As part of Delta's Choice Benefits, the carrier gives Diamond Medallion members the choice of which kind of upgrades they want — four Global, eight Regional OR two Global and four Regional. While Delta's Global Upgrades could previously only be used on Delta flights and select Air France and KLM trips, Delta recently expanded its list of eligible partners for the Global Upgrade benefit to include Virgin Atlantic.
The terms and conditions on Delta's website outline the complete details, but most importantly, there's now a wide range of options ranging from economy to Upper Class. Officially, Delta Global Upgrades can be used on "Delta-marketed, Virgin Atlantic-operated flights for use globally on published Economy Cabin fares booked in W, Y, B, M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X or V class to Upper Class." It's worth noting that Global Upgrades on Virgin Atlantic flights must be confirmed 24 hours prior to departure, and GUCs (Global Upgrade Certificates) may not be used to waitlist a Virgin Atlantic-operated flight.
With the addition of Virgin Atlantic as one of the carriers that Delta Global Upgrades can be used on, there's now even more of an incentive to choose the four Global Upgrade Certificates as your Choice benefit, especially if you're often traveling on transatlantic flights. As a reminder, Delta Diamond Medallion status requires 125,000 MQMs (or 140 segments) and $15,000 in MQDs. Keep in mind that the Delta-branded Amex cards, such as the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express and the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express, come with an MQD waiver — if you spend $25,000 in a calendar year on one of the cards, you'll be exempt from the $15,000 MQD requirement.
H/T: MJ on Travel
