No, Delta's site isn't glitching; Redeeming upgrade certificates has officially changed
The next time you search for a flight on Delta's website, you might be surprised.
That's because top-tier SkyMiles Medallion elites will now see much more domestic and short-haul international upgrade availability than before.
The Atlanta-based carrier has made changes to the confirmed upgrade process, and it impacts how flight results are displayed. But, it's not without its drawbacks.
Let's dive into the details.
Changes to Global Upgrade Certificates
On Feb. 1, Delta made sweeping changes to how Global Upgrade Certificates (GUCs) work. As a reminder, Diamond Medallion members can select GUCs from the Choice Benefits package when qualifying for status.
The good news is you can now use them for last-seat availability on domestic and short-haul international first-class flights. The full region definition includes flights within the 50 U.S. states, and those to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America and northern South America, excluding Delta One flights.
Additionally, GUCs now have last-seat availability for long-haul Premium Select recliners. So if there's a seat for sale in premium economy, you can use a certificate to upgrade. This is far easier than how GUCs used to process, where upgrade space was often sparse.
But, the major caveat is that GUCs can no longer confirm an upgrade from coach into the Delta One pods on three-cabin long-haul flights — they'll only bump you up by one cabin.
Those booked in Main Cabin now upgrade to Premium Select on long-haul international flights. Flights with two cabins will still clear into Delta One, and Comfort+ is still treated as Main Cabin in terms of upgrades. Likewise, those booked in Premium Select can use a GUC to upgrade to Delta One.
Once an upgrade to Premium Select is confirmed, elites will be added to the Delta One upgrade waitlist 24 hours prior to departure, so there's still a chance of a double upgrade — but it can no longer be confirmed at the time of booking.
For more details about the changes, check out Delta's chart below, and our comprehensive guide.
Much more domestic upgrade space
While Delta is tweaking how upgrades work on long-haul flights, it's opening the floodgates for availability on shorter trips. As mentioned, GUCs can now be used to confirm an upgrade on any domestic or short-haul international flight with first-class seats available for sale.
There are no limits to the upgrade inventory — if there's a seat left for purchase in cash, you'll now be able to instantly confirm the upgrade using a GUC.
This move has caught some long-time Delta Medallion members off-guard, as they're seeing lots more upgrade availability when searching for domestic flights.
Until earlier this month, Global Upgrade Certificates would book into a separate upgrade inventory for first class, which didn't always mirror how many seats were left for sale.
Now, if there's a seat left for sale in the forward cabin, it's yours to confirm with a Global Upgrade Certificate.
What happened to Regional Upgrade Certificates?
While Delta is making changes to Global Upgrade Certificates, it's not tweaking how Regional Upgrade Certificates (RUCs) can be used.
Regional upgrades — another one of the Choice Benefits options — can exclusively be used to upgrade domestic and short-haul international flights. These certificates continue to pull from the same inventory as before the Feb. 1 update, and as before, are not always available for instant confirmation.
Historically, Diamond members who pick both Regional and Global upgrades as part of their benefits have chosen to use the former for shorter flights and kept the latter for long-haul trips. After all, why redeem a Global Upgrade Certificate on a short domestic flight when you can instead use it to confirm a premium cabin on a much longer flight?
Now, Diamond members need to consider the differences in upgrade availability when making this decision.
Related: How to not 'waste' your Delta upgrade certificates
2 types of domestic upgrade availability
When Diamond travelers are logged into their account, Delta's website will display two different types of messages regarding upgrade availability for certain flights.
The first "First available with Global Upgrade Certificate" means that there's a seat left for sale in first class, and you can instantly confirm the upgrade using a GUC.
The second "First available with Upgrade Certificate" is the more traditional way that Diamond members have historically redeemed upgrade certificates. This means that you can apply a Regional Upgrade Certificate (or RUC) to your flight.
Saving your upgrades for long-haul flights ... or not
Many Diamond members will continue to choose to redeem their regional upgrades for domestic flights and keep the global certificates for longer trips.
If you're searching online for a domestic or short-haul international trip that's available for confirmation with a GUC, but not with an RUC, that means there are seats left for sale in the first-class cabin, but there's no regional upgrade inventory available at the moment.
You can purchase the ticket and then contact Delta's reservation department to add yourself to the upgrade waitlist using your RUC.
Of course, you could instead choose to redeem a Global Upgrade Certificate to instantly confirm the seat, but those certificates are more valuable, so you might consider holding those for long-haul trips.
That said, there are definitely times when the price difference between coach and first classes on a domestic flight is steep. In some cases, first-class lie-flat pods on select transcontinental or Hawaii routes can exceed $2,000 each way.
If you scored a deal for an economy ticket, redeeming a Global Upgrade Certificate to instantly bump into first could be a great deal.
Bottom line
Delta has revamped the upgrade process, and with it comes some major improvements to availability.
Unfortunately, the changes are largely negative for those who redeem Global Upgrade Certificates on long-haul international flights — now they can only be used to confirm a bump from coach to premium economy or from premium economy to business class.
But, there's good news for those traveling domestically or on short-haul international flights: Global upgrades can now be redeemed for the last-available first-class seat. Of course, using a Global Upgrade Certificate for a short flight might not make sense, assuming that you can find a better use on a long-haul trip.
You can instead choose to waitlist for a regional upgrade on a domestic or short-haul international flight, but then you'd be at the mercy of the upgrade gods.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.