Flying to Rome - Delta - Anyone able to upgrade to Comfrort with Miles?

[Wishing on a star]

Our planning for a cruise next April-May has hit a snag.

Flights have not become available just yet, but looks like the fares are just incredible.

I have wondered if we could book Main Cabin, and use Miles to upgrade.

But, the Delta system does not let you do that. 

Have to book the ticket and THEN find out if you can upgrade, and how many miles.

I know it is a long shot. Does anyone here have any recent experience upgrading from US to Rome with Delta Miles?

We would also have to fly back from Athens, a one way cruise.

[CruiserBruce]

As this really doesn't have to do with Rome, and is all about Delta policies and procedures, I would ask this on the Cruise Air board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/77-cruise-air/

 

Lots more Delta experience and knowledge over there.

 

As always in this situation, check your cruise line's air program...international flights are what those programs do best, particularly open jaw flights.

[cruisemom42]

20 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

Our planning for a cruise next April-May has hit a snag.

Flights have not become available just yet, but looks like the fares are just incredible.

I have wondered if we could book Main Cabin, and use Miles to upgrade.

But, the Delta system does not let you do that. 

Have to book the ticket and THEN find out if you can upgrade, and how many miles.

I know it is a long shot. Does anyone here have any recent experience upgrading from US to Rome with Delta Miles?

We would also have to fly back from Athens, a one way cruise.

 

Are you talking about booking your ticket through the cruise line and then upgrading with Delta?  Or are you booking direct with Delta and then looking to upgrade?

 

If it's the latter, I've done it frequently -- no problem as long as seats are available and you should be able to see that before you actually book the ticket. (In some cases you can also use miles to pay down the cost of your ticket, but you need to have a threshold amount of points to do this.). It is all pretty easy to navigate this on the Delta site but if you have any issues you can always call them for assistance.

 

I have no idea whether this is possible if you go through your cruise line. I've always preferred to manage my own air arrangements.

[Wishing on a star]

Thanks for the link to that other board.

I am heading that way!

 

Thanks so much CruiseMom, you are always so helpful!

It could be either thru Delta, or thru Princess.   Depending on if one is lucky and Princess offers fares at a lower rate.   (I understand that you can have your EZ Air ticketed upon request, and then go to Delta for the upgrade.

 

It still seems iffy if Delta would actually have some seats available that they would make available for the everyday (non miles-elite) flyer.     And, you would never be able to guess the amount that they would set.   A whole lot of IFs !!!!

 

We would be booking early, as Comfort is the first to sell out....  So seats would be available...  but maybe not to us to upgrade.

 

[cruisemom42]

 

I don't think most airlines play games with miles anymore, e.g., restricting seats -- the amount of miles to redeem has gone up substantially, but if the seat is available, you can purchase with points.

 

Delta will let you look at what's available on a given flight using either points, miles, or a combination of both (see upper right of the screenshot below. As you can see, some Comfort Plus seats are already sold out on this random flight to Rome on a Wednesday (not a popular travel day) in October (not peak season), so these popular seats go fast.

 

 

Also, you can see how many points are required to upgrade from Nonrefundable Coach to Comfort Plus:

 

 

 

Granted, I have status with Delta, but I frequently check prices in Anonymous mode just as part of my normal research...

 

 

[ezemoney]

we upgraded from comfort plus to first on our first leg from cvg to jfk. i think it will depend on availability.