US Airways Dividend Miles - CLT-SJO upgrades in August?

For CLT-SJO (San Jose, Costa Rica) flights (and back) in August, on an A319, are upgrades tough to get? Particularly upgrades for 2 people- me (Gold) and a companion?

Also- I have a traveling companion who doesn't have status and may be originating at another airport and then we'd meet and take the CLT-SJO leg together. I'd guess if we buy our tickets separately and then if I call US to link our tickets together, my companion will get upgraded just as a normal Preferred companion would get upgraded? Or does that strategy have some flaws? I am GP.

Thanks.

fwiw, i flew to belize in the end of april, and FC was half empty. Flying home was full, but still had my upgrade. [GP]. In CLT, they were offering gofirst on some other flights to the caribbean.

Cant really speak for traveling in Aug, or to SJO, but I think upgrades to that area may be easier to get as its mainly tourist routes.

Does US offer go first after it has processed all elite and companion upgrades, or are upgrades and go first offered from different buckets?

Generally speaking, all open seats are handed over to CP->PP->GP->SP (and friends on same PNR's) from 7-days onwards. I *think* that US offers GoFirst only when the Pref's have been all upgraded, but I could be wrong. (Feel free to correct me)

JP