Master Delta’s Six-Tier Upgrade Scheme for Domestic First Class and Upgrade for Peanuts
Pretty easy: Pay cash, forget miles. But here are the nuances you need to know.
Over the past year domestic First Class fares on Delta have decreased to levels much lower than historical norms.
Which is not surprising once you take a deeper look into how Delta prices (and values) domestic First Class fares.
Meet Delta’s Six-Tier Domestic (Easy) Upgrade System
Most of Delta’s domestic routes now offer low economy fares with a built-in upgrade surcharge to First Class. Short-haul example, Salt Lake-Boise: Delta averages five flights daily each way (2 hours, 20 minutes and 582 flight miles round-trip).
Guide* to Delta’s Domestic Upgrade Surcharge Schedule
| Tier | Flight Miles One-Way | Upgrade Surcharge One-Way** |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Up to 300 | $39 |
| 2 | 301 through 500 | $49 |
| 3 | 501 through 900 | $69 |
| 4 | 901 through 1,500 | $79 |
| 5 | 1,501 through 2,000 | $109 to $229 |
| 6 | 2,001 through 99,999 | $169 to $289 |
The First Class fare is just $228 round-trip (fare basis code XE14A0WC/ WNUPL). Memorize WNUPL because it’s Delta’s code for an economy fare with the built-in upgrade surcharge. The lowest economy fare (XE14A0WC) costs $150 and is the basis of the upgrade. That comes to $39 each way, only about $10 more than it costs to check a bag. But in First Class you get three checked bags free and Delta Sky Priority service, which includes priority check-in, accelerated security and baggage handling, and priority boarding.
Delta is systematic, FCF has to give it that. See the table below for the fares that might have the built-in upgrade surcharge.
Comparing Delta Fares: Mileage vs. Built-In Surcharge Upgrades
| Economy Fare Code | Upgrade Surcharge Built-In | Upgradable With Miles |
|---|---|---|
| V | No | No |
| X | Yes | No |
| T | Yes | No |
| U | Yes | No |
| L | Yes | No |
| K | Yes | Yes |
| Q | Yes | Yes |
| H | Yes | Yes |
| S | Yes | Yes |
| M | Yes | Yes |
| B | Yes | Yes |
| Y | Yes | Yes |
Then, on Sept. 28, 2012, Delta did something revolutionary: It invented a new Business Class fare category to Europe—quietly. There were no press releases (save FCF’s), no advertisements.
Delta had created a discount economy fare to Europe that had a built-in $250 Business Class automatic upgrade each way on numerous routes. This took the idea of “confirming an upgrade at time of booking” to new (and easy) heights. Which is why FCF called the new product “EasyUp fares.”
The concept has since gone domestic, but the surcharge is based on miles flown, and not a flat rate. Nothing beats Easy Upgrade fares, in my opinion.
Forget About Mileage Upgrade Awards
Delta is schizo when it comes to upgrades. Not all economy fares allow an upgrade—only K, Q, H, S, M, and B fares, plus 25,000 miles for the upgrade round-trip. The disadvantage is that the lowest upgradeable fare can cost more than the low First Class fare, plus it costs you 25k miles and subjects you to potential availability issues.
On Salt Lake-Boise for example, the lowest upgradeable fare is $510 (KE14A0UC) while First Class is only $228.
Delta’s Message: Keep the miles, we want the money.
Almost every economy fare we looked at offered a low-cost upgrade surcharge (V fares being the exception). The upgrade cost does vary by route, based on which fare has the upgrade surcharge built-in.
Forget About Elite Upgrades— And why not elite status altogether?
Delta’s low-cost upgrade surcharge undermines the idea of being an elite. Why pursue involved upgrade strategies, or wait in line for a confirmed upgrade, or pay extra just to upgrade to Premium Economy (Lite)?
They’re all lose-lose strategies on Delta, especially for bottom-tier elites. For you and all those above you, a low First Class fare is a sure bet.
Screenshot of Travel Agent Computer Screen
(Just notice how what is underlined coincides with the report, if you’re really interested in upgrade-geek stuff)
Examples of Delta’s Domestic EasyUp Fares
| Route | Miles Oneway | Time R / T | First Class Fare R / T | Fare Basis | Booking Code | Economy Fare R / T | Fare Basis | Booking Code | One-way Upgrade Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis - Las Vegas | 1,294 | 6.2 hrs. | $444 | XG21A0NX/WNUPL | G | $286 | XG21A0NX | X | $79 |
| Salt Lake - Denver | 380 | 3 hrs | $318 | TA21A0NA/WNUPL | G | $220 | TA21A0NA | T | $49 |
| Chicago -New York (JFK) | 725 | 5.1 hrs | $380 | XA21A0NP/WNUPL | G | $242 | XA21A0NP | X | $69 |
| Houston -New York | 1,415 | 8 hrs | $532 | XG14A0UP/WNUPL | G | $374 | XG14A0UP | X | $79 |
| Atlanta - Salt Lake | 1,587 | 8 hrs | $748 | XE21A0QG/WNUPH | G | $530 | XE21A0QG | X | $109 |
| Seattle - Charlotte | 2,325* | 12 hrs | $932 | XE21A0NQ/WNUPH | G | $611 | XE21A0NQ | X | $160 |
| Denver - New York | 1,626 | 8 hrs | $524 | TE21X3SG/WNUP | G | $246 | TE21X3SG | T | $139 |
| Los Angeles - Philadelphia | 2,512* | 13 hrs | $837 | XR21A0NQ/WNUPH | G | $516 | XR21A0NQ | X | $160 |
| Detroit - Chicago | 240 | 3 hrs | $348 | XA21A0UA/WNUPL | G | $270 | XA21A0UA | X | $39 |
| New York (JFK) - Miami | 1,092 | 6 hrs | $476 | XA21A0NP/WNUPL | G | $318 | XA21A0NP | X | $79 |