Delta to/from Albuquerque - Battleground Upgrades still Work!

I used to go to ABQ a lot when I lived in Knoxville.  Now, only rarely.  Southwest prices aren't cheap anymore, and required connections, so I'll take DL and the possibility of first class any day.

But buying first class in this case would  have exceeded the travel policy of the customer, so I was forced to buy a fairly cheap coach ticket.

And hope like hell the upgrades cleared.

The TPA/ATL segment cleared in the 5 day window.

ATL/ABQ went to the gate.  And when I checked in, I was number 13 on the list for 10 seats.  As the day wore on I dropped to number 17 for 10.

So upon arrival in ATL, I bought a $9 sandwich to eat in coach.

I'll be damned I get to the gate and look up at the GID and see I cleared into first!  How does this happen?  I know a lot of people are saying now that the DL website is quite inaccurate when it comes to these things.  And I wasted the sandwich.

The return is via MSP and the first segment cleared in the 5 day window, but the MSP/TPA was going to the gate.

But I finished the work early and called DL to change to a one day earlier departure.  I knew a $200.00 change fee was in the works, but the agent told me that even with the fee I had a credit coming.

Which I used to buy my way into first for the return through ATL.

A casual traveler, upon reading this post, will shake their head and think I'm insane.  If you fly to work, you aren't shaking your head.  You know what it takes to get back and forth.

Hartford (actually, Keene NH) is next.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL2352/history/20140530/1917Z/KABQ/KATL

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1491/history/20140530/2305Z/KATL/KTPA