Question about upgrading flights booked through SAP Concur with Delta

[daremo999]

My company was recently acquired and we are now switching over to Concur for travel. During one of the training sessions, the question was asked about booking a flight (in economy) and then paying for an upgrade with either your own points or $. The explanation given was that upgrading / changing your flight with the carrier breaks the data link between the airline/Concur/employer. Is this accurate? I can understand where rebooking a flight could definitely break a data link, but a simple upgrade on a flight only changes your seat location and the ticket/fare class.

Thanks! 

[KevinD]

@daremo999 I'm going to ask my Travel contact about this because I've never heard that explanation about breaking a data link. I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but I've been at SAP Concur for 14 years and never come across it. 

BTW...who provided the training? Was it SAP Concur or someone else? 

[daremo999]

Hi Kevin,

It was internal training, not anyone from SAP. Did your travel contact have any information?

[daremo999]

Just to update anyone reading this in the future. I went ahead and upgraded existing reservations from economy to 1st class several times and had zero issues as it doesnt change the booking at all, just where you are sitting on the plane.

[drooney87]

How did you upgrade, direct on the website of the airline or using Concur?

[daremo999]

I just purchased the upgrade directly through the airline (Delta) in this case.  I booked a main cabin fare using Concur, waited a few hours / day for it to be purchased and fully updated in my Delta Skymiles account and then when I logged in to look at the flight, I changed my seating assignment up to first class and paid the cost of that with my own card. Didnt change anything as far as I know and I haven't gotten any blowback about it either.