V-Flyer

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find anything in a quick search:

US based flyer here, use VS a lot and been AU on that for many years. Am thinking of taking Delta to Berlin via Paris soon. Can anyone tell me if I can purchase an upgradeable PE fare and use my VS miles to boost myself up to Business, assuming availability?

I am familiar with the rules of doing this on VS, upgradeable class tickets etc, done it many times, but what if anything is the Delta procedure and likelihood for a VS pax to use their miles this way on our new 'Partner' airline - possible/impossible? be good to know. Thanks.

As Delta don't offer a PE product, there is no opportunity to purchase the relevant cabin class like VS. And, as far as I know, you can't use VS miles to upgrade on Delta, only to purchase a full rewards fare, which for US to EU would be 100k. Granted, the taxes/fees would only be ~$5.

As Syrome said, no, you cannot use VS miles to upgrade on Delta currently.

God, what a loose-loose scenario this 'partnership' is turning out to be for loyal VS AU flyers.

To be fair I don't believe that you can use Avios to upgrade on AA, CX or any other airline than BA. The others only accept straight redemptions.

Indeed, neither are GUF vouchers for BA available on AA etc.

Identical to other partners etc.

Delta is odd in theri FF program does have upgrade vouchers usable on AF/KLM - what will be interesting is if VS accept these - and if they start offering similar to above gold FF's in their program.

The DL upgrade vouchers will be because of their Skyteam membership and as VS is not part of Skyteam (yet) then there is not reason for them to accept these.

Every airline I have come across only allows miles upgraded in their proprietary scheme and not from partner schemes - although their is a confusing connection between UA and LH.

Yes, but surely there is a difference between the alliances you compare to and the near 50:50 equity partnership VS has?

Basically Delta has 50% ownership of Virgin, in other words it is half Delta, so it's quite another scenario to alliances like AA:BA or Delta:AF, etc. To my mind, that merits some special 'higher' consideration, though... it appears not.

DL's view will be that they've saved VS and, as by far the bigger company, they call the shots. Which, clearly, they are.

It's not all one-way traffic - for VS FC members the TPs you can earn on DL flights are generous and there are limited benefits for Au card holders, not least automatic upgrades to Economy Comfort.