subject to upgrade availability.
Based on the above it would appear as if….
- Diamond and Platinum members who don’t clear at the time of booking will have to check Delta.com on a frequent basis to see if they can upgrade to Delta Comfort+
- Gold members should start checking the seat map for Comfort+ availability once they are 72 hours away from departure
- Silver members should start checking the seat map for Comfort+ availability once they are 24 hours away from departure
Delta has not offered a specific date by which it expects to have the technology updates complete but the airline has moved to reassure flyers that upgrade availability will not be changing:
This temporary change will not impact Complimentary Upgrade availability; Complimentary Upgrades to Delta Comfort+ for these flights are expected to once again be automatic in 2019.
I suspect that the word “later” is missing from between “automatic” and “in” towards the end of that sentence otherwise the update makes little sense.
Bottom Line
If you’re booked to fly any of the routes mentioned above and if you’re hoping to upgrade from a Main Cabin seat to a less cramped Delta Comfort+ seat be aware that you may have to process your upgrade manually – Delta will not be doing it for you.
[…] (HT: Traveling for Miles) […]